Harz National Park

Welcome to our legendary mountain wilderness!

Let yourself be surprised by an original and varied mountain landscape. Hike through the dense deciduous and coniferous forests, between rocks or walk alongside cliffs. Listen to the silence in the bogs or the calls of the black woodpecker and the wren. Enjoy the atmosphere at rushing mountain streams and allow yourself the view from legendary Mount Brocken, lying 1,141 meters above sea level.

A harsh climate and a varied geology leave their mark on Germany's most northern mountain range. The landscape of the Harz makes your visit to one of the largest forest national parks in Germany a unique experience.

Harz National Park

Harz National Park came into being in 2006 by the merger of two already existing national parks: the Hochharz National Park in Saxony-Anhalt (founded in 1990) and the Harz National Park in Lower Saxony (founded in 1994) comprise an area of almost 25,000 hectares. National parks are nature reserves steeped in tradition. In 1872, the first national park was established in the United States in the area of Yellowstone. Today there are over 4,000 national parks worldwide – 16 of them in Germany.

What are the tasks of a national park?

The focus is on the protection of natural processes. "Let nature be nature" is the motto of the 16 German national parks. In this way valuable habitats are preserved for numerous species of animals and plants, which have become rare. But humans are not excluded: ecofriendly recreation and environmental education are concerns of the national parks just as the scientific observation of natural processes.

Harz National Park and its aims

Even in the Harz, the protected habitats are left to their own natural dynamics. The processes of life remain undisturbed by humans in the various types of forests, bogs, creeks, cliffs and in the treeless mountain heath on Mount Brocken.

Harz National Park observes these processes through its own research. Additionally, it pursues restoration projects where people intervened in nature, such as the re-humidification of the bogs, the renaturation of mountain streams or the forest development. The reintroduction of the lynx is unique among German national parks.

Another emphasis of the work is to give people an idea of untouched nature's beauty. During numerous events, visitors are shown around by park employees. But do not hesitate to explore the park on your own by means of signposted trails.

A forest national park

Harz National Park is one of the biggest forest national parks in Germany. Huge wild animals like red deer, wild boar and roe live in the forest. From the red beech forests in the lower regions of the Harz to the mixed forests (beech and spruce) in the middle areas to the unique spruce forests of the higher regions – the variety of forest structures is impressing.

The summit of Mount Brocken

Unique among German low mountain ranges: the Mount Brocken's peak is naturally treeless. The storms which pass the plateau do not allow trees to grow over 1,100 meters. On the summit dwarf bushes survive among the grassy heath. You can here the singing of birds, one of which belongs to the ring ouzel.

Valuable Harz bogs

The Harz bogs have kept their originality. Today, they are of Europe-wide importance for nature conservation and science. Particular climate conditions were responsible for their formation: damp cool conditions and the subsoil caused water logging after the last ice age, so plants could only partially decompose. The bogs emerged from dead peat moss – up to a depth of over seven meters.

The convexly raised surface is a characteristic of a raised bog. Its top layer has no connection to the mineral soil, so it is exclusively moistened and nourished by rainwater.

Streams

In Harz National Park clear mountain streams are to be found everywhere. The rushing streams are continually forming the mountain range – with an elemental force which becomes apparent at high water.

The water of the Harz mountain streams is cold and rich in oxygen. Their river flows show diverse structures: near the source, at the headwater, rocks and boulders are a characteristic feature. Highly specialized insect larvae live in the water. Fascinating bird species like the dipper and the grey wagtail are inhabitants of this biotope.

Many creeks originate from the bogs of the higher areas and carry along tiny undecomposed plant remains. As a result some of them look brown, the water is acidic and white crests appear.

Rocky wilderness

In many places, wild rocky landscapes alternate with trees: steep cliffs, towering rock formations, jumbled granite blocks as if thrown together in disorder.This is the realm of rare mosses and lichens – one is reminded of the Alps or the high north.

Arrival

We recommend to arrive by train or other public means of transport. You can find tips about that on www.fahrtziel-natur.de (German website). The Harz Narrow Gauge Railway takes you to Mount Brocken (www.brockenbahn.info, German website).

National park accommodations

Do you fancy a holiday in Harz National Park while relaxing in a fascinating scenery? Are you looking for a suitable accommodation? Ask our partners: hotels, guest houses or holiday flats which offer not only a nice, ecofriendly accommodation, but which also excellently inform you about the offers of the National Park Harz. Recreation, enjoyment and health are capitalised here. For further information go to www.nationalpark-harz-partner.de (German website).

Discover Harz National Park

Come in and gather as many impressions of the park as possible! Our employees stay by your side to help you at anytime. Talk to our rangers and employees of our visitor centres. Use our offers of environmental education and visit our exhibitions. You can discover the national park on numerous tours, guided by our employees. You can find details on www.nationalpark-harz.de/en/.

Visitor attractions

Brocken Garden on the summit of the Brocken

• The botanical garden houses more than 1500 botanical species from all over the world
• Lynx enclosure at the Rabenklippe near Bad Harzburg
  Public feeding on Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30 p.m.
• Capercaillie Enclosure near Lonau
  Watch besides capercaillie black and hazel grouses, too
• Animal watching stations at Molkenhaus and in Odertal
  With a little bit of luck you experience the animals of the forest in the open countryside

Nature experience trails

• Bark beetle trail in Ilsenburg (Borkenkäferpfad)
  Information about bark beetles
• Dandelion discovery trail in Drei Annen Hohne (Löwenzahn-Entdeckerpfad)
  Experience path for kids and families
• Nature myths path near Braunlage (Naturmythenpfad)
  Walk on mythical traces through nature
• Soul path near Herzberg (Seelenpfad)
  Soothe your soul in the beech forests of the southern Harz
• Primeval forest trail on the Brocken (Urwaldstieg)
  A short walk allows you to look at the primeval forest of the Brocken
• Forest transition trail Torfhaus (WaldWandelWeg)
  How will the forest look like in the future?
• The White Roe Deer (Weißes Reh)
  Fairy tale path for children from Schierke to the Brocken
• Wilderness trail Altenau (Wildnispfad)
  Accompany nature on its way back to wilderness

Imprint

Nationalpark Harz, Lindenallee 35, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany

Phone 0049 3943 55020, Fax 0049 3943 550237

poststelle@nationalpark-harz.de, www.nationalpark-harz.de

Translation: The translation has been accomplished thanks to the following students from a high school (NIG) in Bad Harzburg: Jennifer Hempler, Katina Koch, Tamara Köhler, Anastasia Kirsch, Laura Peschek, Fidan Peters

2nd edition, 2018