Bavarian Forest National Park
About
The Bavarian Forest Star Park is located in a densely wooded area in southeastern Germany along the border with the Czech Republic. This low mountain range landscape is shaped by idyllic river valleys and gentle hills, and, thanks to its unspoiled nature, remains a refuge for many endangered species such as wolves and lynxes. Here, visitors can still experience truly dark night skies and unobstructed views of the stars and the Milky Way — a rare sight in Central Europe.
To protect this natural darkness for the long term, the Bavarian Forest Nature Park and the Bavarian Forest National Park decided in 2017 to jointly pursue recognition of the area as an International Dark Sky Place. In 2025, these efforts succeeded, and approximately 940 square kilometers were officially designated an International Dark Sky Reserve. The core area includes the entire Bavarian Forest National Park and part of the Bavarian Forest Nature Park, known as the Klingenbrunner Forest. In the coming years, a barrier-free observatory is planned at the summit of Eschenberg.
The buffer zone is formed by 20 surrounding municipalities, all of which fully support the DSR designation and have adopted the Lighting Management Plan. At the time of the application, 78% of lights in the core zone and just over 30% in the buffer zone were already compliant with the plan. Over the next 5–10 years, the national park will continue extensive lighting conversions within the core zone, while the nature park assists municipalities in significantly reducing light pollution from public lighting. These efforts, along with the area’s overall suitability as a DSR, are supported by ongoing light pollution measurements currently taken at around 50 different locations.
The Bavarian Forest Star Park is largely accessible to visitors and is connected by a dense network of hiking and cycling trails. Within the core area of the Bavarian Forest National Park, visitors are required to stay on designated paths. Numerous events focused on reducing light pollution and its impacts are held each year to raise awareness among both visitors and local residents. Additionally, regular star hikes, moon observations, and shooting star viewings help convey the value of preserving the dark night sky.
Designated
2025
Category
International Dark Sky Reserve
Address
Naturpark Bayerischer Wald e.V.
Info-Zentrum 3
94227 Zwiesel
Germany
Google Maps
Contact
Hartwig Löfflmann
Naturpark Bayerischer Wald e.V.
+49-(0)171-4960203
[email protected]
Land area
940 sq km
Documents
Application
Announcement
Annual Reports
Weather
Click here to find ideal environmental conditions for enjoying dark skies near Lower Bavaria, Germany (48.98807, 13.38415).
