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The Netherlands🇳🇱 | national parksGeopark De HondsrugHunebedden, Hondsrug ridge, Gasselte sand, Zuidlaren lakes | things to do and best time to go

Explore Dwingelderveld National ParkExplore Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide

Backpacking in Geopark De Hondsrug
👀 For curious travelersnational park ranked #19
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 15, 2026

The decision here is bike or boots, and distance tips it: the Geopark spans roughly 70 km of Drenthe plateau between Groningen and Emmen, so anything beyond one village needs two wheels. It is gentle, hushed country of hunebedden, forest and heath, with no peaks and few crowds, quieter than Dwingelderveld or Drentsche Aa. I once walked from Borger to Exloo on sandy tracks, ignoring the bus timetable, and missed the last departure. Check the return service first.

Discover everything you want to know in the 📖 The Netherlands Travel Guide.


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✨ Why go?
Ranked #19 national park in The NetherlandsWhy visitors keep coming back

Backpackers come for the Hondsrug ridge itself, a glacial moraine left by Saale-ice-age ice, and for the fietsknooppunten numbered cycle network that lets you build your own route without a guide. Prehistoric hunebedden sit beside ordinary village lanes, free to visit at any hour. Camping barns and small campsites keep costs modest, and everything suits self-guided travel far better than tours, since signage is clear and distances are short.

💡 HighlightsThe experiences that define the visit

  1. Hunebed D27 at Borger: the largest hunebed in the Netherlands, about 5,000 years old, with a visitor center beside it.
  2. Hunebedcentrum: a museum in Borger explaining how Funnelbeaker people raised these stone tombs.
  3. Hunebed D19 near Rolde: a pair of tombs set in woodland, reachable on a short forest walk.
  4. Exloërmond and Exloo heathland: open heather and sand drifts reached by quiet lanes.
  5. Gasselte sand-drift area: Hondsrug moraine landscape with inland dunes and pine plantations.
  6. Noordlaren and Zuidlaren lakes: the Zuidlaardermeer shore offers wide skies and birdwatching.
  7. Hondsrug ridge cycling route: follow the knooppunten along the old Hondsrug road lined with oaks.
Most visitors miss the small hunebed at Exloo, tucked beside a residential street.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do near Geopark De Hondsrug

Historical Canal Tour

Historical Canal Tour

4.9(78) 1h
From €21
per personViator
Groningen: Terrace Boat Experience with a Cozy Bar: 1 hour

Groningen: Terrace Boat Experience with a Cozy Bar: 1 hour

4.4(59) 1h
From €15
per personViator
Groningen: Terrace Boat Experience with a Cozy Bar: 1.5 Hours

Groningen: Terrace Boat Experience with a Cozy Bar: 1.5 Hours

4.4(43) 1h 30m
From €17
per personViator
Perfumery Exploration Workshop in Groningen

Perfumery Exploration Workshop in Groningen

5.0(26) 3h
From €75
per personViator
Groningen: 2 Hour Party Booze Cruise with Unlimited Drinks

Groningen: 2 Hour Party Booze Cruise with Unlimited Drinks

5.0(26) 2h
From €38
per personViator
e-Scavenger hunt Groningen: Explore the city at your own pace

e-Scavenger hunt Groningen: Explore the city at your own pace

4.3(28) 3h
From €31
per personViator
Discover Groningen in this Outside Escape city game tour!

Discover Groningen in this Outside Escape city game tour!

4.7(12)
From €28
per personViator
Groningen: Canal Cruise - open boat (optional) Audio Guide

Groningen: Canal Cruise - open boat (optional) Audio Guide

4.9(9) 1h
From €19.50
per personViator
Murder City Game with Live Game Supervisor in Groningen

Murder City Game with Live Game Supervisor in Groningen

4.6(9) 3h
From €23
per personViator
Groningen: Relaxing boat tour with unlimited drinks: 1.5 hours

Groningen: Relaxing boat tour with unlimited drinks: 1.5 hours

5.0(5) 1h 30m
From €35
per personViator

Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?Seasonal considerations and timing

May to September is the best window for walking Geopark De Hondsrug, with highs of 18 to 23°C (64 to 73°F) and daylight stretching past 9 pm in June.
  • Spring (April to May): Heather and woods turn green, 10 to 17°C (50 to 63°F), few crowds.
  • Summer (June to August): Warmest, 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F), busiest, and campsite prices peak.
  • Autumn (September to October): Golden beech woods, 11 to 18°C (52 to 64°F), quiet trails.
  • Winter (November to March): 0 to 6°C (32 to 43°F), short days of about 8 hours, rain and frost.
Book campsites early for Dutch school holidays in July and August.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: good for travelingAPRApril: highly recommended for travelingMAYMay: excellent for travelingJUNJune: excellent for travelingJULJuly: highly recommended for travelingAUGAugust: highly recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: excellent for travelingOCTOctober: highly recommended for travelingNOVNovember: good for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
netherlands-national-park-geopark-de-hondsrug
© Google | Emmy Boertien

