Hiking the Harz: The Best Routes from Bad Harzburg

Bad Harzburg is one of northern Germany's most traditional hiking hubs. More than 8,000 kilometres of waymarked trails crisscross the Harz, many starting right on our hotel doorstep. In this article we present the most beautiful tours from Sonnenresort Ettershaus — from a family stroll to a full day hike.

The Harzer Wandernadel: Collect Your Stamps

If you hike the Harz, the Harzer Wandernadel is unmissable. 222 stamping stations are spread across the entire region. At each one stands a small wooden box with a unique stamp — collected in your hiking passport, they earn you the corresponding hiking pins after 8, 16, 24 or 50 stamps. Anyone who manages all 222 becomes the Harzer Wanderkönig (Harz Hiking King).

The hiking passport and pins are available at the Bad Harzburg Tourist Information. Several stamping stations are within walking distance of the Ettershaus — the closest are Stamp 121 "Aussichtsreich" on the Großer Burgberg and Stamp 122 "Kreuz des deutschen Ostens".

Tour 1: Burgberg Loop (4 km, approx. 2 hours)

A short tour with great impact. From the hotel you walk through the forest to the valley station of the Burgberg cable car at Antoniusplatz. If you like, ride the historic lift — operating since 1929, it covers the 483 vertical metres to the Großer Burgberg in just three minutes.

At the top, the view from the Kreuz des deutschen Ostens over the Harz foothills is well worth it. You walk back down — a leisurely descent through the forest.

What you'll see along the way

• Großer Burgberg (483 m) — Bad Harzburg's local mountain
• Kreuz des deutschen Ostens — striking memorial from 1950
• Maltermeisterturm — an old mining lookout tower just nearby

Tour 2: Burgberg – Rabenklippe – Molkenhaus (12 km, approx. 4 hours)

The classic for a full hiking day. The route leads beyond the Burgberg through the Harz National Park to the Rabenklippe — a granite outcrop with a magnificent view across the Eckertal to the Brocken. Right next to it lies the lynx enclosure at the Rabenklippen.

Tip: Plan your tour so you arrive in time for the public lynx feeding at the Rabenklippe — Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2:30 pm, free admission. Between 2000 and 2006, a total of 24 lynxes were reintroduced here; the resettlement project is considered a successful completion.

The trail continues to the Molkenhaus, one of the oldest forest inns in the Harz. A stop is recommended before heading back to Bad Harzburg.

Tour 3: Eckertal Loop with the Former Border (16 km, approx. 5 hours)

For ambitious hikers. This route extends the Rabenklippe tour with a detour into the Eckertal, where the inner-German border ran until 1989. Today it's a quiet trail with memorials and remnants of the former border installations — a striking contrast to the otherwise wild nature.

Practical notes

• Trails are consistently well marked
• Sturdy footwear recommended, especially after rain
• No water sources along the way — bring enough to drink
• In winter, parts of the route are snow-covered — spikes or snowshoes may be needed

Tour 4: To the Brocken — the Long Way

If you want to go all the way to the top: from the Ettershaus, the Teufelsstieg is the most demanding of all Brocken trails, climbing roughly 23 kilometres and 7 hours to 1,141 metres. The path ends (or begins, depending on direction) in Bad Harzburg — making it the only Brocken trail accessible directly from here.

You'll find a detailed description of the Brocken routes in our Brocken hiking article.

What to pack?

Even for shorter tours in the Harz: the weather changes quickly, especially at higher elevations. What we always recommend:

• Rain jacket and a warming layer — even in summer
• Hiking map or GPS app (Komoot or Outdooractive work well)
• Hiking passport for the Harzer Wandernadel, if you want to collect stamps
• Plenty of water and a snack
• Sun protection and insect repellent in summer

After the hike: back to the Ettershaus

Whichever tour you choose — at the end, our 31°C warm indoor and outdoor pool, the sauna landscape and a cosy dinner at Restaurant Taut's await you. Tired calf muscles relax best in warm water, with the view of the forest.

Read more

• The Brocken: Northern Germany's Highest Peak
• Family Holiday in the Harz with Children
• The Harz Guide — hiking, Brocken, nature
• The Bad Harzburg Guide — city guide with Burgberg, thermal baths & more

Hike and stay in one place

Straight from the hotel room into your hiking boots — that's possible at the Ettershaus, right after breakfast. Book your active holiday now and experience the Harz on your doorstep.