Eifel National Park: planning guide
Beech woods and volcanic plates west of Cologne, with crater lakes and the Urft reservoir rim.
Eifel National Park is in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The nearest town is Schleiden — roughly 7.1 km (4.4 mi) out, about 12 min of driving.
When to go
Best window: June through September. Shoulder season: May and early October.
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.
Closest towns and cities
Where Eifel National Park sits
Official Eifel National Park site — hours, closures, and fees.
Parks you could combine with it
- Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park
High woodlands where Rhineland-Palatinate meets the Saarland, with soft ridges and quiet streams.
- Kellerwald-Edersee National Park
Ancient beech forest and rocky slopes above Lake Edersee in Hesse.
- Black Forest National Park
Dark conifer ridges and valleys in Baden-Württemberg; Germany’s Black Forest national park.
- Hainich National Park
A UNESCO beech forest in Thuringia recovering without management — Germany’s “primeval” lowland woodland.
Common questions
Where is Eifel National Park?
Eifel National Park sits in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and the closest town of any size is Schleiden — about 12 min away.
When is the best time to visit Eifel National Park?
Generally June through September, with May and early October quieter on either side.