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🛏️ Where to stay?Choosing the right base

Base yourself in Assen, Gieten or Borger, because the Geopark itself has no hotels and runs as a patchwork of villages, farmland and forest across Drenthe.
Assen has the best rail links and hostel-style and budget hotel options. Around Borger and Exloo you will find small campsites, minicampings on farms and trekkershutten (simple hiker cabins), often US$ equivalents of €25 to 45 a night. Gieten and Anloo suit walkers who want quiet. Emmen and Groningen work as bigger bases with more beds and food choices, both reachable by bus or train. Wild camping is illegal, so book ahead in summer.
Best hostels in The Netherlands


Best quality hotels in The Netherlands

👛 Costs (as of 15 October 2026)Typical daily expenses

A day in Geopark De Hondsrug costs roughly €60 to 120, since access to the trails is free and spending goes mainly on beds and food.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Entrance fees€0Trails and forests are free. The Hunebed Center in Borger costs about €10 to 14.
Accommodation€20 to 90Campsites run €20 to 35, trekkershutten €25 to 60, and B&Bs or hotels €80 to 130.
Local transport€5 to 20Regional buses cost a few euros per ride. Bike rental is €12 to 20 a day.
Food and supplies€15 to 35Supermarket meals are cheap, while café lunches cost €10 to 16 and restaurant dinners €20 to 30.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🥾 TrailsExploring Geopark De Hondsrug: trails, terrain, and views

Walking here means easy, flat terrain on sand, forest and heather, with only slight rises on the moraine. Expect roe deer, buzzards and sometimes adders on warm heathland. Most paths are short loops rather than named long-distance trails, so a bike plus a knooppunten map covers more ground.
Hunebeddenroute Borger
  • Length: roughly 8 to 12 km depending on the loop chosen
  • Duration: 2 to 3 hours on foot
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Key features: D27 hunebed, heath, village lanes
  • Terrain: flat sand and paved paths
Getting there by public transport works via train to Assen or Emmen, then regional buses to Borger, Gieten … read more 👉
Walking here means easy, flat terrain on sand, forest and heather, with only slight rises on the moraine. Expect roe deer, buzzards and sometimes adders on warm heathland. Most paths are short loops rather than named long-distance trails, so a bike plus a knooppunten map covers more ground.
Hunebeddenroute Borger
  • Length: roughly 8 to 12 km depending on the loop chosen
  • Duration: 2 to 3 hours on foot
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Key features: D27 hunebed, heath, village lanes
  • Terrain: flat sand and paved paths
Getting there by public transport works via train to Assen or Emmen, then regional buses to Borger, Gieten or Exloo, though evening and weekend services are thin. The area is rarely crowded except around the Borger hunebed on summer weekends. Entry to the landscape and hunebedden is free; only the Hunebedcentrum museum charges admission.
⚠️ Hiking info can sometimes be outdated or inaccurate. Before you hit the trail, check the latest conditions with locals. If you do spot anything that's off, I'd love to hear from you, so I can update it for fellow travelers.

🛡️ SafetySafety Tips and Common Scams in Geopark De Hondsrug

Geopark De Hondsrug is flat, well signposted and very safe, with no altitude, serious exposure or dangerous wildlife. Expect sudden rain, wind across open heath and mud on forest paths, so pack a light waterproof and sturdy shoes. Ticks are common in heather and tall grass from spring to autumn, so wear long trousers and check your skin afterward. Cyclists share many paths, so keep right and listen for bells. Carry water in summer, since cafés can be far apart.
Check Country Safety

FAQCommon questions from travelers

Two days is enough to see the main hunebedden, villages and heathland. Spend day one around Borger and Exloo and day two cycling toward Rolde and Zuidlaren, covering roughly 30 to 50 km each day. A third day suits those wanting longer walks or a visit to Assen.
Yes, but a bicycle matters more than a car. Trains reach Assen and Emmen, and buses link Borger, Gieten and Exloo, though services thin out after early evening. Bike rental in Borger or Assen costs about 10 to 20 euros per day.
No entry fee or permit applies to the Geopark landscape, trails or hunebedden, which are open around the clock. The Hunebedcentrum in Borger charges admission, typically around 10 to 15 euros for adults. Camping and overnight stays are paid separately at local sites.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Dutch national parks near Geopark De Hondsrug

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We 💚 feedbackWhat to keep in mind

The mistake to avoid is treating the Geopark as one compact attraction. It is a scattered landscape with long gaps between sights and sparse buses. Rent a bike, plan loops around two or three villages, and accept that this is slow, subtle travel rather than spectacle.

✈️ When did I visit The Netherlands?
Netherlands is my home base, so whenever I don’t travel, you can find me in this tiny spot on the globe. When friends from abroad visit me, it’s the time to actually explore my own country as a traveler.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in The Netherlands, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

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