Hopp. Lake Trail: A Kid-Friendly Family & Friends Day-hike Near Baumholder
~ A 20-minute drive from Baumholder ~
~ Note: In this guide, ‘Family & Friends’ trails are ideal for families and groups of friends. These trails are usually short, flat and feature points-of-interest along the trail.
- WHAT: A scenic, short family-friendly trail which is easy to get to from Baumholder. A great way to begin – or continue – exploring nearby trails in the German countryside. Getting out into nature deepens our experience of this fascinating, historic and beautiful place.
- WHO: Anyone who can walk 1 mile on a level trail and enjoy the beautiful German countryside.
- HIGHLIGHTS: Lake views, stone railroad bridge and trains, misty forest, safe-but-fun log bridge, and a view across a meadow to a church-spire & village
- SAFETY ISSUES: The well-defined grass and dirt trail parallels the edge of the shallow lake at a safe distance.
- HEALTHY LIFESTYLE ISSUES: Turn off your phone – and relish nature, the weather, the clouds, the reflections on the water – and revel in the good company of your adventurous friend and family.
- LENGTH: 1 mile/1.5 km roundtrip, out & back
- DISTANCE TO TRAILHEAD: 10 km, 20-minute drive from Baumholder. NOTE MILEAGE: Directions and mileage starts at the intersection at the main gate to USAG Baumholder – Smith Barracks. Very simple navigation and driving on low-traffic, level-but-curvy 2-lane paved roads.
Directions to the Trailhead
From the intersection at the front gate of Smith Barracks (main base), take the road between Smith Barracks and Clinic Kaserne in the direction of Idar-Oberstein. Turn RIGHT at the stoplight, then continue on that highway to the trailhead. (Instead of turning right to Idar-Oberstein and downstream Nahe River Valley, go straight toward Heimbach, upstream). Continue on this curvy riverside highway through the town of Heimbach (perhaps a quick stop at the good bakerei/bakery near the pedestrian crossing?). After a short stretch of road, a Peugeot auto dealer appears on the left. Around the next curve, on the left is a big official-looking building with an impressive row of translucent windows. This is the machine house for the Hoppstadt Dammen, a small dam and waterworks on the Nahe River. Drive just 30m/100 yards past this building and look for a gravel parking lot on the left side of the highway. Carefully cross traffic and park there. Walking and running only beyond the gate.
Trail Guide
- The trail begins at the gate and soon reaches the edge of small pine-framed lake, a see in German. This lake is a reservoir of the Nahe River. Following this trail away from the parking lot is heading upstream.
- Walking along the lake, look left toward the near-end of the lake. The buildings are the waterworks at the dam.
- As the trail continues, a dignified two-arch stone railroad bridge comes into view at the narrowing top of the lake; our trail passes underneath. Watch for the sleek and silent trains passing every 10 minutes or so. (See family game idea, below).
- Walk below the bridge on the narrow path between a column of the bridge and the river.
- The trail continues for a while through a forest of young trees, then crosses a small tributary creek on a fun-but-safe log bridge with a log handrail. Kids will love it!
- Suddenly, the trees end, and the hiker is rewarded with a view over a wide meadow, church spire and village in the distance (on your toes, photogs!). Turn around here; heading back proffers a new perspective on the now-familiar scene…a dollop of serene nature and a train bridge to remind us that we are in Germany!
Photo Tips
- Visit at dawn or sunset to capture dramatic light and reflections.
- Can you find the spots on the trail where the stone arches of the bridge reflect on the water to form a perfect stone circle?
- Water, bridge, mist, forest, church-spire across meadow – you will get some great shots!
Family Game
Work together as a team to get a photo or video of a train crossing the bridge and lake. Trains pass about every fifteen minutes – then they pass fast! Everyone can help watch and listen for and announce the train. “Be on your toes with your eyes peeled,” as my dad said it. The photographer must be ready for action! How about a portrait with the models appearing to hold the train on their up-stretched hands?
About the Train
This is the Nahe River Line. Trains heading upstream (left to right) follow the curving Nahe River for a while, then head west to Saarbrucken; from Saarbrucken a TRV bullet train zips to Paris. Downstream (right to left), the track follows the Nahe River Valley to Idar-Oberstein and on through the Nahe wein region, where it feeds the mighty Rhein River at Bingen.
~ If you visit this trail, please tell us about your adventures!
Corrections appreciated. Veilen Dank!
And on… ~ DrMike
