Viewpoints
Park geography
Analyzing the terrain, elevation ranges, and landscape features within the 247 square kilometer park boundary.
Comprehensive Geographic Profile and Mapped Boundaries of Harz National Park in Germany
Harz National Park covers 247 square kilometers across Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, featuring a rugged mountain relief with elevations reaching 1141 meters. This profile provides structured insights into the park boundary, encompassing diverse forest ecosystems, peatland, and prominent peaks such as the Brocken. Users can examine the spatial distribution of cliffs, ridges, and riverine habitats that define the environmental character of this transboundary region.
Germany's largest forested national park protecting the Harz Mountains' wild ridgelines, ancient bogs, and reintroduced lynx populations
Harz National Park
Harz National Park is one of Germany's largest forested national parks, spanning approximately 247 square kilometres across the western Harz mountain range in the federal states of Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. The park encompasses the iconic Brocken, the Harz's highest peak at 1,141 metres, and extends from the northern towns of Bad Harzburg and Ilsenburg southward to Herzberg and Bad Lauterberg. Nearly 97 percent of the park is covered by forest, predominantly Norway spruce plantations and European beech woodlands, with the remaining areas consisting of raised bogs, granite cliffs, and mountain streams. The park was created on January 1, 2006, through the merger of two separate national parks established in 1990 and 1994, following German reunification. The region's location along the former inner German border meant that large portions of the Harz remained inaccessible for decades, contributing to the area's relatively undisturbed ecological character. Today the park forms part of the European Union's Natura 2000 network and is recognized as a Category II protected area by the IUCN.
- Location
- Germany
- Park type
- National park
- Established
- 2006
- Area
- 247 km²
- Highest point
- 1,141 m
Location overview
Administrative placement spanning Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt
Geographic Location and Territory of Harz National Park in Germany
Harz National Park is situated in Germany, spanning the regional territories of Saxony-Anhalt and Lower Saxony. Consolidated atlas data confirms the transboundary administrative alignment of the protected state lands.
- Countries
- Germany
- Regions
- Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt
- Primary location
- Lower Saxony
- Geographic setting
- Transboundary · Inland
Boundary and coordinates
Spatial dimensions and map limits across a 247 square kilometer area
Geographic Boundaries and Mapped Limits of Harz National Park
Interactive boundary geometry outlines the spatial footprint of Harz National Park within the regional landscape. Associated geographic metrics clarify the total area, center coordinates, and physical span measurements of the protected zone.
- Boundary area
- 247.7 km²
- Boundary perimeter
- 185 km
- Northernmost point
- 51.9006° N
- Southernmost point
- 51.6683° N
- Easternmost point
- 10.7279° E
- Westernmost point
- 10.3192° E
- Geographic centre
- 51.7801° N, 10.5565° E
- North–south span
- 25.8 km
- East–west span
- 28.2 km
Elevation and terrain
Mountain relief span and recorded physical features
Harz National Park Terrain and Elevation Range
Harz National Park contains recorded elevation values ranging from 230 meters to 1141 meters across its mountain terrain. Individual feature cards detail named peaks, rock formations, and viewpoints located within the protected area.
- Minimum elevation
- 230 m
- Maximum elevation
- 1,141 m
- Highest point
- 1,141 m
Selected named natural features
Natural springs
Hedwigs Quelle
Streams
Magdgraben
Streams
Kleine Bode
Viewpoints
Ilsenburg-Blick
Cliffs
Schneewittchenklippen
Environmental setting
Temperate climate zones, mountain relief, and major forest cover classifications
Harz National Park Environmental Settings and Protected Landscape Classifications
Recorded habitat types and landscape features serve as interpretive categories for reading the physical setting of Harz National Park. Stored classifications connect recorded environmental properties to relevant protected area records within the atlas database.
- Relief
- Mountain
- Climate
- Temperate
- Water
- Minor water
- Forest cover
- Mostly forested
- Seasonality
- Year-round
Landscape features
Mountains · Forest · Woodland · Bog · Rivers · Cliffs
Habitat types
Temperate coniferous forest · Temperate broadleaf forest · Boreal forest · Peatland · Riverine habitat
Park atlas
Continue your atlas exploration of Germany's forested mountain ranges and protected landscapes in Lower Saxony.
Discover More National Parks and Protected Areas Near Harz National Park
After exploring Harz National Park, discover other significant protected areas and national parks across Germany's Lower Saxony region and its contiguous landscapes. Compare the regional spread of conservation efforts and map diverse mountain and forest terrains within the broader Harz Mountains area.
Nature reserveLower Saxony
Park boundaries overlap#1 closest
Southeast
Wurmberg Nature Reserve: Protected Granite Peaks and High Mountain Bog Landscapes
High-altitude Harz mountain geography in Lower Saxony
Wurmberg Nature Reserve represents a critical protected zone in the Harz mountains, featuring the Große Klippe granite cliffs and legacy quarry landscapes. The area provides essential data for understanding forest conversion and peatland rewetting, forming an integral part of the regional conservation network in Lower Saxony, Germany.
