9 Excellent Hiking Trails for Families

"Are we there yet?" This relentless question may sound familiar for parents out hiking with their kids. Not every trail that parents enjoy is also suitable for their children. And so the German Hiking Association (DWV) has nominated a series of hiking trails that are specially tailored to whole-family holidays. The "Germany Quality Hiking Trails – Family Friendly" trails are available across many different regions of Germany and each one is uniquely designed. Boredom is out of the question for children (and their parents): these routes offer exciting information along the way, opportunities for play and fun hands-on activities, all aimed at sparking joy in the kids.

To meet the criteria, the trail must be between 2 and 10 kilometres long, and be as accessible and barrier-free as possible. The nominated trails also provide rest stops with special offerings for children. Safety also plays an important role: there should be no hazards along the routes, such as steep cliffs or busy roads. This allows children to run freely and lets parents enjoy nature in peace. We present some of these family fun trails here. The starting points of these hikes are easily accessible by regional public transport of every kind!

Wildcat Forest Adventure Trail, Baden-Württemberg

Encountering a real wildcat in the forest is undoubtedly a special experience. Although unlikely, it can happen because these elusive predators have been sneaking through the dense forests of the northern Black Forest for a few years now. On the Forest Adventure Trail, which starts at Bad Herrenalb and leads for about six kilometres through this region, the probability is particularly high. The trail goes cross-country and sturdy shoes are recommended – at one point you'll even need to cross a small stream. If you pay close attention on this "family fun" Quality Trail and answer the 10 questions at its interactive stations correctly, you can print out your own personal Wildcat Diploma at home after the hike.

Start: Talwiese 50, 76332 Bad Herrenalb (circular route)
Duration: 2 hours
Length: 6 kilometres
Public transport: The S1 S-Bahn runs twice an hour from Karlsruhe to Bad Herrenalb. The journey through the Alb Valley takes about 40 minutes. Then change to bus 116 (Gaistal Talwiese).

Forest Giant Marble Run Trail, Baden-Württemberg

Your children can follow the giant marble run as it winds its way between the centuries-old trees for over 300 metres. In line with the theme "On the wooden path", the marble rolls past 31 stations and takes keen visitors on a tree's journey, from the forest to the final wood product. If you want to extend your walk, you can follow the approximately four-kilometre-long circular trail , which feels more like a large adventure playground for nature explorers of all ages. It travels along the Naturatum Adventure Forest Path to the "Himmelsgarten" (Heaven's Garden), a landscaped family park on the plateau near Wetzgau , and is classified as an easy walk. The forest explorer trail is also completely accessible with a pushchair and offers wonderful views along the way.

Start: Bahnhof, 73525 Schwäbisch Gmünd (Circular route)
Duration: 2 hours
Length: 4 kilometres
Public transport: Bus: Central bus station at Schwäbisch Gmünd

Crayfish Circular Route, Bavaria

Clamber over rocks, paddle through water, enjoy the fairytale forest: on the "Crayfish" circular trail through the Bavarian Forest National Park , children explore how a primeval forest slowly emerges: when the trees die due to storms, snow damage or a bark beetle infestation, new life develops on the deadwood – and these habitats are particularly important for fungi and insects. Children can discover wonders large and small along this circular route and understand the connections between these cycles. There are also plenty of opportunities to play along the way, so even younger children won't get bored. The little ones can have a wonderful time (practising) climbing at the end point of this hike: the Ochsenriegel rock formation in the Bavarian Forest National Park is perfect for their first attempts!

Start: Am Sagwasser 2, 94556 Neuschönau, Sagwassersäge (circular route)
Duration: 2 hours
Length: 2 kilometres
Public transport: Igelbus stop Sagwassersäge (Finsterau bus, line 6115). The bus stops right at the car park where the hike sets off.

Fine & Nemo Adventure Trail "Animal Phenomenal," Brandenburg

Just outside Prenzlau , the focus here is on the particularly keen senses of the forest dwellers in the various levels and habitats of this forest. On this adventure path there are nine stations for playing and learning, where quiz questions help children learn fun facts and try out exciting tasks to do with the forest's inhabitants and their "super senses". The trail explains that the forest functions like a natural skyscraper, in which different animals live together as neighbours. Each of them has special abilities that make them real-life superheros in their own habitat: from ants and migratory birds, to dragonflies and water frogs. By providing correct answers to the "Who knows what to do?" questions, children can crack the code for their Kids Adventure Pass at the end. This trail is accessible with a pushchair.

