Hiking in the Aachen Forest
New orientation boards with junction system
Break-resistant, weatherproof and lightfast orientation boards were installed in the Aachen Forest in August 2014. The content has also changed: New hiking routes to the city center and the rescue points in the forest are shown.
In addition, the city of Aachen set up an innovative junction system for walks and hikes in the Aachen Forest in 2015. Numbered junctions make it easier for walkers to plan walking routes and find their way around the Aachen Forest.
If you want to hike here, all you need to do is write down or memorize the numbers of the selected junctions.
A special hiking map and the orientation boards at the forest parking lots or at important path connections in the forest help you to choose your own junction routes.
A map with all the intersections can be downloaded here and is available in almost all administrative buildings, the city library, the adult education center and the tourist information office at the Elisenbrunnen. Please contact us if you would like us to send you a map by post: umwelt@mail.aachen.de
The new boards in the Aachen Forest only show the sections of the hiking trail junction system that are important for the respective forest area.
Selected hiking routes
The city presents three circular hiking routes for those interested. All three routes lead through beautiful and varied areas of the Aachen Forest. In keeping with the special location in the border triangle, the national borders are crossed - sometimes quite unnoticed. The Köpchen and Entenpfuhl route suggestions are very well connected to the public transport network. All bus stops can also be found on the map.
Around the Aachen-Köpfchen border crossing
6.8-kilometre hiking route: junctions 59, 58, 57, 56, 54, 59
Around the border triangle
9.1-kilometre hiking route: junctions 37, 86, 87, 42, 46, 77, 25, 41, 28, 29, 12, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37
Around the Entenpfuhl estate
8.2-kilometre hiking route: junctions 48, 53, 52, 51, 60, 47, 51, 48
Six forest hiking trails are signposted
In the south of Aachen, the Aachen Forest stretches from the Belgian and Dutch borders almost as far as the Voreifel. The locals affectionately call it the "Öcher Bösch". Here, anyone looking for exercise and relaxation will find an extensive and well-developed network of paths for walking, hiking, running or walking. The departments of sport, geoinformation and land management as well as the municipal forestry office have signposted six circular routes in the Aachen Forest and jointly created a detailed map of the forest circular routes as well as a corresponding GPS file.
"Orange"
Length: 3.5 kilometers
Demand: medium
The start is on Friedrichweg, near the railroad line, at 233 meters altitude. The path climbs right at the beginning (8 - 9 %). After a flat section and a gradient (approx. 3 - 4 %), there is a further ascent (approx. 7 %) and you reach the highest point at 288 m halfway along the route. This is also the transition point, past the parking lot at Adamhäuschen, to the Red Tour. From here, the Orange Tour drops quite steeply to 226 m (up to 12 %) within a kilometer. The starting point is reached again via a small hill. The scenically interesting route has - in addition to paths in the forest - some sections between fields.
Bus stops:
- Western cemetery
- Steppenberg
- Vensky cottage
Parking spaces:
- Western cemetery
- West Stadium
- Adam's cottage
"Red"
Length: 4.3 kilometers
Demand: medium to high
The route starts at the Waldschenke, Lütticher Straße, at an altitude of 292 meters. After just 800 m, you reach the lowest point of 278 m at Adamshäuschen (transition point to Runde Orange). The route is quite steep towards the German-Belgian border. Turning into the south path, the circular route then runs relatively flat past the "Mulleklenkes" telecommunications tower to the highest point at 333 m (near Karlshöhe). The southern section of the trail then descends moderately to 314 m as far as Preusberg (km 3.7; entry/exit point). After a short ascent (more than 10%) and a flat section, the trail descends steeply (approx. 10%) back to the starting point. The entire circular route goes through the forest. This loop can also be easily accessed from the Preuswald district.
Bus stops:
- Forest tavern
- Unterer Backertsweg
Parking spaces:
- Forest tavern
- Karlshöher Hochweg
- Unterer Backertsweg
- Adam's cottage
"Green"
Length: 3.0 kilometers
Demand: high
It starts at Entenpfuhl at an altitude of 274 meters. The initial stretch via the Kreuzertal valley to the Siebenwegen (Brandenberg) at an altitude of 332 m is very challenging. The total difference in altitude of 58 m on this loop is covered in approx. 0.75 km. This is an average gradient of over 7%. There are even peaks with gradients of over 15% for short periods. The rest of the route of over 2 km then has an average profile. Only shortly before returning to the start does the descent become steeper at around 9%. This loop is a typical forest route and can be easily combined with the blue loop. A cross-connection from Lütticher Straße (Waldschenke) to Eupener Straße (Alt Linzenshäuschen) is also conceivable.
