Top 6 Intriguing Facts about Bavarian Forest National Park

Rachelsee by High Contrast from Wikimedia Commons

Top 6 Intriguing Facts about Bavarian Forest National Park

Germany’s first and largest national park, the Bavarian Forest National Park, is also one of its most beautiful. Its alluring wilderness, which has developed with little human influence, is its main natural feature.

The park boasts stunning scenery, impressive peaks (the most well-known of which are the Großer Falkenstein, Lusen, and the Großer Rachel), numerous hiking and bike paths, mirror lakes, sporting activities, an intriguing treetop walk, and more.

Here are interesting facts about Bavarian Forest National Park.

1. This crystal-clear mirror lake is steeped in local myths and dark legends

Rachelsee by High Contrast from Wikimedia Commons

Rachelsee, a breathtakingly beautiful lake, is located at a height of 1,071 meters deep in the forest (3,514 feet). Local stories and sinister legends are abundant around this mirror-like lake, which is extremely clean.

Rachel, the devil’s grandmother, is thought to be the inspiration for the lake’s name. The locals also tell the tale of an evil woman who was the last to sail on this lake, and whose coffin was followed by a flock of jet-black ravens.

2. Over half of this forest is completely untouched by humans

There is over 300 km (186 miles) of well-marked hiking trails, including straight trails and loops, in the Bavarian Forest National Park. It is evident to visitors on a trek through this thick forest, across bubbling streams, and beneath a lush green canopy, that the forest truly lives up to its motto: Let Nature Be Nature. Its romantic potential is greatly increased by the fact that more than half of this woodland is uninhabited.

3. It has approximately 300km of marked hiking trails 

A total of 300 km (186 miles) of fully marked hiking routes, including hiking roads and circular trails, can be found in the Bavarian Forest National Park. Travelers can see for themselves that the forest truly embodies its motto, Let Nature Be Nature, by taking a stroll through this deep woodland, past bubbling streams, and under a lush green canopy. This forest’s romance aspect is greatly increased by the fact that more than half of it is entirely uninhabited.

4. It turns into a mystic land in winter

National park by JakobRei from Wikimedia Commons

When the forest is bathed with sunlight, it is a lovely place to explore, but during the winter, it becomes a mysterious place. Winter leaves the lakes frozen solid, the forest floor covered with a thick layer of snow, and the limbs heaving under the weight of the snowfall.

The woodland becomes eerily quiet as the majority of animals enter hibernation and the tourist flow significantly decreases. A few thrill-seekers do, however, show up to partake in cross-country skiing, tobogganing, hiking, snowshoeing, and other winter sports. The forest administration is obviously very strict about visitors not upsetting the tranquility of the forest or frightening any animals.

5. You can indulge in geocaching 

Geocaching by Fihu from Wikimedia Commons

Adventurers can participate in geocaching, a tech-savvy treasure search, at the Bavarian Forest National Park. In essence, it refers to utilizing a handheld GPS gadget to find a cache that has been buried in the forest. Typically, the cache is a box that holds a logbook.

Anyone may have a few enjoyable hours while spending time in close proximity to nature thanks to this excellent activity. Understandably, tourists who want to participate in geocaching must follow the regulations put forth by the forest department.

6. You can see 40 different domestic animal species

Tierfreigelände by Gunnar Arndt from Wikimedia Commons

Designed to closely imitate the animals’ natural habitat, the Tierfreigelände is a vast animal enclosure without any apparent fences.

Here’s your chance to observe 40 different domestic animals in their natural habitat, including bears, wolves, lynxes, and European bison. Barrier-free and full of fun for the whole family, the route encircling the Tierfreigelände is accessible.

More than 98 percent of the Bavarian Forest National Park’s 50.5 square miles (130.8 square kilometers) of land is covered in trees, and several types of plants, birds, and tiny animals live there.

The park attracts a lot of tourists every year. Regen, Zwiesel, Waldkirchen, and Grafenau are the mountain region’s major cities.