National park · Germany
Brocken
Go up by steam train from Wernigerode (€34 one-way, 1 h 40) or hike the Goetheweg from Torfhaus (2 h); the summit is cloud-covered about 300 days a year, so check the webcams before you commit.
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
247 km²95 sq mi
approximate
Established
1990
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 7Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Central Europe ↗Six of the nine countries here — Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia — charge a time-based motorway vignette, mostly digital and linked to the number plate; buy it before the first motorway past the border, because cameras, not toll booths, do the checking.
- Central Europe ↗Temporary police checks at internal Schengen borders are common in this region in 2026 (Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovenia among others — check): keep your passport on you on every cross-border train, bus and road even though there is no fixed control post.
- Germany ↗Germany is in the EU and the Schengen area: check entry rules, the EU Entry/Exit System and any travel authorisation requirement for your passport on official sources.
- Germany ↗Nazi symbols and gestures are criminal offences, including as jokes or souvenirs.
- Germany ↗Many city centres are low-emission zones: a car needs the right sticker (Umweltplakette) to enter.
At a glance
- Country
- Germany
- Area
- 247 km²95 sq mi
- Harz National Park covers about 247 km² across Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt; the Brocken massif is the protected core (check).
- Established
- 1990
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Permits
- For some areas
At 1,141 m the Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz and in northern Germany, and the whole granite massif sits inside Harz National Park. It is a subalpine island: the tree line runs at about 1,110 m, so the top is open, windswept and cold even when Wernigerode below is warm. Roughly 1.4 million people come up each year, most of them on the Brockenbahn steam railway. The summit is in cloud on around 300 days a year, which is why the decision here is not whether to go but how to go and when to turn back.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- Special national site · 1990Hochharz National Park, founded 1 October 1990; now Harz National Park.
Size and age
247 km²95 sq mi · national park since 1990
Harz National Park covers about 247 km² across Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt; the Brocken massif is the protected core (check).
Why go
- The highest point in northern Germany, with a view that on a clear day reaches the Thuringian Forest and the Weser hills.
- A working steam railway climbs 19 km to the summit station — the trip is the attraction as much as the top.A working steam railway climbs 12 mi to the summit station — the trip is the attraction as much as the top.
- The Gipfelrundweg loops the summit on the line of the old border wall, past the Brocken garden and the granite cliffs of the witches' legends.
- Alpine plants and ice-age relic species survive here at 1,100 m, far below where they would grow in the Alps.
When to go
- JanCaution
- FebCaution
- MarGo
- AprGo
- MayBest
- JunBest
- JulGo
- AugGo
- SepBest
- OctBest
- NovCaution
- DecCaution
- JanDeep snow, ice fall from masts; short days
- FebColdest month on record; snow storms
- MarSnow lingers; quiet trails
- AprSnow melt, muddy; late snow possible
- MayClearest odds; garden tours start mid-month
- JunLong days; afternoon thunderstorms build
- JulWarm but storm-prone; busiest
- AugWarm; storms and crowds
- SepStable air, good visibility
- OctClear, cold mornings; garden tours end mid-month
- NovGrey, wet, first snow
- DecSnow and ice; check rail service
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water pipit and ring ouzel breeding near the summitApr–Jul | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no |
| Alpine pasqueflower (Brockenanemone) in flowerApr–May | no | no | no | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Dark variant of the viviparous lizardMay–Sep | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Red deer and roe deer on the lower slopesSep–Nov | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
How to get there
From Wernigerode
Harzer Schmalspurbahnen steam train via Drei Annen Hohne to Brocken station.
1 h 40
Open the page →
From Drei Annen Hohne
Board the Brockenbahn here; car park at the station.
50 min
From Nordhausen
Harzquerbahn to Eisfelder Talmühle and Drei Annen Hohne, change for the Brocken train.
3.5 h
From Torfhaus
Walk the Goetheweg to the summit; gravelled throughout.
2–2.5 h
From Schierke
Walk or cycle the Brockenstraße; horse carriages also run up in about 2 h.
