In Einruhr, you can spend time on the Obersee, at viewpoints and on hiking trails, or explore the town’s history. When planning your stay, one specific distinction is useful: Obersee boat trips last one or two hours, while trails and viewpoints offer other highlights.
Obersee boat trips: round trip or shuttle?
The two-hour Obersee round trip can begin in Einruhr. It travels via Rurberg and the Obersee to the Urft Dam and back. The one-hour Obersee trip is a shuttle service from Einruhr to Rurberg, or from Rurberg to the Urft Dam and back. It can be combined with the National Park hiking trail. The main differences between the trips are therefore the time required and the format: a longer round trip or a shorter shuttle service that can be combined with the hiking trail.
Boat services operate seasonally; check the timetables before your trip. The Obersee boats in Einruhr are accessible, and the landing stage is close to public parking. As access conditions may change, check the information before your trip. From April to October, rangers from the National Park administration accompany the Rursee boat service on the first and third Monday of each month. Check the date of the relevant trip in advance.
Hiking trails and views of the Eifel
The second stage of the Wilderness Trail follows narrow paths along the steep slopes of the Obersee and offers a sense of natural tranquility. Two viewpoints offer different highlights: the “Schöne Aussicht” Eifel viewpoint in Simmerath-Einruhr is at an elevation of 440 metres and offers panoramic views of the Rur Valley and the village of Dedenborn. The Seifenauel loop (No. 46) passes right by it.
The “Wolfshügel” Eifel viewpoint is at an elevation of 360 metres above Einruhr. From there, the distant view stretches across the village and the Obersee to the Buhlert forest area. The Eifelsteig trail passes right by Wolfshügel. The Rur Bridge is also visible from this viewpoint: built in the 19th century, it was the first stone bridge over the Rur. If you want to choose a trail and viewpoint together, the Seifenauel loop passes the “Schöne Aussicht”, while the Eifelsteig passes Wolfshügel.
Heilsteinquelle spring, natural swimming pool and local history
Einruhr’s origins are traced back to the Pleushütte ironworks, founded around 1470 and formerly known as Rurhütte. During construction of the Rur Dam, Pleushütte was flooded in the second expansion phase in the 1950s; Einruhr subsequently took on its present-day appearance. In Roman times, a road ran from Konzen via Kesternich to Einruhr and the Heilsteinquelle spring. Behind the Heilsteinhaus, you can drink water from the spring at a well. If operating conditions change, check whether it is accessible before your visit.
The Einruhr natural swimming pool invites you to swim. Pedal boats and rowing boats are also available for hire there. Boat rental is seasonal; check availability in advance.
National Park information point and rest stop
The Heilsteinhaus is home to the Einruhr National Park information point. It is a starting point for exploring the neighboring Eifel National Park on foot, by bicycle or by boat. The information point provides maps and information materials, free Wi-Fi and a public toilet; availability may change.
The Heilsteinhaus also has the Einruhr hiking rest station. It offers a place to relax and have a picnic after a hike or bike ride. Next to the rest station is a water garden where you can cool your feet after a hike.
Discover more destinations: Steckenborn, Kesternich, Woffelsbach, Dedenborn.
Back to the main travel overview: Simmerath.
