Berchtesgaden National Park
Germany’s only Alpine national park, 208 km² around the Watzmann and the Königssee on the Salzburg border, with 2,300 m between the lake floor and the summit and no private cars inside.
- 80 mi²Area
- 1,355 ft to 8,901 ftElevation
- 1978Established
At a glance
- The only German national park in the Alps, on the border with Salzburg
- 2,300 m of height between the Königssee floor (413 m) and the Watzmann (2,713 m)
- 208 km², three quarters of it a core zone left to nature
- A national park since 1 August 1978, after a fight against a cable car on the Watzmann
- 260 km of colour-coded paths, from barrier-free loops to exposed alpine routes
- No private cars inside the park: paid car parks and buses at the main entrances
Where to stay
Hotels, guesthouses and rentals around Berchtesgaden National Park
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Mountain huts
Gotzenalm
5,528 ft · 100 beds
Schneibsteinhaus
75 beds
Run by DAV Sektion Berchtesgaden
Wasseralm
4,669 ft · 40 beds
Other huts
- Kührointalm4,659 ft
Nearby villages and towns
Schönau am KönigsseeClosest
1.9 mi as the crow flies
Also close to Königssee
See hotelsRamsau bei Berchtesgaden
3.7 mi as the crow flies
Also close to Königssee
See hotelsBerchtesgaden
5 mi as the crow flies
Also close to Königssee
See hotels
What to see
How the visit runs
Haus der Berge, in Berchtesgaden about 3 h
The park centre’s permanent exhibition, Vertikale Wildnis, fills about 1,000 m² and rises from the floor of the Königssee through water, forest and alpine pasture to the rock of the summits. It is 15 to 20 minutes on foot from Berchtesgaden station or town centre, or by RVO buses 839 and 841.
Königssee and St. Bartholomä about 35 min by boat
Boats leave from the Seelände at Schönau am Königssee. St. Bartholomä, reached only by water, holds the park exhibition Wasser versetzt Berge in the Jägerhaus, open all year.
Salet and the Obersee about 1 h by boat
From late April to mid-October the boats continue to Salet, about 15 minutes on foot from the Obersee. The Röthbach waterfall, about 400 m high and the highest in Germany, lies at the head of the valley.
The park’s information points
Information points stand at Hintersee (Klausbachhaus), Wimbachbrücke, the Jenner top station, St. Bartholomä, Kühroint and the Engert-Holzstube.
Three landing stages on the Königssee
| From the Seelände to | Boat, one way | Total time to allow | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Bartholomä | about 35 min | at least 2 h | €23.40 return, €11.70 one way |
| Salet (late April to mid-October) | about 1 h | at least 3 h | |
| Kessel | €9.00 |
Sources: Berchtesgaden tourist office (times); Königssee boat operator (fares listed in 2026, 7% VAT included).
Before you go
- Tents and bivouacs are banned; rangers check the park ordinance all year, including early morning and late evening, and breaches are fined.
- Fire is banned in the park.
- Drones are banned.
- Air mattresses and inflatable boats are banned.
- Plants may not be picked.
- Dogs stay on a lead; the black, difficult routes are not suitable for them.
- Bikes only on the signed routes, and cyclists give way to walkers.
- Stay on the paths: no cutting across meadows or short-cutting the hairpins.
- Cars can drive up to the park boundary; inside, private traffic is banned and the paid car parks at the main entrances are limited.
What is allowed
| Topic | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wild camping (bivouac) | Not allowed | Nationalparkverwaltung Berchtesgaden |
| Camping | Not allowed | Nationalparkverwaltung Berchtesgaden |
| Fires | Not allowed | Nationalparkverwaltung Berchtesgaden |
| Dogs | Restricted | Nationalparkverwaltung Berchtesgaden |
| Drones | Not allowed | Nationalparkverwaltung Berchtesgaden |
| Cycling | Restricted | Nationalparkverwaltung Berchtesgaden |
| Motor vehicles | Not allowed | Nationalparkverwaltung Berchtesgaden |
| Picking plants | Not allowed | Nationalparkverwaltung Berchtesgaden |
Rules checked with the site manager on October 14, 2026. They can change at short notice: check before you go.
How to get there
Berchtesgaden National ParkPlaces to stay in the parkGateway towns
- Salzburg30 kmBerchtesgaden National Park
To the town of Berchtesgaden, south of Salzburg.
- Salzburg Airport25.5 kmBerchtesgaden National Park
The airport lies north of the town of Berchtesgaden.
- A8, Bad Reichenhall junctionabout 25 kmBerchtesgaden National Park
By the B 20 through Bad Reichenhall and Hallthurm to Berchtesgaden.