2–3 h
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Summit plateau (Gipfelrondell) | The Brockenstein marker, the 30 bronze direction plates, the old TV tower with hotel and viewing platform, the steel tower and the weather station. | Open; reached on foot or by train. |
| Gipfelrundweg | A 1.6 km loop on the line of the former border wall, with ten information signs and the best views north.A 1 mi loop on the line of the former border wall, with ten information signs and the best views north. | Open; not ramped for limited mobility. |
| Brockengarten | Alpine garden founded in 1890, run by the park with Halle and Göttingen universities. | Guided tours only. |
| Forest and moor slopes | Spruce, moor and the upper Ilse valley below the tree line. | Marked paths only; no off-path walking. |
Sketch map
- 1Brocken summit station · Ranger station≈51.799, 10.616Map ↗
- 2Brockenhaus · Headquarters≈51.800, 10.616Map ↗
- 3Brockengarten · Viewpoint≈51.798, 10.618Map ↗
- 4Brockenstein · Summit≈51.799, 10.616Map ↗
- 5Schierke · Village≈51.840, 10.660Map ↗
- 6Torfhaus · Town≈51.802, 10.537Map ↗
- 7Drei Annen Hohne · Ranger station≈51.770, 10.730Map ↗
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brockentarif, steam train to the summit (adult) | EUR 34–51 | person | One-way €34, return €51; same price from any boarding station (2026 estimate). |
| Brockentarif, child 6–14 | EUR 20.5–30.5 | person | One-way €20.50, return €30.50 (2026 estimate). |
| Train Wernigerode–Schierke (start of the hike up) | EUR 14–21 | person | Adult one-way €14, return €21 (2026 estimate). |
| Brockenhaus visitor centre | EUR 7 | person | Adults €7, children €3; concessions for retirees, groups and families (check). |
| Park entry and trails | Free | person | No entry fee; walking the national park is free. |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Summit access no permit
Brockengarten permit or guide
Brockenstraße by private car no permit
Park rules
- Stay on marked paths
- Off-path walking is prohibited across the national park, including the summit plateau.
- No picking plants
- Flowers and seeds are protected; the 19th-century practice of picking bouquets wiped out several species.
- No private motor vehicles
- The Brockenstraße is closed to private cars; bikes and pedestrians only.
- No e-scooters or private electric rides
- Not permitted in the national park; guided Segway tours from Schierke are the exception.
- Dogs on a short leash
- Keep dogs close on shared paths and on the summit.
- Drones
- Check with Harz National Park before flying; the summit has air-traffic radar and protected status.check
Where to stay
Near the park
Schierke
Closest village to the road up; guesthouses and the start of the shortest walk.
Near the park
Wernigerode
Best base for the steam train; hotels of every level and a medieval centre.
Near the park
Torfhaus
Roadside base on the B4 for the Goetheweg; limited rooms, book early.
In the park
Brocken summit hotel
Rooms in the old TV tower with a glass viewing platform; the only bed on the summit (check availability).
Safety
Sudden storms and wind high
Winter snow and ice high
Summer thunderstorms medium
Cold at altitude medium
Accessibility
- The Brockenbahn reaches the summit station; the old TV tower has a lift to a glass viewing platform.
- The Gipfelrundweg is 1.6 km but has no ramps for limited mobility.The Gipfelrundweg is 1 mi but has no ramps for limited mobility.
- The Brockengarten is visited on guided tours only; ask about step-free options at the Brockenhaus.
Visiting lightly
- Take the train or walk; private cars are banned from the Brockenstraße and parking at Schierke is short.
- Stay on marked paths — the subalpine vegetation recovers slowly and the summit is a protected core zone.
- Carry out everything you bring up; there is no litter collection on the plateau.
- Buy food and beds in Schierke, Torfhaus or Wernigerode so the villages around the park keep the income.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Brocken?
Nothing — there is no entry fee for the national park or the summit. You pay only for transport and buildings: the steam train is €34 one-way or €51 return per adult (2026 estimate), and the Brockenhaus visitor centre is €7 for adults and €3 for children.
What are the best hikes in Brocken?
The Goetheweg from Torfhaus is the classic: gravel, about 2–2.5 hours up, and the route Goethe walked in 1777. The Brockenstraße from Schierke is the shortest and easiest climb, 2–3 hours on a paved road. From Ilsenburg the Ilse valley route is the hardest, with roughly 1,000 m of ascent past the Ilse Falls and a steep upper ramp.
When is the best time to visit Brocken?
May, June, September and October give the best odds of a clear view. The summit is in cloud on around 300 days a year, so check the webcams and the German weather service warnings on the morning you go. Winter is possible but snow storms, ice fall and short days make it a serious trip.
Can I drive to the top?
No. Private motor vehicles are banned from the Brockenstraße. You can walk, cycle, take a horse carriage from Schierke, or ride the Brockenbahn steam train from Wernigerode, Nordhausen or Drei Annen Hohne.
Do I need a guide?
No for the summit and the marked trails. The Brockengarten is guided-tours only, and a daily Gipfelrundweg walk leaves the Brockenhaus at 12:30. Off-path walking is prohibited everywhere in the park.
How long does the steam train take?
About 50 minutes from Drei Annen Hohne to the summit station, or 1 hour 40 from Wernigerode. The Brockenbahn is narrow gauge and steam-hauled, and it runs year-round apart from maintenance periods.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go