The Harz Witches' Trail
Hike over the Brocken on the Harz Witches' Trail
A hiking trail in the Harz Mountains where dancing devils and giggling witches accompany you at every turn: The Harz Witches' Trail - this trail promises a unique hiking experience that you will only find in the Harz Mountains!
On the almost 100 km long Harz Witches' Trail, you hike from Osterode via the Brocken to Thale. As you hike through the breathtaking landscape, you will find traces of Harz myths, immerse yourself in the world of legends and get a first impression of the Harz mining history. Harz mining history.
Note: You can hike the Harz Witches' Trail in both directions. Do you want to hike the Harz Witches' Trail, but the total distance is too long for you? Then why not hike one of the seven stages of the trail?
Route of the Harz Witches' Trail
If you follow the Harz Witches' Trail, you will cross the Harz Mountains over a total length of around 100 kilometres on a continuously marked main hiking trail. Hiking the Harz Witches' Trail gives you a first impression of the diversity of the Harz Mountains.
You can hike Witches' Trail in several days and freely choose the length of the individual hiking stages. Marvel at the biodiversity, culture, history and geological features of the Harz Mountains as you hike through the unique natural landscape.
The main route of the "Harz Witches' Trail" runs via Osterode - Buntenbock - Altenau - Torfhaus - Brocken - Drei-Annen-Hohne - Königshütte - Altenbrak - Thale.
Between Königshütte and Altenbrak you can choose between two routes:
- Hasselfelde - Köhlerhütten - Altenbrak
- Rübeland - Wendefurth - Altenbrak
If you want to reach the Brocken the Brocken, then simply hike from Torfhaus to Sankt Andreasberg via Braunlage to Königshütte.
Stage 1 Harz Witches' Trail: On old trade routes
Route: Osterode - Buntenbock Length: 11.2 km Duration: approx. 3 hours Difference in altitude: approx. 330 m
After you have climbed the first hilltop from Osterode, you walk past Lerbach. Lerbach is a village in the Harz Mountains that was founded in 1530 as a result of mining. Once you arrive at Marienblick, you have a wonderful view of the Lerbach valley and hike from here to your destination in Buntenbock.
Stage 2 Harz Witches' Trail: Upper Harz Water Management
Route: Buntenbock - Torfhaus Length: 21.3 km Duration: approx. 6.5 hours Difference in altitude: approx. 230 m
You start your hike at the numerous ponds of the Upper Harz Water Regal. From here, you hike past the source of the Innerste mountain stream, past the Huttaler Widerwaage and along the Huttaler Graben to the Polsterberg. Via narrow paths along the dammed ditch, you finally reach the mountain town of Altenau. Then you enter the Harz National Park until you reach your stage destination of Torfhaus.
Stage 3 Harz Witches' Trail: In Goethe's footsteps
Route: Torfhaus - Brocken - Königshütte Length: 23.5 km Duration: approx. 6.5 hours Height difference: approx. 320 m to Brocken, approx. 660 m to Königshütte
On this stage, you immerse yourself in the Harz National Park again. On the Harz Witches' Trail you follow the Goethe Trail along the Abbegraben. You pass the Quitschenberg until you reach the Eckersprung. From there, you hike along the Brocken railway and the Goethe moor towards the Brocken summit. After the ascent, you descend the Brocken on the Brockenchaussee. You enter dense forests and follow the Glashüttenweg, past Schlungklippen to Ahrensklint. Finally you reach Drei Annen, where you can visit the National Park House, find somewhere to stay overnight and take the narrow-gauge railway to Wernigerode. Or hike to the Königshütte stage destination, along the Steinbach stream to the Königshütte waterfall.
Alternative stage 4: The "Brocken bypass"
Route: Torfhaus - Sankt Andreasberg - Braunlage - Königshütte Length: 32.3 km Duration: approx. 9 hours Difference in altitude: approx. 320 m
If you don't want to climb the Brocken, you can choose this route. Although it is longer, it has considerably fewer metres in altitude. You leave Torfhaus and hike along the fairytale trail to the Oder pond. You then walk along the Rehberger Graben until you reach the Rehberger Grabenhaus. You then climb the Jordanshöhe before following the Witches' Trail eastwards to the Odertal valley. After crossing the Odertal valley, you climb the Andreasberger Stieg. Following the Kaiserweg, you reach Braunlage. Walk along a forest path to the "Mandelholz" restaurant, where iron ore used to be mined, until you finally reach the Königshütte stage destination.
Stage 5 Harz Witches' Trail northern variant: old/new mining regions
Route: Königshütte - Rübeland - Altenbrak Length: 23.8 km Duration: approx. 5.5 hours Difference in altitude: approx. 180 m
From Königshütte, you first climb up to Königsburg Castle. Once at the top, you have a view over Königshütte, the Harz mountains and the Brocken. Then follow the course of the River Bode on the Witches' Trail. Here you pass the village of Bodfeld. Finally, you cross open-cast mines in the Susenburg area and wander through the Tiefenbach valley until you reach the nature trail in the direction of Rübeland. You hike along narrow paths through the Bode landscape until you reach the Rappode dam. The route then continues directly to the Wendefurt dam. You then cross the B81 and continue walking until you reach Altenbrak.
Stage 6 Harz Witches' Trail Südvariante: The charcoal burner's path
Route: Königshütte - Hasselfelde - Altenbrak Length: 23.8 km Duration: approx. 5.5 hours Difference in altitude: approx. 180 m
You start with an ascent to the Königsburg and hike from the valley of the Warme Bode to the Rappodtalsperre. Passing Hasselfelde, the Harz Witches' Trail takes you to the western town of "Pullmann City II" before plunging into spruce forests. You hike along the charcoal burners' trail until you reach the Stemberghaus. You then hike through deciduous forests to Schöneburg Castle. From here you can already see your stage destination, Altenbrak.
Stage 7 Harz Witches' Trail: Bodetal Gorge
Route: Altenbrak - Thale Length: 12.7 km Duration: approx. 4 hours Difference in altitude: approx. 130 m
You hike through the floodplain forest along the Bode until you reach Treseburg. Here you can take the entrance to the Bode Valley Gorge. Hike along granite rocks on narrow paths through the valley. After crossing the Devil's Bridge, you can take a charming diversions and climb the Roßtrappen rock before continuing to the witches' dance floor to the witches' dance floor. If, on the other hand, you continue along the Witches' Trail, you will arrive directly at your destination in Thale.
