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The Lord of the Rings

The Return of the King

Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli

Three hunters chase orcs across Rohan, then Aragorn takes the Paths of the Dead to the sea

Distance
1,580 miles · 2,542 km
days
30
Places
13
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The Return of the King on the map of Middle-earth

Aragorn covered roughly 1,000 miles in 30 days, from Amon Hen on February 26, TA 3019 to the Black Gate on March 25, including a 135 mile run across Rohan in under four days.

This is the journey that turns a Ranger into a king, and on the map it is a long loop: north and west across Rohan, then a hard turn south through the mountains and back east up the Anduin.

It starts as a rescue. On February 26, TA 3019 Aragorn buries Boromir in a boat over the falls and chooses to follow Merry and Pippin rather than Frodo. He, Legolas and Gimli run about 135 miles in under four days across the Wold, and arrive just after the Riders of Rohan have destroyed the orc band. In Fangorn they meet Gandalf, returned as the White, and the hunt turns into a war.

At Edoras on March 2, Gandalf frees Theoden from Grima's counsel. Aragorn rides with the king to Helm's Deep, fights the night battle of March 3 when the Hornburg wall is blown, and rides on to a drowned Isengard on March 5, where the palantir of Orthanc comes into his keeping. Back at the Hornburg on March 6 he looks into it and deliberately shows himself to Sauron, which draws the attack on Gondor forward before Sauron is ready.

The second half is Aragorn's alone. Told by Elrond's sons to take the Paths of the Dead, he enters the Dark Door under Dwimorberg on March 8 with the Dunedain, Legolas and Gimli, and comes out the far side to summon the Oathbreakers at the Stone of Erech. With that host behind him he sweeps down through Lamedon and Linhir to Pelargir on March 13, takes the entire corsair fleet, and releases the Dead from their oath.

He then sails north up the Anduin with the men of the southern fiefs and reaches the Harlond on March 15, when the battle on the Pelennor is already turning. The black ships everyone expects to be enemies unfurl the banner of the King. Ten days later he is before the Black Gate, holding the last battle of the war so Frodo can finish his own journey.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Paths of the Dead on the map?

An underground road through the White Mountains, entered at the Dark Door under Dwimorberg above Dunharrow in Rohan and emerging in the vale of Morthond in Gondor, near the Stone of Erech.

Why did Aragorn go south instead of riding with the Rohirrim?

He had seen in the palantir that a corsair fleet from Umbar was coming up the Anduin. By taking the Paths of the Dead he reached Pelargir in time to capture those ships and bring the southern fiefs to the Pelennor.

How fast did the three hunters cross Rohan?

About 135 miles in less than four days, on foot, from Parth Galen to the eaves of Fangorn, which Eomer calls a feat beyond the strength of ordinary Men.

Route, stop by stop

  1. 01 · TA 3019, February 26

    Amon Hen

    Aragorn finds Boromir dying, hears his confession, and sends him over Rauros in an elven-boat. With Frodo gone east, he chooses to follow the orcs who took Merry and Pippin.

  2. 02 · TA 3019, February 30

    Eaves of Fangorn

    After nearly four days of running, the three hunters meet Eomer's eored returning from the slaughter of the orc band. Eomer lends them horses, and they find no hobbits among the burned bodies, only a lembas wrapper and small footprints leading into the trees.

  3. 03 · TA 3019, March 1

    Fangorn Forest

    Following the tracks into the old forest they meet a white-robed figure they take for Saruman. It is Gandalf, returned from death, who tells them the hobbits are safe with Treebeard and that their road now lies to Edoras.

  4. 04 · TA 3019, March 2

    Edoras

    Gandalf breaks Grima's hold on Theoden in the hall of Meduseld. The king takes up his sword, Eomer is released, and the muster of Rohan is called while Eowyn is left to govern the people.

  5. 05 · TA 3019, March 3 to 4

    Helm's Deep

    Aragorn fights through the night as Saruman's host storms the Deeping Wall and blows a hole in it with blasting-fire. At dawn Theoden rides out, Gandalf arrives with Erkenbrand, and a forest of Huorns swallows the fleeing army.

  6. 06 · TA 3019, March 5

    Isengard

    The company rides to find Isengard flooded and Merry and Pippin sitting in the wreckage. Saruman is cast from the Order and Wormtongue throws down the palantir. That night, after Pippin looks into it, Gandalf gives the Stone into Aragorn's keeping; Aragorn uses it at the Hornburg the next day and shows himself to Sauron.

  7. 07 · TA 3019, March 7

    Dunharrow

    Aragorn reaches the mountain refuge above Harrowdale at nightfall with the Grey Company: Halbarad's Rangers and Elrond's sons, who overtook him in the small hours of March 6 on the ride back from Isengard, bringing Elrond's message and the standard Arwen made. He tells Eowyn he must take the Paths of the Dead, and she asks in vain to come.

  8. 08 · TA 3019, March 8

    Paths of the Dead

    Aragorn leads the Grey Company through the Dark Door under Dwimorberg, past the bones of a man who tried it long ago, and out the southern end into the vale of Morthond, the Blackroot, with the dead following behind him.

  9. 09 · TA 3019, March 8, night

    Erech

    At the black Stone of Erech, where Isildur set it and the King of the Mountains swore and broke his oath, Aragorn sounds a horn and names himself Isildur's heir. The Shadow Host answers the summons.

  10. 10 · TA 3019, March 11

    Linhir

    The Grey Company and the Dead scatter the men of Umbar and Harad fighting at the fords of the Gilrain. The defenders of Lamedon flee from the Dead as well, but the survivors of the fiefs rally and follow Aragorn south.

  11. 11 · TA 3019, March 13

    Pelargir

    At Gondor's great river port the Dead take the fifty corsair ships without a fight, the slaves at the oars are freed, and Aragorn releases the Oathbreakers. Four thousand men of the southern fiefs come aboard for the run north.

  12. 12 · TA 3019, March 15

    Minas Tirith

    The black fleet reaches the Harlond in the afternoon of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and the standard of the King is unfurled. Aragorn turns the battle, and that night he heals Faramir, Eowyn and Merry in the Houses of Healing.

  13. 13 · TA 3019, March 25

    Black Gate

    Aragorn leads about seven thousand men to the Morannon as a deliberate bait to empty Mordor of eyes and soldiers. Gandalf refuses the Mouth of Sauron's terms, and the army holds on the slag-hills until Barad-dur falls.