Since 2006, rustic forests, mystical moors and the majestic Brocken mountain have been growing together to form a unique natural paradise covering over 24,700 hectares between Niedersachsen and Saxony-Anhalt. In line with the motto ‘Let nature be nature’, three quarters of the Harz National Park is developing without human intervention. Step by step, a natural forest of tomorrow is emerging here, providing a habitat for rare species and a retreat for all those seeking peace and quiet.
Spruce trees? They’re almost all gone now. What was once a dreary monoculture is turning into the primeval forest of tomorrow. Robust mixed forests of beech and sycamore are already growing in the Harz Mountains National Park. Among them, as if thrown in as a giant’s afterthought, are big boulders and bizarre cliffs. No wonder there are so many myths about the Harz Mountains – especially the ones about witches. There are wild animals too: lynx and wildcats are starting to feel at home again in the Harz Mountains, and the roaring of red stag can be heard from afar in the autumn.
Have you ever seen a lynx up close? A few of the shy cats live in Luchsgehege an den Rabenklippen on the Burgberg near Bad Harzburg. A scenic walk leads upwards – and the BaumSchwebeBahn glides gently back down in relaxed curves, weaving through the treetops to the treetop trail below. Or maybe you’d prefer to head out on foot with a national park ranger into the peat bog, the mountain meadows or the new forest? Information about the legendary mountain wilderness is available from official sources like the national park’s TorfHaus Visitor Centre, which is also the starting point for the WaldWandelWeg, one of the national park’s theme trails.
The Harz Walking Badge (Harzer Wandernadel) is celebrating its anniversary! With over 222 stamp locations – from mystical forests to breathtaking viewpoints – it is one of the most popular walking badges in Germany. The bronze, silver and gold badges stand for endurance, a spirit of discovery and authentic Harz moments.
The Harz foothills are also fascinating: the UNESCO Global Geopark Harz – Braunschweiger Land – Ostfalen offers prehistoric graves and geological adventure trails. The Schöningen Research Museum displays the Schöningen spears – the oldest hunting tools ever found.
