Harz National Park

Rays of sunshine breaking through the mist, forests and streams, drama and tranquility - just a few of the experiences on a walk in the Harz National Park. Located in the most northerly central highlands in Germany, the national park is set in one of northern Germany's most popular areas for walking and skiing. Established in 1990, the national park status protects Mount Brocken and other areas in the central Harz mountains in both Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt -  from Altenau in the west, Bad Harzburg and Ilsenburg in the north to Drei-Annen-Hohne to the east and Herzberg in the southern Harz.

The Goetheweg and Hexenstieg walking trails take you through forests steeped in legend, over mystical high moorland and along unspoilt rivers and streams that create ideal habitats for rare flora and fauna. Above it all is the 1,142m high Brocken mountain -  the highest point in north Germany. The summit is often only visible in outline as it emerges from a shroud of mist, a natural spectacle that gave rise to the legends of witches here -  and prompted the annual Walpurgis Night celebrations.

Walking here offers the opportunity to see indigenous mammals such as red deer, roe deer and wild boar. Visitors can also enjoy the national park's rich variety of birdlife, which includes the black woodpecker, the ring ouzel and the wren. The very lucky might even catch a glimpse of a wild cat or a lynx. The habitats you can discover here will continue to evolve free of human impact.

Highlights:

• Brocken steam railway
• 100-year-old Brocken botanical garden
• Goslar and Quedlinburg: UNESCO world heritage sites
• Rübeland dripstone caves and the Unicorn Cave

Activities:
Why not take part in a guided walk with a national park ranger? Or ride the Harz narrow-gauge railway's 130 kilometre rail network  -  up to Germany's highest station at Mount Brocken. Pay a visit to our national park centres, explore the region's medieval towns with their half-timbered buildings and go down the visitor mines -  there are countless ways to gain new and exciting insights into the region's history and culture.