The Harz, northern Germany’s highest range, offers dense forest MTB terrain around the Brocken, its highest point, steeped in history from Germany’s Cold War division.
A forested massif steeped in history
From Braunlage, the singletrack heads into conifer forest typical of the Harz toward St. Andreasberg and then Schierke, at the foot of the Brocken. Expect around 25 km and 700 m of elevation gain for a loop representative of the massif, on terrain that alternates rolling gravel paths with more technical forest singletrack.
Getting the ride right
A hardtail suits most of the terrain, generally less committing than the catalogue’s Alpine massifs. The trails around the Brocken, a formerly heavily militarised border zone, are now freely accessible but are worth pairing with a stop at the Brockenhaus museum to understand the site’s history.
When to go
May to October, as winter often leaves the tracks snow-covered at this altitude, relatively high for northern Germany. Summer offers the best conditions, with dense forest providing shade on hot days.
Good to know
Braunlage, a well-equipped mid-mountain resort, offers a decent choice of accommodation, with convenient access to Schierke for combining the MTB ride with a steam-train trip up to the summit of the Brocken.
