The Teutoburg Forest/Eggegebirge Nature Park, founded in 1965 and expanded in 2008, covers an area of 2,700 square kilometers, making it the largest nature park in Germany. It includes the southern Teutoburg Forest and the Egge Mountains and offers a unique variety of landscapes, ranging from the two low mountain ranges to parts of the Weserbergland, the Lippe Uplands and the karst landscape of the Paderborn plateau and the Senne.
The nature park is also known as the “Heilgarten of Germany” due to its numerous natural spa resources such as brine, moors, cold and hot springs. It is home to health resorts such as Bad Salzuflen, Bad Lippspringe, Bad Meinberg and Bad Driburg as well as many climate and Kneipp health resorts on the edge of the Teutoburg Forest. With an extensive network of hiking trails stretching over around 2,000 kilometers and numerous cycle paths, the nature park offers a wide range of opportunities for outdoor activities. The area also serves as an important ecological compensation area and is known for its biodiversity.
The sights in the nature park include the Externsteine, an impressive rock formation, the Hermannsdenkmal, the Silberbachtal, the Sparrenburg and the Weser Skywalk. The landscape is characterized by beech forests, which vary depending on geology, soil and relief, as well as rich flora and fauna.
For families, the nature park offers exciting discovery tours and adventure trails such as the “Discovery Tour – From Hermann to Velmerstot”, the Blankenrode City Desert Listening Museum and the “Paths of Diversity in Ottbergen”. In addition, many family-friendly hiking trails invite you to do activities together in nature.