Müritz: Landscapes, Trails and Wildlife Watching

On the eastern shore of Müritz, a sandur formed during the last major glaciation slopes extremely gently. Extensive reed beds, moors and swamp forests characterise the shore; the water level there fluctuates considerably with the seasons. Müritz National Park includes a protected area around Müritz, Germany’s largest lake. Forests, moors, lakes and wide meadows also characterise the park landscape. The landscape thus brings together water, wetlands, forest and open meadows.

Wildlife and Views

The national park provides protected habitats for many threatened animal and plant species. The animal species mentioned include cranes, ospreys, white-tailed eagles and red deer. Watching cranes, ospreys and white-tailed eagles is especially popular in autumn; sightings are seasonal and not guaranteed. Birdwatching is therefore better suited as a theme for a tour than as a planned outcome of an excursion.

The viewpoints also offer different perspectives: from Käflingsberg Tower, the view extends across the entire Müritz section of the national park. At Großer Serrahnsee, the observation tower looks out over the lake and the surrounding forest landscape. When choosing a viewpoint, you can opt for a broad view across the Müritz section of the national park or for the interplay of lake and forest.

Trails Along the Shore and Through the Forests

More than 600 kilometres of marked hiking and cycling trails lead through the unspoilt nature of Müritz National Park. Check the condition of your specific route before setting out. The “Blauer Radfahrer” circular route between Boek and Schwarzenhof lets you experience the eastern shore landscape by bike. The Wald-Erlebnis-Pfad from Zinow to Dianenhof takes you through a different natural environment: the forest landscape around Serrahn, with its ancient and original beech forests, which were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

The two routes represent different landscape themes: the cycle route focuses on the eastern shore, while the Serrahn forests and their World Heritage status define the trail. When planning your outings, you can choose between a cycling tour along Müritz and a walk through the forest landscape.

Finding Your Way Around the National Park

The national park information centres combine exhibitions about nature and the landscape with personal tips and advice from rangers on worthwhile tours and wildlife-viewing spots. Exhibitions and opening hours may change. In addition, nature trails, ranger tours and information centres offer insights into the flora and fauna; individual programmes may vary. These offerings give you different ways to explore nature topics in more depth or gather ideas for a tour. If you plan to take part in a specific activity, check the latest dates and opening hours in advance.

By Boat and Canoe

Environmentally friendly boat and canoe trips are permitted on many lakes in Müritz National Park; national park rules apply. The restriction to many lakes is important for planning: permission does not apply to every body of water. As well as marked trails on land, you can also consider experiencing the landscape from the water.

More Nature Experiences in the Surrounding Region

In the wider surrounding region, the Wolfspfad Zwenzow is a two-kilometre adventure trail that gives children and adults a thorough introduction to wolves. Interactive stations explain the animals’ behaviour; the trail also includes a historic wolf pit and a fairytale hut with myths about wolves. Individual stations may be updated.

Discover more destinations: Vorpommern-Greifswald, Nordwestmecklenburg, Mecklenburgische Seenplatte, Ludwigslust-Parchim, Rostock, Nordvorpommern, Vorpommern-Rügen.

Go to the main travel overview: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.