Start: 17291 Prenzlau, trail car park Kleine Heide (circular route)
Duration: half an hour
Length: 2.17 kilometres
Public transport: Take the bus to Kleine Heide or Schmachtenhagen (UM) Dorf bus stop

Eddi's Edersee Adventure Tour, Hesse

Eddi is a little raccoon who leads the youngest hikers on a journey through nature. He knows the answer to almost every question – such as how long the roots of a beech tree can grow, whether there are warm and cold trees, and much more. Nobody will be bored on this family hike in the Kellerwald-Edersee National Park, whose main route spans 4.8 kilometres. There are 13 free experience stations along this route, which are listed on Eddi's adventure map: children and adults alike can actively engage and explore this realm of ancient beech trees. You can go climbing, compete in long jumps with animals and, last but not least, find out where and how Eddi lives. This hiking trail runs mostly along natural paths and trails from the Edersee Wildlife Park to the treetop walkway and back again.

Start: Am Bericher Holz 1, 34549 Edertal-Hemfurth (circular route)
Duration: 2 hours
Length: 4.8 kilometres
Public transport: Call-and-collect taxi, or bus: bus stop at Edertal-Hemfurth, Wildpark

Gnome Trail Sievershausen, Lower Saxony

Decipher the mysterious messages of the forest together with your children. On the 3.5-kilometre-long circular route known as the Gnome Trail or Imp's Path in the Weser Uplands , children and adults can learn about nature in a playful way. The suspension bridge, a barefoot path and a forest xylophone stimulates the children's motor skills, sense of touch and imagination. At no less than twelve interactive experience stations, even the youngest forest visitors receive inspiration, collect experiences related to the forest and nature, and are able apply them in their own environments. A friendly forest gnome accompanies hikers of all ages on this unique sensory journey.

Start: Unter den Eichen 2, 37586 Sievershausen (circular route)
Duration: 2 hours
Length: 3.5 kilometres
Public transport: From Dassel line 252, Turmstrasse stop, 1.1 km

EifelSpur on the Trail of Cloth Weavers, North Rhine-Westphalia

This hike focuses on the history of cloth weavers in the Eifel region, an industry that for a long time was omnipresent in Euskirchen. The well-developed, approximately 3-kilometre trail leads through a quiet forested area around the Steinbachtalsperre, which gave the recreational area its name and was originally constructed as a water reservoir for the cloth weavers. Meanwhile, the trail is also an ecological forest educational path: 92 information boards offer interesting facts about the local flora and fauna and the ecological interconnections in nature. There are also plenty of activities along the way, including mini golf, an outdoor forest pool, an adventure playground, and a barbecue hut. This EifelSpur trail is accessible with a pushchair.

Start: Talsperrenstrasse, 53881 Euskirchen (circular route)
Duration: 1 hour
Length: 2.85 kilometres
Public transport: You can reach the train station in Euskirchen by regional transport. From there, take the 873 bus to Kirchheim Steinbachtalsperre (Euskirchen).

Harzgeörder KUGELsPASS, Saxony-Anhalt

An all-round success: the beech wood balls at HARZGERÖDER KUGELsPASS offer fun and learning in the great outdoors. This interactive adventure trail is 9.8 kilometres long and features two playgrounds and eight information stations, where hiking enthusiasts of all ages can combine learning and play. Audio stations encourage multilingual listening in German for adults and children, Russian, Danish, English or Chinese. This trail also connects the Harzgerode Castle with the Glasebach Mining Museum near Strassberg. The HARZGERÖDER KUGELsPASS also passes two stations of the hiking-awarded Harz Wandernadel trail network.

Start: 06493 Harzgerode, Schlossberg
End: Glasebach Mining Museum, Strassberg.
Duration: 3 hours
Length: 9.8 kilometres
Public transport: By train to Harzgerode

ParkSafari in Meiningen, Thuringia

A safari in an English garden? Really? In the Elisabethenburg Palace in Meiningen, you can experience it for yourself! Here, nature explorers of all ages can enjoy nature and culture alike on a 2.7-kilometre-long, accessible family hiking trail. No less than 14 interactive stations invite you to solve riddles about bodies of water, animals and plants and, of course, invite you to join in and play. In this park you'll feel like you're in another world, far from traffic noise and everyday stress. If the little ones still have excess energy after the walk, then the playground is just the thing for them. There is also a fitness trail for the grown-ups. The ParkSafari is easily accessible with a pushchair.

Start: 98617 Meiningen (circular route)
Duration: 45 minutes
Length: 2.7 kilometres
Public transport: By train to Meiningen.

Find out more about Germany's family-friendly hiking trails here.