Discover Baumholder: Water, Forest and History

Baumholder offers a range of ways to spend time outdoors and explore regional history: swimming and activities take centre stage at the town pond, while trails in the municipal forest lead to learning stations and historic sites. The town’s history has left its mark in other places, too, and there is a golf course with views across the surrounding hills. You can plan your trip around what matters most to you—water, forest or culture.

Water and Activities at the Town Pond

The town pond is a recreational area in the town centre that is free to use all year round. Supervised swimming is available in summer; check seasonal operating details before your trip. Stand-up paddleboarding is permitted, and SUP boards can be hired from the local DLRG service. As rental availability may change, it is advisable to check in advance if you plan to use a board.

The bathing area has free parking, sunbathing lawns, a kiosk and sanitary facilities. The playground, pump track and fitness area are also accessible free of charge all year round. The pump track is designed for bicycles, scooters, inline skates and skateboards. This makes it easy to combine time by the water with various activities in one place, without limiting your visit to the swimming season.

Forest Nature Trail and Nature Learning

The “Im Gärtel” forest nature trail is open all year round. The two-kilometre circular route runs through Baumholder’s municipal forest and passes the nature conservation site and the forest house. The Gärtel nature conservation site lies along the approximately two-kilometre trail and is suitable for families. Information boards, interactive learning stations and a nest-box exhibition share insights about forest animals, bees and insects. The route combines a manageable circular walk with several stops where you can take a closer look at nature-related topics.

You can visit the forest house as part of a guided walk or book it through the town of Baumholder. Advance booking is required for independent access. Bear this in mind if you would like to include a visit to the forest house in your plans; the forest nature trail itself is open all year round.

Town History in Several Places

The Goldener Engel Regional Museum presents regional history, the creation of the military training area and the impact that more than 60 years of the US presence have had on Baumholder and the surrounding communities. It portrays how everyday life in Baumholder changed in the 1950s and 1960s through texts, photographs, everyday objects, music, press articles and films. Alongside the history of the military training area, these varied materials bring a particular focus to everyday life.

The Avenue of the Lost Homeland tells the story of the villages that had to make way for the military training area in the 1930s. It can be reached via the Bärenbachpfad Dream Loop. Another chapter in local history is represented by the freestanding Historic Bier Forge: the building dates from 1840 and, with its complete equipment, is of historical interest from an economic and technological perspective. Visits are possible by prior arrangement; the forge is also part of Baumholder’s guided town tours.

Other historic sites in Baumholder include the Old Town Hall, dating from 1840, a Baroque Protestant church and a Neo-Gothic Catholic church. The Thick Tower and the Leichenpforte are associated with the town fortifications; the Wäschbach washbasin has been partially restored. These buildings and historic features offer different points of interest, from church architecture and remnants of fortifications to a place connected with everyday town life.

A Different View: Golf on the Edge of Town

Another option is Rolling Hills Golfclub Baumholder e.V., located on Faulenberghöhe at the edge of Baumholder. The course covers 35 hectares and offers views across the Hunsrück and Westrich regions. This is quite different from the town-centre options for water and activities or the forest trails: here, the golf course and views across the hills shape your visit.

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