--- title: "Harzer-Hexen-Stieg - Brocken bypass" url: "https://www.niedersachsen-tourism.com/tour/harzer-hexen-stieg-brocken-bypass" description: "From Torfhaus to the Brocken, you already know that? The path is too arduous for you? The mountain shows its adverse side, namely not at all? Or there are simply too many people on the way? Then take the alternative! The Brocken bypass is by no means a second choice. Away from the bustle of the mountain, it continues on rustic paths through the Harz National Park. Along plank paths, we climb alongside the Oderteich, once the largest and oldest reservoir in Germany. It is dammed by a \"Cyclopean dam wall\" made of huge granite blocks. The water from the pond is transported by the Rehberger Graben to St. Andreasberg. Where it was previously used for mining, it now drives turbines in the Samson mine and generates environmentally friendly electricity for the residents. The open mountain meadows around the free mountain town, which extends almost to Braunlage, are especially a feast for the eyes in summer. The Oder Valley deeply cuts the connection between the two towns. But not narrowness and gloom, but light and a riot of color also dominate the scene here. In Braunlage, a tourist center in the Upper Harz, the path leads directly past the foot of the Wurmberg. From here, a gondola ride takes you to Lower Saxony's highest peak. The view is breathtaking. Not only of the Brocken summit directly opposite but over the entire southern mountain range. Below the Wurmberg, the world once ended here as well. We cross the former inner-German border at the crossing over the Bremke, the former border stream. Now we are in the once inaccessible border area. At Elend, we reach a settlement again and encounter the Bode river for the first time. Here it is the Kalte Bode, whose course we follow to the idyllic hamlet of Mandelholz before diving back into the bright forest that accompanies us to Königshütte. Even before that, at the rest area in the Steinbach valley, we come across the Brocken hikers of the Harzer-Hexen-Stieg." language: "en" type: "SportsActivityLocation" image: "https://dam.destination.one/2825470/9be93664bf43a4d85b1476497ce300d201deea5cfd7ece403d988a54eba02be4/kabinenbahn-am-wurmberg.jpg" breadcrumb: "Root > Home > Special > Destination.Data Details > Tour" --- GPX Share Harzer-Hexen-Stieg - Brocken bypass =================================== - 34.19 km long - Difficulty: medium - Condition: medium - Walking / hiking Kabinenbahn am Wurmberg - 10:00 h - 34.19 km - 320 m - 638 m - 461 m - 805 m - 344 m - - Start: Torfhaus - Destination: Königshütte The alternative for everyone who finds the route over the Brocken too arduous or already knows it: the Brocken bypass through the Oder Valley via St. Andreasberg and Braunlage. From Torfhaus to the Brocken, you already know that? The path is too arduous for you? The mountain shows its adverse side, namely not at all? Or there are simply too many people on the way? Then take the alternative! The Brocken bypass is by no means a second choice. Away from the bustle of the mountain, it continues on rustic paths through the Harz National Park. Along plank paths, we climb alongside the Oderteich, once the largest and oldest reservoir in Germany. It is dammed by a "Cyclopean dam wall" made of huge granite blocks. The water from the pond is transported by the Rehberger Graben to St. Andreasberg. Where it was previously used for mining, it now drives turbines in the Samson mine and generates environmentally friendly electricity for the residents. The open mountain meadows around the free mountain town, which extends almost to Braunlage, are especially a feast for the eyes in summer. The Oder Valley deeply cuts the connection between the two towns. But not narrowness and gloom, but light and a riot of color also dominate the scene here. In Braunlage, a tourist center in the Upper Harz, the path leads directly past the foot of the Wurmberg. From here, a gondola ride takes you to Lower Saxony's highest peak. The view is breathtaking. Not only of the Brocken summit directly opposite but over the entire southern mountain range. Below the Wurmberg, the world once ended here as well. We cross the former inner-German border at the crossing over the Bremke, the former border stream. Now we are in the once inaccessible border area. At Elend, we reach a settlement again and encounter the Bode river for the first time. Here it is the Kalte Bode, whose course we follow to the idyllic hamlet of Mandelholz before diving back into the bright forest that accompanies us to Königshütte. Even before that, at the rest area in the Steinbach valley, we come across the Brocken hikers of the Harzer-Hexen-Stieg. Read more Good to know ------------ Pavements Street (2%) Asphalt (8%) Gravel (47%) Trail (23%) Path (20%) Best to visit suitable Depends on weather - Jan - Feb - Mar - Apr - May - Jun - Jul - Aug - Sep - Oct - Nov - Dec Directions From Torfhaus, it branches off to the south and leads through the Harz National Park along the oldest reservoir in Germany, the Oderteich. On the Rehberger Grabenweg, we reach the old mining town of St. Andreasberg. Through the blooming mountain meadows, the path continues, descending into the Oder Valley and climbing back up to Braunlage. The winter sports center in the heart of the Harz is popular and lively even in summer. At the Bremke, we cross the former inner-German border on the way to Elend and then reach the outskirts of the Bode reservoir system with the flood control basin near Mandelholz. In the idyllic Steinbach valley, shortly before Königshütte, the Brocken bypass meets the main path again. Read more Directions & Parking facilities **Getting there**Torfhaus is located on the B4 between Bad Harzburg and Braunlage. Read more **Parking**At Torfhaus there are several free and paid parking options. Read more **Public transportation**Torfhaus: Bus 820 from Bad Harzburg bus station to Braunlage. Bad Harzburg is connected to the Deutsche Bahn network. / Read more Literature **Harzer-Hexen-Stieg - official hiking guide** Route description in both directions, 5 stages, 2 alternative routes, elevation profiles, graphics, overview map, dining and accommodation options, GPS tracks, stamp stations \| 80 pages, format 120 x 190 mm \| Schmidt-Buch-Verlag Available at www.harzinfo-shop.de. Read more License (master data) Harzer Tourismusverband Map Harzer Hexen-Stieg 1 : 30,000: Official map for the recognized premium hiking trail in the Harz. Publisher: Harzer Tourismusverband & Harzklub Publisher: Schmidt-Buch-Verlag Available at www.harzinfo-shop.de Read more Nearby ------ View on map - Event - Other families/children - Guided tour - Guided tour - Place of interest - Observatory - Other entertainment - Zorbing - Tours 19.91 km - Walking / hiking 21.91 km - Walking / hiking 96.23 km - Walking / hiking Contact 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld Download GPX file - - - -