National parks are places of retreat for plants and animals. “Let nature be nature” is the principle here. Due to their unspoiled nature, they also offer us humans a particularly unclouded experience of nature. Do you want to discover the wild side of Germany? Then set off for one of the 16 national parks in Germany – whether hiking, trekking, cycling or canoeing – outdoor fans are sure to get their money’s worth here.
National parks show that nature conservation and outdoor activities are perfectly compatible. They sharpen our eye for the beauty of the animal and plant world and at the same time offer fun and recreation for the whole family. Here we present the 5 most beautiful national parks for hiking and everything else you can experience outdoors.
#1 National park Bavarian Forest
The Bavarian Forest offers vacationers a unique nature experience. 350 kilometers of hiking trails lead through untouched forests in Germany’s oldest national park. With a little luck, you will discover plants and animals here that cannot be found anywhere else in Central Europe: Lynx, wildcats, beavers and otters have reclaimed a small habitat. You can even experience real primeval forest here.
The Bavarian Forest is surrounded by many legends and stories from ancient times. Some hiking trails, such as the long-distance hiking trail “Goldener Steig“, have existed since the 14th century. At that time, they served as trade routes for salt – the “white gold” of earlier times.
Today, the national park is well developed for tourists and especially interesting for a vacation with children. From the treetop path, to the national park center, to numerous wild animal enclosures and adventure playgrounds, everything can be found here. For adult outdoor fans there are well signposted hiking trails, mountain bike and canoe routes. The mountains ” Big Rachel ” ” Lusen ” and ” Big Falkenstein ” are waiting to be climbed.
#2 Wadden Sea National Park of Lower Saxony
The Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park offers much more than lugworms and dunes. The Wadden Sea is a unique coastal area and has been a World Heritage Site since 2009. For hikers, cyclists, but also for those seeking recreation, there is a lot on offer here.
A mudflat hike is a must during a vacation at the North Sea! Where else can you walk on the seabed? The best thing is to book a guided tour – so you can safely learn about the special features of this unique habitat.
There is also a lot on offer for family vacations. A visit to the seal station in the national park house in Norden-Norddeich is just as worthwhile as a trip to one of the visitor centers in Wilhelmshaven or Cuxhaven.
#3 National park Saxon Switzerland
Narrow rock gorges and majestic table mountains are waiting to be marveled at in Saxon Switzerland. The mighty forces of nature that shaped the region around the Elbe Sandstone Mountains over 100 million years ago can still be seen in the richly shaped rock reliefs.
Climbers get their money’s worth in Saxon Switzerland. There are about 750 designated climbing rocks with 13,000 routes in the region. A specially developed difficulty system helps with orientation. Taster courses are also offered.
Those who prefer hiking are also in the right place in Saxon Switzerland: the Elbe Sandstone Mountains are one of the most spectacular hiking areas in Europe. Some 1200 kilometers of marked hiking trails lead through lush green forests and mystical valleys, over lofty heights and past bizarre rock formations. Several trekking huts invite to multi-day tours.
#4 The Vorpommeranian Bodden Landscape
The National Park Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft offers wilderness by the sea. Here the untamed roar of the Baltic Sea alternates with the silence of extensive lagoons, the so-called Bodden. This unique habitat is home to rare survivors from the animal and plant kingdoms: from red deer to the blue moor frog.
Whoever is out and about here – whether hiking or biking – experiences the power with which the sea wrings sand from the west coasts, which the current moves eastward and nourishes young land there. The unique island world is as impressive as the mosaic of beaches, wind flats, dunes, coastal heaths, forests and rustic moors.
The marked hiking and biking trails are always equipped with display cases and boards that point out the natural phenomena. In addition, the national park administration offers guided tours. Special highlights are the crane information center in Groß Mohrdorf and the bird park in Marlow.
#5 Berchtesgadener Land National Park
Germany’s only Alpine National Park offers year-round hikes for every taste. Particularly impressive are the ” Stone Sea”, a karst plateau or the plateau of the Hagengebirge – a huge lonely table landscape, which breaks off to the outside with steep walls.
With its 2,713 meters height, the Watzmann is the landmark of the Berchtesgadener Land. The Watzmann East Face is the longest climbing wall in the Eastern Alps – a challenge for athletes who like the extreme. However, anyone can experience the thrill of the “mountain of fate” – without putting themselves in danger: Hikes with a pulse watch are offered to the Watzmannhaus.
The Wimbachklamm gorge with its thundering waterfalls is one of the most beautiful gorges in the Bavarian Alps and is an experience for the whole family.