- Munich180 kmBerchtesgaden National Park
Berchtesgaden lies 180 km south-east of Munich; the InterCity “Königssee” runs via Munich, with connections at Freilassing.
- Berchtesgaden station15 to 20 minBerchtesgaden National Park
On foot to the Haus der Berge park centre.
Berchtesgaden is the only German national park in the Alps, set around the Watzmann and the Königssee in the far south-east of Bavaria. The Austrian state of Salzburg borders it to the east, south and south-west.
Between the floor of the Königssee at 1,355 ft and the Watzmann at 8,901 ft lies a height range of 7,546 ft, a landscape of the Northern Limestone Alps that climbs from the submontane belt to the alpine one.
A cable car plan that led to the park of 1978
The park grew out of older reserves, and out of a fight over the Watzmann:
- 1910: 8,600 ha are placed under plant protection.
- 1921: the Königssee nature reserve covers 20,400 ha.
- 1953: the Deutscher Naturschutzring calls for a national park, in answer to the idea of a cable car up the Watzmann.
- 1972: the Bavarian Landtag decides to create the park.
- 1 August 1978: the park ordinance comes into force.
Today the park forms the core and buffer zones of the Biosphärenregion Berchtesgadener Land, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and it is a Natura 2000 site under both the Habitats and Birds directives.
Three quarters of the park left to nature
The park covers 20,808 ha, which the manager’s summary rounds to 81 mi². It is split into two zones:
- The core zone, 75%, where nature follows its own course with no use at all, under the motto “Natur Natur sein lassen”.
- The maintenance zone, 25%, a buffer that keeps traditional uses: alpine pastures, boats and fishing on the Königssee.
Ownership is almost entirely public:
- The Free State of Bavaria owns almost all of the park.
- The waters of the Königssee and the Obersee, and the St. Bartholomä peninsula, are run by the Bavarian Administration of State Palaces, Gardens and Lakes.
- Five mountain huts belong to the State and are leased to partners.
The park reports 1.6 million visitors a year and calls itself the most visited excursion destination in the region; its page does not say which year the figure covers.
Yellow, blue, red, black: the colours of the 162 mi of trails
Hiking paths and alpine routes add up to 162 mi, from accessible loops to high summits. Yellow signposts stand at every main starting point and junction, and each path carries a colour:
- Yellow: barrier-free paths.
- Blue: easy.
- Red: moderate.
- Black: difficult routes, narrow, steep and often exposed, with cables and unsecured climbing passages and a risk of falling. They are not suitable for dogs.
Safety on the mountain
- In winter, keep to the marked ski touring and snowshoe routes so as not to disturb the game.
- Alpine information for Berchtesgaden answers from May to October on +49 8652 9764615.
- In an emergency, call 112.
Frequently asked questions
Can you drive into Berchtesgaden National Park?
No. Private cars are not allowed inside the park; you can drive to its boundary, where a limited number of paid car parks serve the main entrances.
Can you camp in Berchtesgaden National Park?
No. Tents and bivouacs are banned, with reinforced checks at the Königssee, in the valleys and in the high mountains.
Can you fly a drone in Berchtesgaden National Park?
No. Drones are on the park’s list of banned activities, alongside fires, tents and inflatable boats.
Are dogs allowed in Berchtesgaden National Park?
Yes, on a lead. The park warns that its black, difficult routes are not suitable for dogs.
How do you get to Berchtesgaden National Park by train?
The InterCity “Königssee” runs to Berchtesgaden station via Munich, and other trains connect at Freilassing. Local RVO buses then serve the main entrances, free from the day of arrival with the guest card of the valley municipalities.
How long is the boat trip on the Königssee?
About 35 minutes one way to St. Bartholomä, so allow at least 2 hours in all; to Salet, about an hour each way and at least 3 hours in all, according to the tourist office.
How much is the Haus der Berge exhibition in 2026?
€4.00 for adults, €2.00 for children aged 6 to 16, €10.00 for a family, free under 6. The foyer, cinema, library, temporary exhibitions and outdoor area are free; it opens daily from 9:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:00.
How big is Berchtesgaden National Park?
20,808 ha, about 208 km², rounded to 210 km² by the park. The core zone takes 75% of it.
Other protected areas nearby
Sources
7 sources
- Nationalparkverwaltung Berchtesgaden consulted on October 19, 2026
- OpenStreetMap consulted on October 14, 2026
- Wikidata consulted on October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia (de) consulted on October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia (en) consulted on October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia (es) consulted on October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia (fr) consulted on October 14, 2026