In Haidmühle, you can discover nature and history along a variety of routes: a cross-country ski trail follows a former railway line, museum trails connect open-air sites, and themed trails explore the area’s trading and industrial history. The municipality also offers seasonal activities, from sledding to swimming. When planning your trip, it’s worth considering the time of year first, then choosing activities that match your interests.
Winter Trails and Events
The Adalbert Stifter cross-country ski trail is five kilometres long and starts either in Haidmühle or Frauenberg. It follows a former railway line and is considered flat and very easy. Winter conditions may affect its operation; check current conditions before setting out. The municipality of Haidmühle has sledding hills, provided there is enough snow.
The sled dog races are another reason to plan a trip: international races are held annually in Haidmühle, which is also a European Championship venue for purebred sled dogs. Dates vary from year to year, so if you’re planning to visit for a race, check the dates of the particular event.
Discovering the Cultural Landscape on Foot
The Haidmühle Cultural Landscape Museum presents the region’s natural beauty and cultural heritage outdoors, at its original sites. Five museum trails connect the locations. This means the focus is not just on a single exhibit: the trails bring the museum’s various sites together.
Other trails also tell the story of how the landscape has been used and its history. The “Goldener Steig” nature trail follows an old trade route and traces the paths of the salt carriers. The “Triftsteig” nature trail near the Kreuzbachklause dam lets visitors follow the route taken by timber. The “Haidmühler Industriesteig” trail explores Haidmühle’s industrial history. Each trail has a different theme: trade, timber transport or industrial history.
Hiking, Water and Kneipp in the Municipality
The municipality of Haidmühle has more than 30 kilometres of hiking trails available in summer, and hiking is possible there all year round. Trail conditions can vary depending on the season. Also in the municipality, Kreuzbachsee lake is a popular place for swimming in summer. These seasonal activities differ from the year-round hiking trails and offer a different focus for your stay.
Seven Kneipp facilities fed by streams are available in the districts of Haidmühle-Ludwigsreut, Frauenberg, Auersbergsreut, Bischofsreut and Schwarzenthal. Access to individual facilities may vary; check in advance to see if they are currently available. The Jogl Kneipp facility in Haidmühle also has a trekking site directly on the Goldsteig and by the Mirasatbach stream. Access requires a booking. Check booking availability before making plans.
More Highlights in the Wider Freyung-Grafenau Destination
Freyung-Grafenau also offers distinctive nature and cultural attractions. The Bavarian Forest National Park extends into Freyung-Grafenau County and was opened on 7 October 1970 as Germany’s first national park. According to the 2024 zoning map, 75.37 percent of its area is designated as natural zones.
In the Buchberger Leite gorge, steep rock ridges frame the deeply incised bed of the Wolfsteiner Ohe, a river rich in boulders and cascades. Remnants of primeval forest have been preserved in the gorge’s moss- and fern-rich woodlands. An eight-kilometre themed hiking trail runs through the Buchberger Leite between Freyung and Ringelai; information boards and an accompanying brochure provide further details along the route. Historic timber-floating walls, tunnels cut into the rock and above-ground canals bear witness to centuries of human activity in the area.
Another cultural attraction in the wider Freyung-Grafenau destination is the Schramlhaus in Freyung. Built around 1700, it is now the oldest farmhouse in Freyung and one of the oldest in the county to have retained its original character. It houses more than one hundred original examples of reverse-glass painting, a form of sacred folk art. The Wolfstein Local History Museum is also located in the Schramlhaus.
Discover more destinations: Bischofsreut, Fürsteneck, Innernzell, Jandelsbrunn, Grafenau, Hohenau, Schönberg, Mauth.
Back to the broader travel overview: Freyung-Grafenau.
