Parks Manager

National parks near Gehren, Thuringia

Gehren sits inside the Suhl area and reaches the same parks. See national parks near Suhl for the full write-up.

Hainich National Park is the closest national park to Gehren, Thuringia — 61.8 km (38.4 mi) in a straight line, which works out to roughly 1 hr 18 min behind the wheel.

Hainich, Harz, and Kellerwald-Edersee make a full day trip — leave early. Saxon Switzerland, Bavarian Forest, Hunsrück-Hochwald, Black Forest, Eifel, Müritz, and Lower Oder Valley are better with a night booked nearby.

Gehren has a population of about 3,703.

National parks near Gehren

Parks ranked by distance from Gehren
ParkStraight-line distanceEstimated driveRealistic trip
Hainich National Park61.8 km (38.4 mi)1 hr 18 minDoable as a day trip
Harz National Park129 km (79.9 mi)2 hr 21 minDoable as a day trip
Kellerwald-Edersee National Park152 km (94.5 mi)2 hr 41 minDoable as a day trip
Saxon Switzerland National Park227 km (141 mi)3 hr 47 minBest as a weekend
Bavarian Forest National Park255 km (158 mi)4 hr 12 minBest as a weekend
Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park297 km (185 mi)4 hr 49 minBest as a weekend
Black Forest National Park308 km (191 mi)4 hr 59 minBest as a weekend
Eifel National Park325 km (202 mi)5 hr 14 minBest as a weekend
Müritz National Park331 km (206 mi)5 hr 19 minBest as a weekend
Lower Oder Valley National Park350 km (217 mi)5 hr 36 minBest as a weekend

When to make this trip

Hainich National Park is generally best June through September, with May and early October as the quieter shoulder either side.

Late autumn through early spring is cold and wet, with limited hut service and short daylight.

Mountain weather turns quickly and marked routes can stay snow-covered well into June.

Month-by-month detail for Hainich National Park

Seeing more than one

Several parks near Gehren are close enough to each other to combine on one trip, so the drive from home only has to happen once.

Distances between parks near Gehren
PairApartEstimated drive
Hainich → Harz78.7 km (48.9 mi)1 hr 36 min
Hainich → Kellerwald-Edersee102 km (63.2 mi)1 hr 57 min
Harz → Kellerwald-Edersee131 km (81.5 mi)2 hr 23 min
Saxon Switzerland → Bavarian Forest225 km (140 mi)3 hr 46 min

Planning a trip from Gehren

Distances here are straight-line and the drive estimate adds a road factor on top, but mountain passes and seasonal closures can change it a lot — a route that looks like three hours in June can be shut entirely in February. Confirm road status with the park before you commit to a date.

Read the Hainich National Park guide

Other towns in Thuringia 00

Common questions

What is the closest national park to Gehren?

Hainich National Park. It is about 61.8 km (38.4 mi) from Gehren, roughly 1 hr 18 min of driving.

Can I do a national park day trip from Gehren?

Yes — Hainich National Park, Harz National Park, and Kellerwald-Edersee National Park are within about a three-hour drive.

How many national parks are near Gehren?

10 parks are within reach of Gehren, 3 of them close enough for a day trip.

When is the best time to visit the parks near Gehren?

For Hainich National Park, the closest one, generally June through September. Either side of that, May and early October stays quieter.