in the southern Harz & Kyffhäuser
Five hiking trails in the southern Harz & Kyffhäuser hold the certificate “Quality Trail Wanderbares Deutschland”. They stand for defined standards that make hiking comparable throughout Germany. The quality seal confirms that these trails meet certain criteria regarding route guidance, signposting and experience quality. You can read about the exact requirements at www.wanderbares-deutschland.de.
Over a distance of more than 200 km, the Karst Hiking Trail South Harz leads from Pölsfelde near Sangerhausen to Bad Grund through an area rich in gypsum rock.
Over thousands of years, a gypsum karst landscape has developed in the South Harz, whose geological richness and biological diversity make it a unique natural area in Europe. The landscape stretches across the districts of Osterode am Harz in Lower Saxony, Nordhausen in Thuringia, and Mansfeld-Südharz in Saxony-Anhalt. You can choose to hike either the northern or southern variant of the trail. You can find extensive detailed information at www.karstwanderweg.de.
The Kyffhäuser Trail is a 37-kilometre circular route with a varied landscape and many historic sites. The starting point is the spa and salt town of Bad Frankenhausen. From there, the trail leads to the Barbarossa Cave, continues to the prominent Kyffhäuser Monument and the Imperial Palace Tilleda. Afterwards, the route runs past the Panorama Museum back to Bad Frankenhausen.
The South Harz Steam Locomotive Trail runs for about 42 kilometres through the South Harz Nature Park. The route follows the tracks of the Harz Narrow-Gauge Railways and leads from north to south through the landscape. Along the way, you will come across several stamping stations of the Harz Hiking Badge. The steam locomotive of the Harz Narrow-Gauge Railway can often be heard and accompanies the hikers. If you want to shorten part of the route, you can get on the train at the stations along the way and travel certain sections by rail.
In the Hohe Schrecke, you can walk along two quality trails through ancient beech forests – the small and the large Hohe Schrecke circular trails.
The trails offer great variety with wild forests, wonderful views, and blooming orchards. The small circular trail also takes you across the popular suspension bridge over the Bärental.