Vacationers love the Harz for its idyllic, quiet towns and green, varied nature. The latter also includes many lakes.
Even better, you can even swim in many of them. And you can even use some of these bathing lakes for free! This is how the summer vacation will be perfect. But even in spring, the Harz lakes and bathing ponds invite you to hike – we present nine of them in more detail here.
Grumbach pond
The Obere Grumbacher Teich is idyllically located in a forest area near Hahnenklee-Bockswiese. You can swim for free on site – and if you don’t want to part with this natural idyll, you can simply pitch your tents there for the night.
With its clear water, the Grumbacher Teich in the Harz mountains attracts all swimmers to cool off in the water. There is also a campsite nearby.
There is a campsite on the southeast shore and also a hotel if you want a bed with a slatted base. If you’ve regained enough strength after your siesta, try surfing and fishing at the Oberer Grumbracher Teich or discover new perspectives on nature from a rowing boat.
Grumbacher Teich near Hahnenklee-Bockswiese
Free admission
Address: Parking 200 meters away in Kreuzeck
Oder pond
A circular hiking trail leads you around the Oderteich over a length of four kilometres. Outdoor fans can gaze from the dam wall at the mirror-smooth surface before continuing to the swimming spots on the eastern or western shores.
After swimming in the Oderteich, you can relax on the green meadows surrounding the water.
You should not enter the water outside the areas marked there: “You have to be careful, because the cold underwater currents represent a real danger”, warns the Upper Harz Tourist Association. The swimming chains indicate where you should stop swimming. This measure not only protects people, but also nature: it is allowed to spread almost undisturbed in many places in the Oderteich.
Oderteich near Sankt Andreasberg
Free admission
Address: Oderteich car park on the B242
Ziegenberger Pond
Trees to the right, trees to the left, trees behind you, clear water in front of you. The Ziegenberger Teich is completely surrounded by forest near Clausthal-Zellerfeld and Buntenbock. Nothing stands in the way of undisturbed bathing pleasure.
A bench at the Ziegenberger Teich in the Harz mountains invites you to relax after a long swim.
If you want to combine a day of swimming with a hike, visit the Ziegenberger pond on the “Buntenbocker Teiche” water hiking trail.
Ziegenberger Teich near Clausthal-Zellerfeld and Buntenbock
Free admission
Address: An den Langen Brüchen, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld
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Okertalsperre
Jumping into the water for free also works at the Okertalsperre near Schulenberg. Anyone who still has energy after a dip in the cool water can practice other water sports on site. Especially in summer, sailors, windsurfing and diving enthusiasts as well as canoe and kayak paddlers like to use the Oktertalsperre.
Swimming in the Harz mountains is free at the Okertalsperre. The reservoir crosses the landscape in the middle of the forests.
Is it too exciting for you? Then relax on a boat trip and let us show you the natural beauties of the water – thanks to the engine without any effort.
Oker Dam near Schulenberg
Free admission
Address: There are designated free parking spaces along the B498 and L517.
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Forest pool Okerteich
The Okerteich forest pool is located in the middle of the Kleine Oker valley. As early as 1714, miners blocked off a pond there, which today offers crystal clear water to all bathers. There you can cool off on a long hike or take a day of swimming in the middle of the green forests. A big plus: old fir trees and deciduous trees provide enough shade at all times.
Forest pool Okerteich in Altenau
Free admission
Address: Kleine Oker 43, 38707 Altenau
Natural swimming pool of the Wiesenbeker Teich
Lauterberg miners once created this reservoir, today it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site for Upper Harz Water Management. This pond is no longer important for mining, but holidaymakers now take advantage of this swimming lake. If you want to stay longer, just pitch your tents at the campsite by the lake.
There you will also find a small sandy beach that leads flat into the water. The meadow behind him ensures hours of relaxation by the lake. The playground and boat rentals also provide action. Pedal boats and rowing boats are available. Anglers will also find suitable spots at the Wiesenbeker pond. A kiosk and a restaurant satisfy the small appetites in between.
Natural swimming pool of the Wiesenbeker Teich
Free admission
Address: Wiesenbek 75, Bad Lauterberg in the Harz Mountains
Bremen pond
A hiking trail takes you nine kilometers around the Bremen pond near Quedlinburg. If it’s too hot, you bathe in the cool natural pool. Children can also splash around in the water, as there is a shallow non-swimmer area directly on the shore. More experienced swimmers can join the bathing island, where you can take a break from the sun before heading back to shore.
Meanwhile, everyone makes themselves comfortable on the large lawn. They listen to the birdsong, because the Bremen pond is surrounded by nature.
Bremen pond
Free admission
Open: All year – if you don’t mind wind and weather.
Address: Bärweg, 06485 Quedlinburg
Lake Ditfurt
Workers mined gravel at this site between July 1978 and October 1998, but that is ancient history. Lake Ditfurt has been recultivated since 2001 – and has since turned into a natural lake. You can barely tell from this gem that people once worked hard there.
Now people find peace and relaxation there. The official bathing area at the idyllic gravel pond is best suited for this. From the sandy beach you can let your eyes wander over the water and the green forests. A peaceful scenario at least most days of the year, but volleyball tournaments do occasionally take place by the lake. So it’s sportier at the Ditfurter See.
Lake Ditfurt
Free admission
Address: Am See, 06484 Ditfurt
sweet lake
Several beach sections invite you to swim at the Süßen See. Sailing enthusiasts and surfers also practice their passion here in a green setting. Anyone who is completely new to this can learn the necessary hand movements for this water sport in the small surf school on the north shore of the Süßen See.
Away from the water, Sweet Lake is also a delight for outdoor enthusiasts, as hiking and biking trails lead through nearby vineyards alongside the lake—always with the best view of the water.
A popular photographic motif: the apple blossom at Aseleben on the Süßen See impresses many people who visit the Harz mountains.
If you visit the bathing area at the Süßen See near Aseleben in the southern Harz mountains, you can follow your nose. Because when the apple trees and the like of the nearby fruit farms are in bloom, they show all their splendour. In the fruit growers’ farm shops you will find your healthy snack to go – it is hardly fresher.
sweet lake
Free admission
Address: 06317 Aseleben, Lake Mansfelder Land area