Hautes Fagnes · Easy · Circular

Signal de Botrange and the Fagne de la Poleûr

From Signal de Botrange, the highest point in Belgium, west across the plateau and round the Fagne de la Poleûr on boardwalks.

Distance
7.0 km (4.3 mi)
Ascent
56 m
Time
About 2 h
High point
694 m
Grade
Easy

Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.

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Signal de Botrange and the Fagne de la Poleûr
ArthurMcGill · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The walk

From the car park at Signal de Botrange, by the Maison du Parc, take the marked walk west across the plateau to the edge of the Fagne de la Poleûr. Go round the fen clockwise: west along the boardwalk on its south side, north through its west side, then east along the track on its north side towards Mont Rigi. Come back south on the eastern boardwalk and return the same way.

It is 7 km round with 56 m of ascent; allow about 2 hours. The grade is Easy: almost level paths, tracks and boardwalks across open moor.

A fire in August 2026 burnt part of the Hautes Fagnes east of the Eupen to Botrange road; that area is still closed, but the Poleûr, west of the road, has reopened. On red-flag days in dry spells some fen zones close for fire risk, and in autumn forest around the fens closes on hunting days: the walking planner on ostbelgien.eu lists closures by date. In this protected zone stay on the boardwalks and marked paths, and keep dogs on a lead. Fog and wind come in quickly on the plateau, and boardwalks are slippery when wet or frosty.

The car park is free. TEC buses stop daily at the Maison du Parc: line 390 from Verviers and lines 394 and E23 from Eupen, both towns with railway stations.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.

Good to know

  • Signal de Botrange, at 694 m, is the highest point in Belgium
  • The Hautes Fagnes, protected since 1957, are the oldest nature reserve in Wallonia: raised bog, heath and forest
  • Boardwalks carry walkers in single file over wet peat that would otherwise be trampled
  • TEC buses from Eupen and Verviers stop at the Maison du Parc

Summits on the way

  • Signal de Botrange 694 m · passed close by

Getting there

Start: Signal de Botrange car park. 50.50125, 6.09333

Directions to the start

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Places to stay nearby

Rooms in and around Eupen: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →

Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.

Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.