Eifel National Park

Here, deep in the Eifel National Park, in the heart of a landscape made of WOOD and WATER, you can experience the magic of WILDLIFE up close and personal. Just 65 kilometres southwest of bustling Cologne, you can see nature returning to its own cycle of growth and decay in a beautiful nature reserve full of beauty and diversity. Following the motto of all German national parks, “Let nature be nature”, this expanse of 110 km² is set aside to preserve the priceless natural treasures of the Eifel.

One of these treasures explodes into its full glory every spring, when beaming yellow wild daffodils burst into bloom, transforming the southern reaches of the national park into a sea of gold. It is one of the largest and most important populations of this threatened species of flower in all of Germany.

Another seldom-seen inhabitant of the park is the wildcat: hunted almost to extinction in the 19th century, today this species finds refuge in the national park, and in the dense and contiguous woods, a safe place to raise their young. A total of some 1000 wildcats live in the greater Eifel-Ardennes region, the largest population by far in Germany.

While other animals like the beaver and the European wall lizard are becoming rarer and rarer across Germany, in the Eifel they have rebounded and are among the 930 threatened animal and plant species you can find in the park. Another worthy cause is protecting and, if possible, increasing the current numbers of beech trees. 1500 years ago, vast beech forests were still one of the defining features of Central Europe. But centuries of human activity have reduced the number of beech trees in Germany to 15% of forested areas, to the point where they need protection. In areas where there are no native deciduous trees, the National Parks Administration is supporting the development of natural forests.

Visitors seeking to explore the fairytale landscape of this national park on their own can do so on the highly developed network of hiking, cycling and riding trails. One useful resource for deciding on your route is the hiking map for the Eifel National Park. Be sure to check out one of the park’s highlights, the “Wilderness Trail”, a multi-day hike of four stages of 18-25 kilometres each that will take you through every part of this spectacular protected area.

For those who would prefer to take advantage of the experience of the rangers and guides of the Eifel National Park, and learn as much as possible about the flora and fauna here, our rangers offer tours several times a week. These tours are free and open to all. Our rangers know all about the local environment, and visitors can follow them on tours of varying length and difficulty throughout the entire park. For a small cost-covering fee, groups can take advantage of our volunteer forest guides, who can be booked by the hour.

At five different points along the perimeter of the park, the National Park Gates, visitors can learn on their own from the exhibits on the flora and fauna of the Eifel. Here you will also find the tourist service facilities, which provide visitors with extensive information on other recreational and adventure offerings in the region. Two of these National Park Gates, at Höfen and Simmerath-Rurberg, are located within the CityRegion area.