Dedenborn lies in the Rur Valley, between dense forests and gentle hills, and is part of the municipality of Simmerath in the Eifel National Park. The village combines hiking trails with clearly visible traces of its natural and cultural history. When planning your visit, you can therefore choose different focuses: a route through forest and valley, a look at distinctive rock formations, or the Stations of the Cross art around St. Michael’s Church.
Hiking Trails and Landscape in the Rur Valley
The Dedenborn forest nature reserve covers mostly wooded sections of the valleys along the lower reaches of the Puengel and Wuestebach streams, the Girvelscheid ridge between them, and a wooded section along the upper Erkenzrur. The “Dedenborn, Talaue des Puengel-, Wuestebaches und Erkensruhroberlauf” Special Area of Conservation also represents a landscape with a variety of habitats: in addition to extensive, contiguous woodrush beech forests, there are stream valleys with floodplain habitats, grassland and alder floodplain forests.
The Dedenborn village walk passes through an oak forest along slopes that drop steeply towards the Rur, and reaches the “Spicher” rocky outcrop. Another route, the Seifenauel Loop, follows the Rur and climbs to the “Schöne Aussicht” Eifel viewpoint; at Rauenauel, the route returns to the Rur. The two route descriptions offer different perspectives on the landscape: one focuses on the forest, slope and Spicher, while the other highlights the course of the river and the viewpoint.
At the southwestern exit of Dedenborn, a rock with a mullion structure can be found in the slates of the Rurberg strata. This tectonic structure is considered unique in this form throughout the Rhenish Massif and can be visited on a short hike. If you would also like to learn more about the forest, the Einruhr Forest Nature Trail is nearby: an approximately two-kilometre section with information panels explores the diversity of the forest. Below Dedenborn, the Rur flows through the valley in broad loops; the nature trail follows one of these meanders.
Stations of the Cross and Church Art
The village walk also passes the small chapels of the Stations of the Cross, built between 1857 and 1863. Another landmark is the White Peace Cross on the “Spicher” rocky outcrop. The men and young men of Dedenborn erected it in 1954 in gratitude for their safe return from the Second World War. The route thus combines impressions of the landscape with places whose history reaches into the recent past.
The Catholic parish church of St. Michael has stood since 1717 and was extended around 1973. Its furnishings include 16 Stations of the Cross paintings of considerable art-historical value. The 15th image depicts the discovery of the True Cross by Saint Helena; the 16th station takes the form of an indulgence letter. The stained-glass windows were created by the artist Erich Charlier. On Pfarrer-Engels-Platz, next to the church, there is also a lime tree dating from the 17th century, estimated to be around 350 to 400 years old.
Trail Directions and Rest Areas
The Kirche Dedenborn hiking car park provides access to three local hiking trails. A connecting path from there also leads to the Eifelsteig and the Heckenland Route. Above Dedenborn, the “Op em Demer” rest area on the Eifelsteig offers panoramic views over the Rur Valley. Its bench is modelled on the meandering shape of the Rur and features a swing. In Seifenauel, “Theo’s-Eck” is a rest area with reclining loungers and benches; it was inaugurated on 25 October 2025.
Festivals and Exhibitions
Recurring events include the annual Schützenfest of the St. Michael Rifle Brotherhood at Pentecost and the barbecue festival at the “Om Spicher” barbecue hut on German Unity Day. An amateur artists’ exhibition is held every two years at the Dedenborn community centre. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these events, check the exact date in advance.
More Things to Do in the Wider Simmerath Destination
The wider Simmerath destination also offers activities with a different focus from hiking and local history. Woffelsbach Bay has a swimming area directly in the lake, marked off by yellow buoys. Swimming conditions may vary depending on the water level. At the Einruhr natural swimming pool, no chlorine or chemicals are used; the water is purified biologically in a reed pond. This means that, alongside Dedenborn’s hiking and cultural attractions, the Simmerath destination also offers opportunities to enjoy the water.
Discover more destinations: Steckenborn, Kesternich, Einruhr, Woffelsbach.
To the overview of the wider destination: Simmerath.
