Nature conservation starts with you
Dos and don'ts on the Herzogstand – binding rules in nature
Get out into nature – recharge your batteries, have fun, burn off energy, or simply relax and unwind while enjoying the fresh air and the view.
Herzogstand and its surrounding mountains, in particular Heimgarten, Gratweg, Jochberg, Sonnenspitz, Rabenkopf, and Simmetsberg, are very special and popular places – and we all need to do our part to keep them that way!
Don't stray from the path.
Take advantage of the well-developed network of hiking trails in the region. Leaving the trails destroys vegetation and disturbs wildlife in their already dwindling habitats. Unfortunately, there are already many shortcuts and detours, so please help prevent this from getting worse. Please also remember that agricultural green spaces, meadows, pastures, and alpine pastures may only be accessed via existing paths from spring to fall, despite the right of public access to nature.
Do not leave any trash behind.
Please take your trash home with you—it is extremely harmful to nature. Even organic waste such as banana peels or apple cores left over from your snack has no place in nature. A banana peel, for example, takes five years to rot in our climate!
Nature will thank you if you also take away any trash left behind by other visitors. Trash bags are available at the Herzogstandbahn valley station and tourist information offices.
Nature is not a toilet.
A completely natural need, of course! But please be sure to use one of the portable toilets in the parking lots or a public toilet. Feces have no place in nature. For us humans, it is simply unappetizing. But it also creates a lot of germs that animals could pick up and spread—keyword: flies. Plants cannot tolerate this type of “intensive fertilization”! And if there is no other option and it is very urgent? Then please find a place away from the paths and rest areas for your “business.” Do not leave any toilet paper/tissues behind, as these will “mark” the spot for your toilet needs for the next 5 years due to their long decomposition time. Put any toilet paper in a trash bag, which you can then dispose of at home in the residual waste.
Also remember that rain and underground sources can carry everything into Lake Walchensee, which also serves as a drinking water reservoir.
Why are there no “proper” toilets at Walchensee?
There is no sewerage or wastewater system anywhere around Walchensee, including in the surrounding districts. Absolutely every building must have its own costly small sewage treatment plant. Thank you for your understanding.
Do not light open fires (campfires, barbecues, gas cookers, hookahs).
Due to the Walchensee landscape conservation area and the forest areas around the lake and on the mountain, it is strictly forbidden to light and operate any kind of fire in the great outdoors. This includes campfires, barbecues, gas cookers, and hookahs.
And for good reason: the risk of forest or wildfires is particularly high in dry (summer) months! Animals also cannot distinguish between cooking food and providing a source of warmth; for them, fire is a danger at all times.
Do not let dogs run free and unsupervised. Dogs are not allowed to swim in Walchensee.
Please always keep your dog on a leash so that it does not disturb, chase, or even kill wild animals. Also, out of consideration for your fellow human beings, keep your dog on a leash; many hikers are grateful for this, as they may be afraid of dogs.
The meadows, pastures, and alpine pastures located along walking and hiking trails are used by local farmers to produce feed for cattle—keep them free of dog feces to protect the cows, as consumption of dog feces can even lead to death and miscarriages in cows. Please dispose of dog feces in the poop bags often provided in dog toilets or dispose of them properly in the residual waste.
Additional rules apply in designated nature and landscape conservation areas, FFH (Natura 2000) and bird protection (SPA) areas, and near forests. Please observe the relevant notices and local access restrictions (e.g., bird breeding areas, wildlife feeding areas).
Free flight for birds, peace and quiet at the summit. No drones allowed.
Flying devices such as drones, which have been popular for some time now, cause massive disruption to breeding and wild birds and animals during the breeding season or when raising their young, as they are seen as enemies.
Please note the general flight ban in the Herzogstand area between March 15 and July 15. All drone flights are strictly prohibited during this period. In principle, you need the permission of the landowner (Bavarian State Forestry) to fly a drone.
However, please also show particular consideration for your fellow human beings who want to enjoy nature, the summit, and the views in peace and who, as a rule, do not want to be filmed or photographed without being asked. And rightly so.
Special birds and breeding areas at Herzogstand! No commercial photography or filming.
Certain guidelines apply, especially for commercial photography and filming in the great outdoors, which you should observe. Commercial use of nature reserves is generally prohibited and always requires permission from the nature conservation authority, the local authority, and the landowner (commercial photography and filming). First and foremost, the habitats of wild animals and plants must not be disturbed or destroyed without good reason (Section 39 BNatSchG). Information on the locations of habitats is provided by the lower nature conservation authority. Please contact the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district office for more information.
Behave calmly and do not make any noise.
Wild animals have much more sensitive senses than humans. For example, they can smell humans and fire from very long distances. Wild animals can also hear humans without seeing them and have to retreat far into other natural areas.
To protect wild animals, please refrain from making any noise or playing music in the mountains and in nature. Your fellow humans (;-) will also appreciate you not disturbing the peace.
Absolute ban on bivouacking and overnight stays on the mountain, in the forest, and in parking lots: No bivouacking, camping, or camping.
Camping and spending the night on the mountain in the great outdoors are subject to various restrictions and are generally prohibited and not permitted, especially in nature reserves and landscape conservation areas.
As beautiful as a night under the starry sky may be, the large numbers of visitors during the day and now also before sunrise and well after sunset make the few periods of rest for wild animals all the more important.
The consent of the landowner is always required for a planned overnight stay. Rangers and police patrol this area, and violations are punished. However, please refrain from any overnight stays on the mountain in the future, as this is strictly prohibited.
Do not pick or dig up plants.
Enjoy nature's floral splendor, but please don't take it with you. That way, others can enjoy it too! According to Bavarian nature conservation law, flowers may be picked in small quantities for private use (the “hand bouquet rule”), but please leave flowers and plants where they are, especially in the mountains, where there are protected plant species that must not be picked—they are part of a complex ecosystem—and by the time you have transported the flowers home, they may already have wilted. That would be a shame! Protected plants may never be picked or dug up. The removal of plants or parts of plants is also prohibited in designated protected areas.
Do not park outside of parking spaces.
No overnight parking in any of the parking spaces at Walchensee.
Please park according to the regulations. Only use designated parking spaces. Already full? Use other parking spaces or designated alternative parking spaces, even if you have to walk a little further.
Parking spaces are not overnight parking spaces or RV parking spaces. Please plan your stay accordingly and book in advance at one of our campsites or the parking area in Einsiedl (no advance reservations possible). Overnight parking restrictions and parking violations are regularly checked in the morning, evening, and at night.