Harz Watermen – Dammgraben loop from Bergstadt Altenau

Hiking trails & Routes

Harz Mountains

Goslar

Bergstadt Altenau

Harz Watermen – Dammgraben loop from Bergstadt Altenau

Hard

4.6

(76)

277

hikers

Harz Watermen – Dammgraben loop from Bergstadt Altenau

05:10

18.5km

340m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: November 5, 2026

Tips

Includes a segment that may be dangerous

A part of this route comprises technical, difficult, or hazardous terrain. Specialist equipment and prior experience may be required.

After 7.19 km for 144 m

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

670 m

View of Altenau from Rosewiese

Highlight • Viewpoint

Regardless of where you look at Altenau, always the terrible block in view.

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1.38 km

Pumping station at the Upper Harz Water Management System

Highlight • Historical Site

Great explanation about the dewatering of the Harz mines.

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3.16 km

Dammgraben Water Channel

Highlight • Monument

Walking along the Dammgraben is always nice. Should you plan

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3.41 km

Kleine Oker Dam Keeper's Cabin and Weir

Highlight • Mountain Hut

Here the little Oker crosses the ditch. For the numerous stream crossings, so-called "failures" have been set up, which prevent debris from being washed into the trench and enable the …

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4.09 km

Dammgraben

Highlight • Structure

The Dammgraben is the longest man-made ditch in the Upper Harz and is part of the Rammelsberg Mine, Old Town of Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management and has been …

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7.13 km

Nabentaler Waterfall

Highlight • Waterfall

Since the Nabental waterfall almost exclusively carries water from the Clausthaler Flutgraben and has only a very small catchment area of its own, it can be viewed as an artificially …

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12.9 km

Dammgraben (Oberharzer Wasserregal)

Highlight • Monument

This path is not just beautiful. You have the feeling that the water runs with you all the time. And if you then look at it or let it through …

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18.5 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

13.5 km

4.81 km

187 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

17.0 km

1.29 km

244 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Monday 9 November

7°C

-1°C

-- %

Additional weather tips

It’s going to be cold. Wrap up warm and watch out for ice.

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

March 27, 2024,Harzer-Hexenstieg 4. Etappe Torfhaus - Altenau

Today we book the day as a rest day.
The indicated 9 km offer a detour to the Jungfernklippe (HWN 221) shortly after Torfhaus. A short climb to Magdeburger Weg and continue the last few kilometers next to the Dammgraben to Förster-Ludewig-Platz (HWN 133) and to the “Kleine Oker” refuge (HWN 149). From the Hexenstieg it goes downhill for about …

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October 15, 2024,Harzer-Hexen-Stieg - Tag 3 - Altenau bis Torfhaus

Our day 3 from Altenau to Torfhaus and thus further along the Dammgrabenweg. There are many beautiful places along the way, for example you pass an Upper Harz water reservoir with a pumping station. The Harzer-Hexen-Stieg offers many rest areas and sometimes even beautiful places with no waterfalls.

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March 29, 2024,Von Altenau nach Torfhaus (Harzer Hexenstieg 3. Etappe)

What a beautiful water-rich tour, you're happy to take on muddy paths too. I wanted to avoid the rain early, so I didn't start until midday and the sun actually showed up after a short time. From Altenau I quickly got back to the causeways of the Upper Harz water shelf. It is quite remarkable what was created at that …

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June 10, 2024,Harzer Hexenstieg Etappe 3: Von Altenau nach Torfhaus

The 3rd stage of the Hexenstieg shows the current situation in the Harz more intensely than almost any other section. 🌲 The path to Torfhaus leads through impressive but also depressing landscapes - large areas of dead trees that remind us of the challenges of the Harz. Since we are in the national park here, humans deliberately do not intervene, …

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June 13, 2022,Dammgrabenwanderung von Altenau mit Harzer Hexenstieg

Above all: the tour was really great, great paths, great views 😁😝😅 !!
But..... that's how it works sometimes 🌤⛅️🌦🌧⛅️🌧🌤
........... 😅:
Come on, let's take a short walk, rain is forecast in two hours......
Ooooooh, the path is beautiful! Do we want to extend?? .....Well it'll be fine, we'll definitely get past the rain.....😬 ....
Was nothing 🙈😅🙈 soaking …

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August 19, 2022,Altenau über Hexenstieg Richtung Torfhaus und zurück

A nice hike, especially the section Hexenstieg was nice, with an exciting descent. What clouds the whole thing is the dead forest, here the drought and the bark beetle have struck badly. The way back on the main path wasn't for me, but here the forest was still green on one side. I then turned off onto a path again, …

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September 4, 2023,🥾🥾Altenau-Dammhaus entlang Dammgraben nach Torfhaus

If you like it sunny, you can hike this tour in any weather. Don't forget provisions, drinks, good shoes and maybe hiking sticks! Blackberries are particularly rich and delicious this time of year!

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April 3, 2024,Harzer-Hexen-Stieg (Dammhaus -> Torfhaus / 2. Etappe)

Due to the constant rain and the bad weather forecast for the entire day, the start will only be from the Dammhaus car park and not from the Polsterberg car park as originally planned. 😅🙈

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