Oftersheimer Dünen

Oftersheimer Dünen is a nature reserve made up of four separate protected areas totaling 48 hectares of inland dunes with sandy grasslands and pine-oak forests. The landscape displays the typical plants and animals found in this rare dune environment in the Upper Rhine Plain.

The area was first protected in 1952 as a landscape conservation zone and gained official nature reserve status in 1992. These two steps reflected growing recognition of the need to safeguard this rare dune formation.

The site serves as an outdoor classroom for local school groups, who come here to study plants and wildlife in their natural habitat. Visitors often encounter these educational programs happening directly within the landscape.

A marked trail of about 3 kilometers winds through the site starting from a parking area, with information boards posted along the way to learn about the landscape. The path is easy to walk and suitable for most visitors if they wear appropriate footwear.

The Feldherrenhügel reaches 121 meters and is the highest inland dune in Baden-Württemberg, making this hill quite prominent in the otherwise flat Upper Rhine region. Visitors are often surprised by this elevation as they walk through the relatively flat surrounding landscape.