Things are moving forward in Germany's forests: many an official trail paradise was opened in 2025. Behind every project is years of persuasion, a lot of determination from the local bike community and often help from the DIMB. Here are our favourite trail projects in 2025.
There are certainly more trails springing up than we can list here. But the following projects have caught our eye because they involve a great deal of volunteer labour. If we have forgotten your trails, please let us know.
By the way: in Austria, too, trail parks are currently sprouting from the alpine pastures. This is particularly remarkable because mountain biking is actually prohibited in the forest in our neighbouring country. The only downer: in contrast to the German trail parks (except in Rabenberg), you usually have to pay a trail ticket to use the Austrian parks. But the trail novelties in Carinthia are also worth every cent. Here are our 6 trail park favourites from 2025:
1st Altmühltal: Breakthrough in Kelheim
There was a real breakthrough in terms of trails this year in Kelheim in the Altmühltal. The bike community had a hard time there for many years because the town on the Danube is surrounded by nature parks that are worth protecting. At the same time, however, there are many highly committed mountain bikers living here who also take care of promoting young talent.
However, when a dangerous nail board was suddenly discovered in the forest, it was clear that there was a need for de-escalating action. After lengthy negotiations at the round table, the town of Kelheim had 6 official mountain bike routes totalling 100 kilometres signposted last summer. These tours now collect the nature trails lovingly maintained by the community. Also new: two completely new trails on Weltenburger Berg and a pump track in Saal.
And because everyone involved is happy with the project, another 4-kilometre highlight trail is currently under discussion... We're keeping our fingers crossed that it works!
Info: herzstueck.bayern
2. Würmtal: Clear track at last
For many years, mountain bikers in the Würmtal valley battled with the foresters in a game of cat and mouse. For every newly shovelled trail, a tree trunk was laid across it. If a ramp was made from it, the saw was used... In the end, the district administration drew a line in the idyllic river valley and banned bikers from the area without further ado. A clear case for the DIMB.
The negotiations at the Starnberg district office did not take long, as the official Würmtal trails were already able to celebrate their opening in June 2025: 6 lines with a total length of 3.5 kilometres now wind their way through the floodplain forests of the Würm. An offer that more and more bikers in Munich are also turning to when it gets too crowded on the Isar trails.
Incidentally, the Würmtal project was financially supported by the two companies Sram and Shimano.
As co-operation partners of IMBA Europe, the two world market leaders in the component sector have been involved in the construction of "Flow Trails" for some time. But for the Würmtal project, the two otherwise competing companies are now acting as joint sponsors for the first time and want to set an example: "Goals are achieved by pulling together".
Detailed information about the routes can be found here:
3 Immendingen: Small, but really huge
A jumpline with Leogang character, a fun flowline called "Donau Waver" and a rocky, rooty enduro descent. The trail crew from Schanzenwerk have conjured up a small super park in the forest in Immendingen, between Lake Constance and Villingen-Schwenningen. The trail network, which opened in September 2025, may only measure 1.6 kilometres in total, but the built-in obstacles can definitely keep up with the big parks. The jumpline alone sets off fireworks over a length of 240 metres: hips, double waves, gaps and berms in official sizes and shapes.
At 690 metres, the Flowline is the longest and, with its many waves, offers double options even for advanced riders. For the 630 metre long enduro trail, on the other hand, you need good off-camber skills. There is no charge for using the trails, the entrance to the trails is located near the Schützenhaus in Immendingen (car park).
POV clip of the first visit before the opening:
All information about the park in Immendingen: schanzenwerk.de
4th Rheingau: A hotelier builds a bike park
It was the big news of the spring: in March, a hotel in the Rheingau Hahnwald, near Wiesbaden, which had not yet been fully completed, opened its own freely accessible bike park. Even the trail construction company commissioned for the project could hardly believe their luck: "I've never experienced anything like this before," says Kim Christian from "Natur-Projekte". "We normally get contracts from associations or local authorities. Here in Kiedrich, it was the owner of a hotel." It should be noted that the owner of the Hotel Wald.Weit has been a passionate biker himself since 1988 and has been campaigning for legal trails for many years.
Working alongside the DIMB, he learnt what a tough negotiation marathon it often is. But now Tim Gemünden has seized the opportunity and realised a trail park on his own forest slope - entirely according to his own ideas: 5 professionally designed trails, a food truck for catering, as well as an employee who takes care of the trail maintenance and offers riding technique courses together with the Wurzelwerke bike school. We think: a real summer fairytale!
Info and opening hours: wald-weit.com
The interview with hotel and park owner Tim Gemünden is well worth reading:
5th Carinthia: Trail centre at Faaker See and Ossiacher See
A real tip for your next summer holiday: Villach in Carinthia. Not only the crystal-clear bathing waters of Lake Faak, Lake Ossiach and Lake Wörthersee await here, but also exciting border mountains across to Slovenia and Italy. And right in the middle of it all, two rapidly growing trail centres are thriving here. The largest trail network is at the Faaker See trail centre (24 trails), which went one better last summer with the Bleiberg Trail (1.2 km/150 tm). This trail winds its way along the ridge of the Bleiberg and unfolds its natural character over a depth of 150 metres.
- Longest trail: Flowgartner Trail, 2.2 kilometres / 150 metres downhill
- Day trail ticket: 9.50 euros
- Shuttle for larger groups available on request
- Trail Centre Faaker See: Season 1.4.-9.11.
- Lake Ossiach: Season 1 May - 31 October.
- PROlitzen-Trail (Gerlacher Alpe with gondola): Season 29.5.-2.11.
- Info: lake.bike/en
6th Carinthia: Trail Area Obermillstatt
And yet another new trail centre with a lake in the Carinthian Nockberge mountains: in June 2025, a trail area opened in Obermillstatt on Lake Millstätter See. With 12 trails (1.3 km in total) from the blue flowline to the black enduro descent, a dirt course, a skills centre and a 9 x 12 metre airbag. The park is open all year round - weather permitting.
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
