Harz National Park

Brocken peak, steam trains and wild forests

Harz National Park covers about 247 km² of forest, bogs, rocky valleys and open summit in the Harz mountains, spread across Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. The Brocken, its highest point, is a windy and often foggy summit with a long list of legends and a past as a closed border zone in the Cold War. Visitors can hike to the top, ride the Brockenbahn steam railway or follow quieter trails through spruce and beech forest. The park has no gates and the towns around it, such as Wernigerode, Bad Harzburg and Ilsenburg, make good bases for walking trips.

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National Park in Germany

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$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 8.2

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	7
Accessibility:	4
Tap water:	10

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3/5

English proficiency varies throughout the park area. Staff at visitor centres and larger hotels generally speak basic to good English, while in smaller establishments and remote areas, German language skills may be helpful.

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Last update: 22 Oct 2026

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Harz National Park Summary

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Great for forests and mountain hiking. Walk scenic trails, ride historic steam trains, explore caves and waterfalls and enjoy wildlife watching in dense woodland.

Place score

7.8

Best at:

Spotless

Forests

Hiking

Trekking

Cycling

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 6

Seniors

🛡️ 8

Travel Beginners

🐕 8

With dogs

Germany – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type F Type C: Type F: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Euro (EUR) £1 ≈ €1.19
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cards are widely accepted, especially in urban areas, but small establishments may prefer cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is common in restaurants, typically 5-10%. For taxis, it is customary to round up to the nearest euro. Tipping in cash is more common than adding it to card payments.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is allowed in most parts of Germany, especially in beer gardens and public events, but some local regulations may restrict it in specific areas.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited indoors in public places such as restaurants, trains, and buses. Designated smoking areas are available outside many buildings.

Oktoberfest (September)	Huge crowds in Munich. Expect high hotel rates and crowded transport.
Christmas (December)	Christmas markets are popular, expect crowded cities and higher prices.
Labour Day (May)	Many shops are closed, and there are celebrations throughout the country.

Emergency contact:	Police: 110, Emergency Number: 112 (Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Free Now, myTaxi
Other:	Germany is well-equipped for tourists, with good public transport and high-quality facilities. However, be prepared for language barriers in some rural areas.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Harz National Park, Germany

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Feb

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Mar

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Apr

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May

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Jun

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Jul

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Aug

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Sep

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Oct

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Nov

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Dec

High season:	June - Sep.
Shoulder season:	Jan. - Feb., May, Oct.
Crowdedness:	5 (Moderate tourist numbers)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Brocken summit is foggy about 300 days a year and snow is possible October to May

Walpurgis Night on April 30: witch festivities in Harz villages and on the Brocken

Don't miss

🥾 Hike to the Brocken summit, the park’s highest peak
🚂 Ride the scenic Brocken Railway through mountain forests
🪨 Explore mystical rock formations in the Bode Gorge
🦌 Spot red deer and lynx on a guided wildlife walk
🏘️ Visit traditional half-timbered towns like Wernigerode near the park

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Why travel to Harz National Park?

Harz National Park is a place for walking and for seeing a forest in change. The Brocken is the highlight. The summit has a museum, open views on clear days and a steam railway that climbs from Wernigerode in about two hours. It's also the mountain of witch legends, including the Walpurgis Night scene in Goethe's Faust. For decades it was part of a restricted military zone on the East German border. The forest around it is mostly spruce, beech and mixed woods. Much of the spruce has died after drought and bark beetles. The park lets nature take over there, so some areas show dead trunks beside young trees. Other highlights include granite rocks, moors with boardwalks near Torfhaus and the Ilse valley above Ilsenburg. Wildlife includes lynx and wildcats, though you rarely see them. A day covers the Brocken and the nearest trails while two or three days allow long hikes on the Torfhaus, Schierke or Ilsenburg sides. The park also works well combined with the towns around it, where Wernigerode has a half-timbered old town and Goslar and Quedlinburg both have UNESCO-listed old towns.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 HarzWaldHaus (früher "Haus der Natur")

🎡Places for activities

1 Bad Harzburg
2 Goslar
3 Torfhaus
4 Wernigerode
5 Sankt Andreasberg
6 Burgberg
7 Rammelsberg

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Christianental
2 Ochsenbach

🎈Events

Ranger-Led Hikes
Wildlife Viewing Tours
Seasonal Hiking Festivals
Environmental Education Workshops
Conservation Awareness Days
Guided Nature Walks
Photography Competitions
Cultural Celebrations
Seasonal Outdoor Activities
Educational Programs

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Knowledge before you go

Dogs must be on a lead everywhere in the national park.
Camping, open fires and drones are banned in the park, so stay on marked paths.
The Brocken is foggy and windy much of the year, so bring layers even in summer.
The Brocken summit was a restricted military area in East Germany and opened to the public in 1989.

How to travel to Harz National Park

Most visitors reach the Harz by train to Wernigerode, Goslar or Bad Harzburg. Regional trains link these towns with the ICE stations at Hannover, Braunschweig and Göttingen and with Magdeburg and Halle. Travel from Hannover to Wernigerode takes about two hours with a change. From Wernigerode the narrow-gauge Brockenbahn goes up to the summit. Hannover Airport (HAJ) is the closest major airport and Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ) is another option. Both have onward train connections of around two hours. By car, the A395 leads from Braunschweig to Bad Harzburg and the A7 and the B6 lead to Goslar and Wernigerode. Driving from Hannover takes about an hour and a half and from Berlin about three hours.

