Rureifel Trail (RET)

Trail Running in the Rureifel

The Rureifel Trail (RET) is the most ambitious trail running event in the Eifel region and has developed since its inaugural edition in 2024 into one of Germany's most significant one-day trail runs. With approximately 1,900 participants from over 30 countries and a remarkably high female participation rate of almost 40%, the RET sets standards in diversity and inclusion in trail sports. The organizer is Rahn Endurance Sports.

Saturday, April 18, 2026 – The 3rd Edition

The 3rd edition of the Rureifel Trail will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2026. The first start is at 6:20 AM, and the first finishers of the RET77 are expected around 10:45 AM. The race has been completely sold out for months. The start and finish are at Nideggen Castle, one of the most imposing hilltop castles in the Rhineland. The patron is District Administrator Dr. Ralf Nolten (Düren district).

Four Distances Plus Hike and Kids

The race offers four main distances plus hiking and children's runs:

• RET11: 12 km, 444 hm – Beginner's distance
• RET22: 22.5 km, 807 hm – Classic distance
• RET44+: 46 km, 1,828 hm – Marathon+ with a serious elevation profile
• RET77: 77 km, 2,863 hm – the flagship, a true ultra through the entire Rureifel region
• RET Hike22 / Hike44+: same routes, separate hiking start
• RET Kids Run: 1.5 km for under 15s

Routes – Through the Rur Valley and Eifel National Park

The courses lead through the typical Rureifel landscape – a mix of Buntsandstein rocks, beech forests, the Rur Valley with the Rursee lake, and Eifel high plateaus. The RET77, in particular, crosses several notable locations:

• Abenden – viewpoint on the Rur Valley
• Heimbach – reservoir and hydroelectric power plant
• Zerkall – stream valley
• Schmidt – Eifel village on the ridge
• Bergstein – Buntsandstein route with a forest chapel
• Obermaubach – reservoir idyll on the Rur river
• Kalltal – forest area

The routes are well-marked and equipped with several aid stations.

Nideggen Castle as Start and Finish Area

Nideggen Castle – one of the most imposing medieval hilltop castles in the Rhineland and today the Eifel Museum – forms the unique backdrop for the start, transition zone, and finish. Registration, pasta party (evening before), and award ceremony are organized in the castle courtyard. For spectators, there are viewing points in Nideggen, Schmidt, Bergstein, Obermaubach, and at Gut Kallerbend.

Family and Spectator Program

The festival grounds at the castle also offer a lot for spectators: beer garden, children's activity stations, a running expo with trail equipment vendors, and catering from local Eifel restaurateurs. The hiking variants allow companions to experience the same routes at their own pace – without competitive pressure.

Nideggen and the Rureifel

Nideggen is located in the Düren district in the northern Eifel (North Rhine-Westphalia). The medieval town with its city gates, the castle, and its location above the Rur Valley is considered one of Germany's most beautiful mountain towns. The RET uses this identity as a competition backdrop and is simultaneously an economic stimulus for the entire region.