July 7, 2025, 4:47 am | Read time: 5 minutes
After years of partial closure, the spectacular hiking trail through the Bodetal in the Harz Mountains is finally fully accessible again. Thanks to weeks of efforts by a team of volunteers, the section near Treseburg can now be safely explored in its natural state. TRAVELBOOK writer Robin Hartmann, a passionate Harz enthusiast, regularly visits the area and has spoken with locals about what the reopening means for them and their village.
Good news for hiking enthusiasts comes from the Harz these days. The path through the picturesque Bodetal, East Germany’s most spectacular gorge, is finally fully accessible again after years of partial closure. Since the end of June, the approximately 15-kilometer route from Thale through the two fairy-tale villages of Treseburg and Altenbrak (or vice versa) can once again be hiked in its original state. This route, always along the wild Bode River, passes through wonderfully untouched nature and is perhaps the most popular tour in the eastern Harz. Its now uninterrupted and, above all, safe accessibility is thanks to the weeks-long efforts of a team of volunteers from Treseburg.
Until now, there had been a closure and a detour that led hikers through the small village with its approximately 80 residents instead of along the Bode. Nestled in a densely wooded valley, Treseburg is one of the most beautiful villages in the Harz and welcomes several hundred thousand guests each year with its rich offerings of excellent gastronomy and accommodations. Those who find themselves on the hike through the Bodetal can now walk along a particularly beautiful section of the river without detours.
“A Piece of Quality of Life”
The section near Treseburg had been largely impassable for years due to recurring rockfalls and numerous old or diseased trees toppling over. This summer, it finally happened, and a team of 15 volunteers from the village gathered to clear the Bodetal path in just four weekends. Mayor Mike Neubarth is accordingly proud of his village and tells TRAVELBOOK: “I would like to sincerely thank everyone involved for their great commitment. For us and our guests, it’s not just a path but also a piece of additional quality of life.”
According to Neubarth, years of planning preceded the effort in the Treseburg section of the Bodetal. The village also had to bring forest owners and several organizations involved in tourism marketing on board. Only in this way could they raise the 45,000 euros needed for the preliminary work. Before the volunteers could restore the path, it had to be extensively cleared of stones and deadwood by an external company. The effort by the people of Treseburg was thus only the grand finale of a joint endeavor.
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Hope for More Tourists
With wheelbarrows, pickaxes, and shovels, they could be seen on four weekends between the end of May and June, working with much sweat and dedication to make their section of the Bodetal path passable again. Every Saturday, they met from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and worked tirelessly during this time. “For us, it was also a labor of love,” says Neubarth. “Many no longer believed it would happen, but now it has actually been achieved. We will certainly have a big helper party in due time.”
The now free section of the path can not only be used as an access route through the Bodetal but also completes a circular route through Treseburg itself, marked with information boards. Neubarth hopes that this will attract more tourists and increase their stay in the village. There is no fear in the village that many hikers might now simply pass by Treseburg instead of through it.
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The Innkeepers Are Optimistic
“More tourism is hardly possible,” laughs the owner of the local restaurant “Rübezahl.” “People still go through the village because they want to eat or drink something. And most do that before their hike. So far, you don’t really notice here that the path is open again.” Similar optimism is expressed at the “Hotel Luppbode,” where no losses are feared. Jan Müller, owner of the “Sternschnuppe” guesthouse, is pleased with the new path through the Bodetal near Treseburg–as it now passes directly by his house. Here, he welcomes guests not only with down-to-earth and affordable cuisine but also with perhaps the most beautiful beer garden in the entire Harz, right on the Bode River.
“I hope, of course, that I can welcome even more guests in the future,” says Müller. “If even one percent of the tourists in Treseburg stop by, I can be very satisfied.” In the fall of 2025, final work is planned to make the path from Treseburg to Altenbrak even safer. This will also be extensively cleared of deadwood. The Bodetal path is the most spectacular section of the Harzer Hexenstieg, a nearly 100-kilometer-long long-distance hiking trail. Now, after years of partial closure, it is finally safely accessible again.