- Area
- 1.83 km²
- Established
- 2006
- IUCN
- IV
- Relief
- Mountain
Nature reserveLower Saxony
3.8 km away#2 closest
Southwest
Steinberg bei Scharzfeld Nature Reserve: Dolomite Geology and Harz Foothill Geography
A detailed protected-area profile of the dolomite ridge in Lower Saxony.
Steinberg bei Scharzfeld is a protected nature reserve in the southern Harz region, defined by its rare dolomite geology and rugged cliff habitats. This site features exposed rock outcrops, drought-prone calcareous grasslands, and the natural Steinkirche cave monument. It serves as a vital anchor for understanding the ecological diversity of the local karst landscape and its distinct geological character compared to the surrounding mountain environments.
- Area
- 0.14 km²
- Established
- 1988
- Relief
- Upland
- Climate
- Temperate
Protected landscapeLower Saxony
About 8.9 km away#3 closest
Northwest
Naturpark Harz (Niedersachsen): Mapped Protected Landscapes and Regional Terrain
Regional geography and protected area boundaries in Lower Saxony
Spanning roughly 790 square kilometers, Naturpark Harz (Niedersachsen) serves as a vital protected area along the western Harz mountains. The park landscape showcases a transition from high-elevation summits like the Wurmberg down to lowland foothills, integrated with a historic system of reservoirs and river valleys that define the regional geography.
- Area
- 790 km²
- Established
- 1960
- Water
- Major water bodies
Nature reserveThuringia
About 12 km away#4 closest
Southeast
Vogelherd Nature Reserve: Montane Beech Forest Landscape in Thuringia, Germany
Protected forest geography in the northern Harz mountains.
Vogelherd is a significant nature reserve located in the Harz mountains of Thuringia. It serves as a vital reference area for upper montane forest ecology, showcasing how acidic bedrock and high elevation shape the transition between beech and spruce woodland populations.
- Area
- 0.151 km²
- Established
- 1961
- IUCN
- IV
Nature reserveThuringia
About 12 km away#5 closest
South
Sülzensee, Mackenröder Wald: A Detailed Look at Thuringia's Protected Nature Reserve
Exploring the beech forest landscapes and stream-carved terrain of northern Thuringia.
Sülzensee, Mackenröder Wald is a protected nature reserve in northern Thuringia known for its expansive beech forests and diverse geological foundation. Spanning over 280 hectares, the area features undulating ridges, deep-cut stream valleys, and a unique position atop the Elbe-Weser watershed. This geography-focused overview details the reserve's status as a corridor for wildlife and its significant role in regional habitat conservation.
- Area
- 2.802 km²
- Established
- 2000
- IUCN
- IV
Nature reserveLandkreis Eichsfeld
About 20 km away#6 closest
Southwest
Grenzstreifen zwischen Teistungen und Ecklingerode Protected Nature Reserve Mapping
Conservation corridor within the Landkreis Eichsfeld regional geography.
Located in the Eichsfeld district of Thuringia, the Grenzstreifen zwischen Teistungen und Ecklingerode nature reserve functions as a vital segment of the trans-European Green Belt. This protected area showcases an elongated, structural diversity of beech forest ecosystems and meadowlands shaped by natural succession. Review the mapped boundaries and topographical characteristics of this significant corridor that bridges modern forestry and historical conservation.
- Area
- 1.477 km²
- Established
- 2000
- IUCN
- IV
- Relief
- Upland
Nature reserveThuringia
About 23 km away#7 closest
Southeast
Rüdigsdorfer Schweiz: Protected Gypsum Karst Nature Reserve in Thuringia, Germany
A rare mapped landscape of karst sinkholes and dry valleys.
Rüdigsdorfer Schweiz stands as a critical protected area in Thuringia, known for its intact gypsum karst terrain. This landscape of gentle hills, earth collapses, and soluble rock formations serves as a vital ecological anchor in the Harz foothills. Explore the geography of this nature reserve to understand its layered protection and the distinctive geological history carved into its irregular surface.
- Area
- 3.006 km²
- Established
- 1997
- IUCN
- IV
Nature reserveThuringia
About 23 km away#8 closest
Southwest
Bodenstein Nature Reserve: Geographic Atlas and Protected Area Context in Thuringia
Limestone escarpments and ravine landscapes of the Eichsfeld
Bodenstein is a protected nature reserve featuring a distinctive limestone escarpment along the Ohmgebirgsplateau. The terrain encompasses a series of hilltops and ravines shaped by geological shifts, serving as a key reference site for the forest ecosystems and spring-fed hydrological networks found across the Thuringia region.
- Area
- 1.335 km²
- Established
- 1961
- IUCN
- IV
- Relief
- Upland
MoriAtlas Explorer
Continue Exploring Harz National Park's Mapped Landscape and Geography
Dive deeper into the structured geographic data for Harz National Park, uncovering its mapped terrain, protected area status, and regional landscape context. Understanding this park's specific location and boundaries is key to a comprehensive atlas exploration of Germany's protected lands and mountain environments. Continue your discovery of this unique protected landscape within the MoriAtlas platform.
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