Protected Areas in Brandenburg

Protected areas in Brandenburg are designated regions that conserve significant natural landscapes, biodiversity, and cultural heritage. They range from national parks and UNESCO biosphere reserves to smaller nature parks. This page features a selection of these areas, including Schlaubetal, offering routes through diverse habitats like forests, river valleys, and lake districts.

Brandenburg is home to one national park, three UNESCO biosphere reserves, and eleven nature parks. Among the most notable are the Spreewald Biosphere Reserve, Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve, and Lower Oder Valley National Park. This page provides detailed route information for areas such as Schlaubetal, Diehloer Höhen, and Dorchetal.

The primary outdoor activities in Brandenburg's protected areas are hiking, cycling, and mountain biking. Across the featured areas, there are more than 370 routes available. Specific activities vary by location, from paddling in the Spreewald's canals to hiking and cycling through the forests of Schlaubetal.

The Schlaubetal protected area offers more than 120 routes. These include 44 designated hiking trails through its river valley landscape, as well as numerous options for road cycling, touring bicycles, and mountain biking.

Diehloer Höhen is known for its varied terrain with more elevation changes compared to the surrounding region. The area features wooded slopes and viewpoints, making it suitable for both challenging hikes and scenic cycling routes.

The Dorchetal protected area features a network of more than 50 hiking trails. These routes guide hikers through the 4.3-mile (7 km) stream valley, which is characterized by diverse forests and natural waterways.

Yes, many protected areas offer routes suitable for families. For example, the Spreewald Biosphere Reserve has many flat, easy paths along its canals. Within the areas on this page, it is possible to find shorter, less strenuous hiking and cycling options suitable for various fitness levels.

The landscapes were largely shaped by the last ice age, resulting in a diverse topography. Visitors will find gently rolling hills, dense forests, clear-water lakes, and expansive river floodplains like those in the Lower Oder Valley National Park. The featured areas on this page, such as Dorchetal, showcase characteristic stream valleys and woodlands.

The term 'protected area' is a broad category that includes national parks, biosphere reserves, and nature parks, often balancing conservation with recreation and sustainable use. Nature Reserves in Brandenburg are typically smaller areas with stricter conservation rules focused on protecting specific habitats or species. Biosphere reserves like Spreewald, for instance, are large cultural landscapes, while a nature reserve might protect a single marsh or forest.

Many of Brandenburg's larger protected areas are accessible via regional train and bus networks, particularly those closer to Berlin like Naturpark Barnim. For instance, the Spreewald is well-connected by train to towns like Lübben and Lübbenau. From local stations, trailheads can often be reached on foot or by bicycle.

Brandenburg offers extensive cycling networks, including long-distance routes like the Oder-Neisse Cycle Route through the Lower Oder Valley National Park. The areas featured on this page, such as Diehloer Höhen, provide dozens of routes for both road cycling and touring bicycles through varied landscapes.