Bad Marienberg (Westerwald) offers a range of reasons to stay: a wheelchair-accessible circular trail in the wildlife park, insights into basalt geology, and changing exhibitions on local culture. For planning, you can distinguish between short and longer routes, natural sites and seasonal activities. This lets you balance exercise, scenery and culture according to your interests.
Trails for walking, Nordic walking and cycling
In the wildlife park, a 4 km circular trail passes through woodland and meadows; it is suitable for wheelchairs. The wildlife park is open year-round from sunrise until dusk, and admission is free. Check the current conditions for wheelchair access and admission before your visit.
Bad Marienberg also offers eight hiking and walking trails between 5 km and 18 km long. At 4 km, the wildlife park loop is shorter than any of these trails. Three Nordic walking circuits all start at the large wildlife park car park. The stated distances help you narrow down your preferred route length in advance.
More than 200 km of signposted and tested cycling routes are available around Bad Marienberg. Seasonal cycling tours are led by two local tour guides and mostly follow quiet cycling and walking paths. If you prefer a guided ride, check dates and availability in advance; you should also verify the route details before setting out.
Basalt and nature in the surrounding area
The Basalt Park is a former quarry and also an open-air museum. There you can see documented methods of basalt quarrying, geological processes and different basalt formations. These include columns with pentagonal and hexagonal cross-sections. The history of quarrying and geology come together here in one place.
Bacher Lay offers a different natural setting: the nature reserve lies between Bad Marienberg and Nisterau, and the Schwarze Nister flows through it. Bacher Lay provides a habitat for rare animal and plant species. It is 2 km on foot from the centre of Bad Marienberg.
Pharmacy Garden and Local Heritage Rooms
The pharmacy garden is laid out in the style of a traditional monastery garden and features more than 120 medicinal plants. 18 signs explain their effects and uses. You can book guided tours of the garden on request through the Tourist Information Office; check availability when making your enquiry.
The changing exhibitions at the Bad Marienberg Local Heritage Rooms cover the local landscape, history, customs and economy, as well as the Westerwald’s “Wäller” identity. A visit therefore offers a different cultural perspective from the pharmacy garden: one focuses on regional themes, the other on medicinal plants and their uses.
Winter activities and travel
In winter, the activities include groomed cross-country ski trails, two ski lifts and a toboggan run. Check the current operating status of the facilities before visiting in winter.
The listed route for getting there is ICE train to Montabaur, followed by a bus to the Bad Marienberg (Westerwald) Neuer Weg stop. Check the current timetables before departure. The stop is about 150 m from the main route of the WesterwaldSteig.
Discover more destinations: Nauort, Lautzenbrücken, Montabaur, Wallmerod, Kölbingen, Gehlert, Heilberscheid, Rennerod.
Return to the main travel overview: Westerwald.