Access summary

From Hannover Airport (HAJ): Train via Hannover Hbf to Goslar/Bad Harzburg, 2–3 hours.
From Berlin: Train via Braunschweig to Wernigerode or Bad Harzburg, about 4 hours.
From Hanover city: Direct regional trains to Goslar/Bad Harzburg, roughly 1.5–2 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Harz National Park

Most visitors stay in the towns and villages around the park, since camping isn't allowed inside it. Wernigerode is the starting point of the Brockenbahn and has a lively centre. Bad Harzburg, Ilsenburg and Goslar have their own hotels and guesthouses and make good bases for hikes on the north side. Schierke and Torfhaus are small mountain villages close to the Brocken, with hotels, guesthouses and holiday apartments. Sankt Andreasberg and Altenau are quieter and suit longer stays. Many places offer a hearty breakfast and a drying room for wet gear. Rooms fill up on summer weekends, around Walpurgis Night on the last day of April and in winter holiday periods. If you plan a night in Schierke or Torfhaus, book ahead. Campsites and caravan sites are outside the park, in the surrounding villages.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Hotel Der Achtermann

8.2

Landhaus Zu Den Rothen Forellen Hotel

9.0

Hotel Niedersachsischer Hof

8.6

HKK Hotel Wernigerode

8.5

REGIOHOTEL Am Brocken Schierke

8.4

AHORN Harz Hotel Braunlage

8.6

Ringhotel Weißer Hirsch

9.3

REGIOHOTEL Germania Bad Harzburg

8.5

Relexa Hotel Harz Wald

8.2

A-ROSA Gothisches Haus Wernigerode

9.0

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Harz National Park

The park is large and has no single entrance. Most visitors start at gateway towns and trailheads like Torfhaus, Schierke, Ilsenburg, Bad Harzburg and Sankt Andreasberg, then walk marked paths or take the Brockenbahn up to the summit.

Hiking:
Marked paths lead to the Brocken from Torfhaus, Schierke and Ilsenburg, with the Ilse valley route the longest and quietest. Stay on marked paths since the park is a protected area and many stretches are steep and rocky.

Brockenbahn:
The steam railway runs from Wernigerode via Schierke to the Brocken and takes about two hours one way. Trains run several times a day and it's worth checking the timetable and ticket type before you go.

Buses:
Local buses connect the towns and some trailheads, but routes are less frequent in the evening and on Sundays. Many accommodation providers give guests a card for local public transport, so it's worth asking your host.

Car:
A car is handy for trailheads like Torfhaus. Parking near popular starting points fills up on sunny weekends, so arriving early helps.

Food in Harz National Park

Food in the Harz is hearty and regional, built around game, trout, potatoes and dairy. Hotels, guesthouses and mountain huts serve filling meals. Bakeries and supermarkets in the towns make picnics easy and help on long hiking days. Vegetarian choices are available but are fewer in traditional inns.

Harzer Käse:
A low-fat sour-milk cheese with a strong smell and a firm, slightly sour taste. It's usually eaten with bread and onions and is sold in shops across the region.

Game:
Venison and wild boar are common on menus, often served with red cabbage and dumplings. Game dishes are a good choice for cold days after a hike.

Trout:
Freshwater trout from Harz streams is served grilled or pan-fried in restaurants in the valleys. It's a lighter option than the meat dishes.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

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-6 %

Daily expenses in the region are around 6% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-3 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to EUR) is 3% better than in recent years. That means travelling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£54	£112	£313
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£15	£38	£90
🍝 Food per day	£28	£62	£180
🚕 Transportation per day	£11	£12	£43

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£25
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£11.50
🍟 Fast food combo	£9.50
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£9.50
☕ Cappuccino	£2.90
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£4.10

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£2.70
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£25
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£1.50

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£10
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£75
🤧 Cold medication	£8
💇 Basic haircut	£14

Safety information overview

General safety

Harz National Park is very safe for visitors. The main risks are weather and terrain, with fog, wind and ice appearing quickly on the Brocken even in spring. Watch for falling branches in dead spruce areas and check the wildfire warning in dry summers.

Health & Medical

Medical care is good, with hospitals in towns like Wernigerode and Goslar and mountain rescue on the higher trails. Ticks in forests and meadows can carry Lyme disease, so check for them after hikes. Mobile coverage can be patchy and the emergency number is 112.

Accessibility

Many trails are steep, rocky and root-covered. Short paths around the Brocken summit and some boardwalks near Torfhaus are easier. The Brockenbahn brings visitors to the summit without hiking, though boarding the narrow-gauge cars involves steps and tight doors. Towns around the park have cobblestones.

Tap water

Tap water in the towns around the Harz is safe to drink and often soft. Streams and bogs in the national park aren't treated, so fill a bottle before hikes. Mountain huts and cafés near the main trailheads sell drinks.