EL CAMINITO DEL REY, SPAIN
Biggest danger: narrow walkways over a 100m (330ft) drop to the river below
Spain’s answer to Mount Hua Shan in China, El Caminito del Rey (the King’s little pathway), is not the daredevil hike it once was, but it still gets the adrenalin pumping. The 3km (1.8mi) concrete and steel path was built over 100 years ago to serve workers on a local hydroelectric plant.
The walkway fell into disrepair and was officially closed for over a decade. After extensive restoration, it reopened in 2015. Once known as the “world’s most dangerous hike” following five deaths in 1999 and 2000, it is now becoming a popular tourist attraction.
A climber below the pathway on El Caminito del Rey
WEST COAST TRAIL, CANADA
Despite a relatively low death rate compared to some of the other hikes on this list, the West Coast Trail’s long, almost vertical ladder sections make it a real thrill-seeker’s hiking trail. The terrain is consistently uneven.
Hikers should be equipped to wade through rivers, scramble across steep slopes and be prepared for slippery conditions throughout. Storms regularly damage the trails and structures, making them even more dangerous or often impassable. Oh, and did I mention that one may encounter the odd bear or cougar en route?
One of the more “stable” pathways now in place
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