Accessibility – Nature for everybody

It is our aim to make the beautiful nature in Hainich National Park accessible to everybody, also those with a physical or mental handicap, wherever possible. This list shows some of the places in Hainich National Park that are accessible by wheelchair or that have only low-barriers.

A lift makes the 20 m high and 530 m long path also accessible for the elderly, wheelchair users and families with prams.
The tower, however, with its view from 40 m high is only accessible by stairs.
Find out more about the Canopy Walk.

The exhibition on the ground floor of the National Park Centre is wheelchair-accessible. In the second part of the exhibition, stairs lead up to the first floor, e.g. to a small indoor canopy walk. This part is not accessible for people with a walking disability.

The Wurzelhöhle is wheelchair-accessible. It has two short inclinations (no more than 6 degrees) at the beginning and the end.
A media guide is available in German, English, Dutch and Polish, documenting individual exhibits. It also offers explanations in Simple German (for people with reading difficulties), in vivid language (for visually-impaired people) and in sign language. If you would like to use the media guide, you can either borrow a tablet or use your own smartphone to connect to the in-house network.
Find out more about the National Park Centre at the Thiemsburg.

The Wildcat Village is wheelchair-accessible. There are three disabled parking spaces at the Wildcat Barn. Driving to the Wildcat Enclosure is possible for those who are unable to walk. You need to pick up a transponder in the Wildcat Barn (security deposit required) to open an electronic barrier.
There is a disabled toilet in the Wildcat Barn.
Unfortunately, there is currently no exhibition material (such as subtitles, audioguides, cassettes) available for hearing-impaired, blind or visually-impaired people.
Find out more about the Wildcat Village Hütscheroda.

Everybody can feel and experience nature here – in the true sense of the word. The path is three kilometres long and an adventure for young and old, and people with and without disabilities.

The path is laid with fine gravel and leads visitors directly into the core of the primeval woodland. At nine stops along the way, all visitors including those with a walking disability or visually-impaired people can find out interesting information about the national park and its plant and animal kingdon.
Find out more about the Erlebnispfad Brunstal.

The Silberbornpfad is wheelchair-accessible. There are two variants of this path that both lead to the Silberbornlinde, a lime tree. The first variant includes ascending slopes rising up to 10% and is 2.8 km long. The second variant has ascending slopes of only up to 5% and is 2 km long. Both variants are signposted.

Find out more about the Erlebnispfad Silberborn.

The "FairytaleNaturePath" Feensteig has no steps and is 2.5 km long. Two 100 m long, ascending slopes of up 6 degrees are easy to manage.
Find out more about the MärchenNaturPfad Feensteig.

People with disabilities are more than welcome here! There are three wheelchair-accessible rooms and almost all areas in and around the youth hostel are accessible by wheelchair. Please contact the youth hostel directly to enquire about accessible accommodation and your stay.

At the information point, you can hire the Wanderrollstuhl "Joëlette" for a fee of 10 Euros per day or 5 Euros for a maximum of 5 hours. People with reduced mobility can enjoy a wheelchair hike with this single-wheel, all-terrain wheelchair and the help of two companions.

Website of the Urwald-Life-Camp