Haidmühle – Sled Dogs and Cultural Trails

Sled dog sports, historic themed trails and nature experiences shape the range of activities in Haidmühle. Depending on when you visit, different highlights take centre stage: the annual races, the cross-country ski trail and tobogganing in winter, or hiking, swimming and Kneipp treatments in the municipality. Cultural trails add traces of trade, timber and industrial history to the mix.

Sled Dog Races and Winter Trails

International sled dog races are held in Haidmühle every year; Haidmühle is also a European Championship venue for purebred sled dogs. Dates vary from one event to the next.

A winter option is the 5 km-long Adalbert Stifter cross-country ski trail, which follows a former railway line. It starts either in Haidmühle or Frauenberg and is flat and very easy. Trail operation depends on winter conditions; check the latest conditions before setting out. Tobogganing hills in the municipality of Haidmühle offer opportunities for sledging when seasonal snow conditions allow.

Museum Trails and Themed Routes

The Haidmühle Cultural Landscape Museum presents natural beauty and cultural relics outdoors at their original locations. Five museum trails connect the sites, bringing together the landscape and traces of the past along the same routes. The “Golden Trail” nature trail follows an old trade route and traces the paths of the muleteers. The “Triftsteig” nature trail at Kreuzbachklause shows the route taken by timber. The “Haidmühler Industriesteig” explores Haidmühle’s industrial history. The trails thus each focus on a different theme: muleteers and trade routes, timber, and industrial history.

Hiking, Kneipp Treatments and Swimming in the Municipality

The municipality of Haidmühle has more than 30 km of hiking trails available in summer, and hiking is possible there year-round. Conditions on individual trails may vary by season, so it is advisable to check the latest information. In summer, Kreuzbachsee is a popular place for swimming. Seven Kneipp facilities fed by streams are available in the districts of Haidmühle-Ludwigsreut, Frauenberg, Auersbergsreut, Bischofsreut and Schwarzenthal; operation of individual facilities may vary.

A trekking site is located at the Jogl Kneipp facility in Haidmühle, directly on the Goldsteig trail and the Mirasatbach stream. Access requires a booking; check availability for your chosen dates before making plans.

In the Wider Freyung-Grafenau Destination

Bavarian Forest National Park extends into the district of Freyung-Grafenau and opened on 7 October 1970 as Germany’s first national park. According to the 2024 zoning map, 75.37 percent of its area is designated as natural zones. In Buchberger Leite, steep rock ridges force the boulder- and cascade-filled Wolfsteiner Ohe into a deeply constricted channel; remnants of primeval forest remain in the gorge forests rich in mosses and ferns. An eight-kilometre themed hiking trail, with information boards and an accompanying brochure, leads through Buchberger Leite between Freyung and Ringelai. Historic timber-floating walls, tunnels cut into the rock and open-air channels bear witness to centuries of human activity there.

Discover more destinations: Bischofsreut, Perlesreut, Ringelai, Hohenau, Schöfweg, Zenting, Schönberg, Spiegelau

Back to the wider travel overview: Freyung-Grafenau.