Bus stops:
- Forest tavern
- Unterer Backertsweg
Parking spaces:
- Duck pond
- Forest tavern
- Karlshöher Hochweg
- Unterer Backertsweg
- Old Linzenshäuschen
"Blue"
Length: 4.4 kilometers
Demand: medium to high
The starting point is Alt Linzenshäuschen at an altitude of 270 meters. The approx. 2 km long route to the Siebenwege junction (transition to the Grüne Runde) climbs steadily. There are two sections of approx. 100 m each with a gradient of over 10%. The last section and the subsequent ascent to the highest point at km 2.4 (359 m) have a gradient of approx. 6%. The route then continues to fall steadily (3 - 5 %). The last section runs back to the starting point at approx. 6 - 8 %. This loop is also a typical forest route and can be easily combined with the green loop. Possible cross-connections can be planned from Lütticher Straße to Eupener Straße, but also to Siegel, Waldfriedhof or Kornelimünsterweg.
Bus stops:
- Old Linzenshäuschen
Parking spaces:
- Old Linzenshäuschen
- Duck pond
"Black"
Length: 3.3 kilometers
Demand: low to medium
The start at Monschauer Straße/Brückchenweg is 255 meters above sea level. The initial stretch is easy. After approx. 600 m, however, it then climbs to the highest elevation of 299 m at km 1.3. This corresponds to an average gradient of approx. 8%. The route then descends gently back towards the start. Only shortly before the parking lot is there another gradient of approx. 9%. The typical forest route at the Pioneer spring around the Elleterberg can also be easily combined with the start at Siegel or with activities in the forest stadium.
Bus stops:
- Forest cemetery
- Old Linzenshäuschen
- Seal
Parking spaces:
- Monschauer Strasse
- Forest cemetery
- Old Linzenshäuschen
- Seal
"Yellow"
Length: 2.8 kilometers / southern section, 2.7 kilometers / northern section; 5.5 kilometers in total
Demand: low
The yellow route is divided into a southern and a northern section. The start is at the forest cemetery, more precisely at the Wildparkweg, at an altitude difference of 252 meters. The difference in altitude is just 7 m up to the transition point to the southern loop at km 1.1. The southern loop then climbs steadily up to 273 m. The terrain then drops moderately and only shortly before the start/end point is there a somewhat steeper gradient with a subsequent ascent (approx. 5% each). The topography of both laps is easy to manage and can be easily combined. The forest circuit runs along the edge of the forest in the second part of the route, so that you have a view of the fields around Hitfeld, Kreuzerdriesch and Lintert.
Bus stops:
- Forest cemetery
- Schöntal
Parking spaces:
- Forest cemetery
- Schöntal
- Monschauer Strasse
Information boards, route markings, rescue points
Hikers will find the orientation and information boards at almost all forest parking lots, from where they can start their hikes or walks.
In the forest itself, wooden stakes are set up to mark the hiking trails in the color of the respective route. These wooden stakes are in two colors wherever they mark connecting paths between individual routes. The paths from bus stops to the routes are only marked in the forest area.
A total of 43 rescue points have been designated in Aachen Forest. The green and white metal signs show the telephone number of the Aachen fire department control center, +49 (0)241/192 96 and the number of the rescue point. Of course, an emergency call can also be made using the emergency number 112.
Behavior in the forest
When carrying out felling work, make sure that danger zones are cordoned off. Otherwise you endanger your life and that of the forest workers. Do not use bridle paths. These are reserved for horse riders. Our forest should remain clean: Please do not leave any litter behind. Dogs may only be kept on a lead in the forest outside the paths.
Illuminated running routes
At Hangeweiher, a route around Kaiser-Friedrich-Park runs along the unplatted sidewalks of the following streets: Hermann-Löns-Allee, Am Hangeweiher, Kaiser-Friedrich-Allee, Aachen-Münchener-Allee.
In the fall and winter, the Waldstadion at 1. Rote-Haag-Weg is opened for joggers and the training lighting system is switched on. The 2014/15 season begins on October 3, and the stadium will be open to runners from Aachen on Mondays and Fridays until March 30 of next year. The lighting is switched on on both days of the week from 4.30 pm to 8 pm.
In order to protect the synthetic surface of the running track, some parts of the track will remain closed, for example the inner track. These barriers must be strictly observed and spikes are also not permitted in order not to damage the track. Showering will take place at home. The changing rooms and showers at the Waldstadion will remain closed for liability reasons. In addition, there are no trainers on site and the City of Aachen is not liable for accidents that occur while using the stadium.
The Finn track on the Königshügel can be used free of charge at the RWTH Aachen University Sports Center. It is floodlit daily from six o'clock until dawn and from dusk until midnight. Up-to-date information, for example about short-term closures of the Finnbahn, can be found on the RWTH website.