Muscovites discover hidden forest trails tourists never find

Residents in northern Moscow districts have increased use of unmarked trails inside Losiny Ostrov National Park this summer, with daily foot traffic on the northern loops rising sharply since early June.

The shift comes as city wellness programs expand outdoor options amid steady summer temperatures and longer daylight hours, pushing locals to quieter green corridors rather than the main boulevards near Red Square or Gorky Park.

Two overlooked routes near established districts

One favored path starts at the 17th kilometer marker on the Yaroslavskoye Highway and winds through pine stands in Losiny Ostrov before reaching a small pond used for stretching routines by members of the local running club. Another set of loops sits inside the Bitsevsky Forest near the Yasenevo metro station, where residents from the Chertanovo neighborhood follow a 4-kilometer circuit that passes an old oak grove and ends at a wooden platform overlooking a meadow.

Both routes stay within city limits and require no entry fee, unlike some paid sections of Izmaylovsky Park.

Numbers behind the trend

A 2025 survey by the Moscow Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection found that 58 percent of adults in the north-east and south districts walk or jog in forest areas at least three times a week, up from 41 percent recorded in 2022. Individual guided sessions on these trails cost 800 rubles through registered city instructors, with the first sessions of the current season beginning on 15 June.

Visitors can reach the Losiny Ostrov entry via the VDNKh metro station followed by a 12-minute bus ride on route 136, while the Bitsevsky Forest loops lie a short walk from Yasenevo station. Those planning a first visit should download the free Moscow Parks app for offline maps updated last month.