Skip to main content

Nature experiences

Nature makes you happy.

Listen to the silence. Letting your gaze wander far and wide. Shared family experiences. Ground the senses. This and much more is possible during a stay in the wonderful nature of the Schmallenberger Sauerland. A variety of offers invite you to discover small or large animals, colorful flowers, stately trees and swaying landscapes.


© Wisent-Welt-Wittgenstein e. V.
© Foto: Wildpark Bilsteintal Warstein

Discovery tours


A backpack full of adventure

Discovery tours for the whole family

Go on a discovery tour with the event backpack - on your own and at your own pace. An audio box guides you through various tasks and the rucksack contains everything you need. Book online now, pick it up at the Tourist Information Schmallenberg and take it with you for a day:


Experience your very own forest adventure with your children, go in search of clues and Werden become forest experts together! - You'll be right in the middle of nature and take some very special forest moments home with you.

- Perfect for curious nature explorers!

© Elke Spaller

Experience your senses in a special way with exciting experiments and games: listen, see, taste, feel and smell with your children and experience many an aha moment.

- Perfect for bridging a rainy day!

Experience your own personal detective adventure with your children. Go in search of clues and clues and solve the case of the missing diamond together. The perfect way to pass a rainy day!


Ranger tours

On the road with forest experts

On their exciting tours, the rangers bring nature lovers young and old closer to the flora and fauna. Let the forest experts show you the special features of our nature and discover exciting forest creatures.



Educational trails


Kyrill-Path

The calm after the storm

At the beginning of 2007, hurricane Kyrill redrew the contours of the region with incredible destructive force. Within one night, it devastated more forest in the Sauerland than any storm ever before. 16 million cubic meters fell in NRW, 4 million in Hochsauerland. In order to make Kyrill's consequences visible and tangible for years to come, the rangers of the Landesbetrieb Wald und Holz NRW have Rothaarsteig created the Kyrill trail by hand. Schanze created. On an uncleared storm wood area in the state forest, hikers can experience the "force of nature peacefully" over a length of around one kilometer via narrow steps and under fallen trees. The landmark of the trail, which is also very interesting for children, is "the ship's bow" on a splintered tree.

The Kyrill trail is located in the small Schmallenberg district Schanze and starts at the newly built ranger station. The Landesbetrieb Wald und Holz NRW offers guided hikes by arrangement for a wide range of target groups.


Forest worker and forester trail

Discover the secrets of the forest

A total of 17 stations over 4.5 kilometers reveal all kinds of information about the "secrets of the forest". The lumberjack and forester trail vividly explains the complex forest ecosystem with its diverse functions and shows the importance and use of the valuable raw material wood. Whether it's charcoal burning, monoculture, or logging—topics from both yesterday and today, spanning from ecology to forest management—are addressed. Additionally, there is even a small "forest worker museum" on the trail

The start of the trail with free parking is at the village hall in Schmallenberg-Latrop.


Family adventure trail

Schmallenberg

Especially recommended for families with children is the approximately three-kilometer-long family adventure trail in Schmallenberg. Take the whole family to explore the 13 stations on the theme of forests, animals, wood and birds. The trail is easy to manage for children aged five and over or "all-terrain" baby carriages without any major inclines.

Forest adventure trail

Bad Fredeburg - Only partially accessible due to construction work

The badger guides you on your discovery tour on the approximately 3.5 km long forest adventure trail in Bad Fredeburg. Interesting facts about native plants, animals and trees are explained on descriptive boards, while play stations along the trail invite young and old "scouts" to embark on adventures.

Note: Please note that the forest adventure trail is currently only accessible to a very limited extent due to construction work. For up-to-date information  please contact the tourist information office in Bad Fredeburg on 02974 / 7037 (as of 25.08.2022).

Forest adventure trail

Dorlar

Jumping long distances, puzzling pictures of birds of prey, guessing the ground conditions barefoot - the forest adventure trail Dorlar challenges all the senses. Over a distance of approx. 2.5 km, nine adventure stations convey the diversity of nature. Parking is available at Schützenhalle in Dorlar. From there, you can reach the trail in approx. 15 - 20 minutes on foot.


More nature adventure trails in the region

Over a distance of 1.5 km, you will learn all about this unique natural landscape and its eager four-legged conservationists: sheep that act as natural lawnmowers. Fantastic views included.

© Foto: Touristische Arbeitsgemeinschaft "Rund um den Hennesee"

"Sharpening the senses" is the aim of this approximately 2 km long circular trail at the Hennesee at Meschede. Ten stations invite you to join in and experience new sensory experiences.

Every hiking trail in the region basically offers the basis for nature experiences. Discover the variety of hiking trails in the Sauerland.


Beastly good...


Wisent-Wildnis

on Rothaarsteig

An impressive encounter with "his majesty", the bison, awaits you. At Wisent-Wildnis, a herd of Europe's largest land mammals lives in a natural area of around 20 hectares. A three-kilometre adventure trail leads around the enclosure so that you are very likely to be able to observe the impressive animals. The trail is deliberately designed to be close to nature and varied and therefore requires suitable footwear and a sure footing. The Wisent-Wildnis is closed on Mondays.

At the end of the hike, we recommend a visit to the adventure playground or a stop at the bison hut, located directly at Wisent-Wildnis.

To the bison world...


Game enclosure Bödefeld

Deer watching

Near the nature playground Walkenmühle in Bödefeld you can experience the local game up close at the red deer enclosure. Please send inquiries and bookings for guided tours by email to the tourist office at info@ferienregion-boedefeld.de or call 01516 1060586.

Fallow deer enclosure

in Wenholthausen and Eslohe

Encounters with native game are very rare in forests and meadows. Observation of the shy animals is possible in the fallow deer enclosures in Eslohe (on the edge of the footpath between Forellenhof Poggel and Dampf Land Leute Museum).


Other wildlife parks in the region


Caves in the Sauerland


The Attahöhle

in Attendorn

Descend into the fascinating world of stalactites, stalagmites and stalagmites. A fascinating limestone paradise awaits you, the largest contiguous cave system in Germany. The cave can be reached via an 80-meter-long access tunnel and can be explored as part of a 40-minute guided tour.

Go to Atta-Höhle...

The Bilstein Cave

in Warstein

You can explore around 400 meters of a 1,850-meter-long cave system at Bilsteintal in the Bilstein Cave. The remaining cave systems are reserved for professional speleologists or are often under water for months at a time. This is because an active cave stream flows through the Bilstein Cave, constantly washing it out.

To the Bilstein Cave...

1
Dear guests!
We are happy to answer your questions about the Schmallenberger Sauerland and the vacation region Eslohe during our opening hours also via Whatsapp. With a click on the icon below right you are already one step closer to your relaxing vacation.