Winter in the National Park

Tracks in the snow

When nature slumbers beneath a thick blanket of snow, marmots and hedgehogs are in hibernation. But with a keen eye and a little knowledge of the snow, there’s still plenty to discover outside. Animals build their winter shelters and survive using remarkable strategies. Tracks in the snow reveal their stories: how they move, hunt, and search for food. A visit to one of the wildlife feeding areas across the park is well worth it.

Foxes and hares don’t mind the icy cold. For them, this is mating season—and before long, their young will be exploring the winter forest.

Follow the tracks with all your senses. Slow down on a peaceful walk through the park’s winter woods. Listen to the crisp, unfiltered sounds of nature. Experience it fully—spot wildlife, discover resilient plant life, and uncover the quiet secrets hidden in a landscape covered in frost and ice.

Guided hikes in the National Park

Even in winter, Berchtesgaden National Park offers a rich program of guided hikes. Discover untouched nature in Germany’s only alpine national park—on a tour led by park rangers, researchers, or the environmental education team.

You’ll find dates and full details about the winter program in our event schedule or on the Berchtesgaden National Park website.

Wild winter in the Klausbach valley

On foot or by horse-drawn sleigh to the wildlife feeding area

Sleigh runners crunch softly over the snow, horses exhale clouds of white into the crisp winter air—this horse-drawn sleigh ride from Klausbachhaus at Hintersee to the wildlife feeding area is a truly unforgettable experience. Prefer to explore on foot? Discover the Klausbach valley on a winter hike: the trail through the valley is cleared in winter and remains mostly flat—perfect if you’re out with kids.

If you like, take a loop along the Prinzregent Luitpold Trail around Lake Hintersee afterward—and round off your winter day in a cozy lakeside inn.

  • Wildlife feeding in the Klausbachtal valley

    Ramsau
    • Open at all times
  • Bergerlebnis Berchtesgaden

    Winter hike to the wildlife feeding area in the Klausbachtal valley

    Ramsau
    • 1:30 h
    • 4,2 km
    • 36 hm
    • Winter Hiking
    • Winter Activities

The frozen Lake Königssee

A rare natural spectacle: Lake Königssee is vast—and remarkably deep—so it only freezes over completely on rare occasions. The last time a solid ice sheet formed across the lake was in 2006.

The frozen Königssee