Cormorants, falcons, owls and kingfishers are just a few of the some
240 different birds that live or regularly stop by Hessen’s
largest nature preserve.
Located
just across the Rhein River from Guntersblum
and not too far down the road from Dexheim, the Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue nature preserve offers miles of hiking
and biking trails through fields, woods and meadows that are home to scores of
animals. While some of the 2,370-hectare park was once cultivated for
agricultural use, after extensive flooding, the farmland was mostly abandoned
in 1983.
The
section known as Kühkopf (cow’s head) is completely
surrounded by water with an “Old Rhein” arm of the
river branching off from the main body of the river and encircling the roughly
cow’s head-shaped land mass. Visitors must cross a bridge at Stockstadt or hop on a ferry to access the island. Once on
the Kühkopf they’ll find several signs directing them
to paths which encircle and criss-cross the nature
preserve.
Information
center
When
entering from Stockstadt, one can park the car in a
large parking area and then hike or bike over the bridge into the preserve. A
couple of outdoor eateries are situated not too far into the park. There is
also an information office located a short walk into the park which features
information about the flora and fauna to be found in the nature preserve and
maps of the area.
The
information center is open Saturdays, Sundays and German holidays from
This time
of year one is invited to stroll on the raised paths which circle the island
and to climb up into several wooden viewing booths to look over the reeds and
marshy ground which are home to wild geese and any number of other feathered
creatures. The paths also make their way through forest areas, meadows dotted
with purple flowers and past ponds deep in the woods which are home to
fish-feeding birds, frogs and other critters.
Those who
decide to bring their bikes can make a serious day trip out of it by biking
around the island, taking the ferry over to the wine country around Guntersblum and Oppenheim,
stopping for lunch in one of the scenic vineyard towns, biking through the
vineyards and then taking the ferry back over the river at Oppenheim
to pedal back down the river to the parking area near Stockstadt.
A bicycle and pedestrian ferry, which only operates on
Sundays, is available to transport visitors from the Guntersblum
river bank over the Rhein to the Kuhkopf.
Car ferries are available at Oppenheim and Gernsheim, that
operate all week long. If driving through Oppenheim
be sure to take the time to visit the castle ruins set up in the vineyards
above the town. Likewise Gernsheim, on the eastern
bank of the river, features a good stopping point with an excellent fish
restaurant, the Rheingold, set directly adjacent to the ferry crossing
overlooking the flowing river traffic.
The Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue nature preserve is located about
halfway between Oppenheim and Gernsheim.
Parking in Stockstadt is recommended unless one is
coming from the direction of Dexheim whereby one
might consider parking by the ferry crossings at Gunterblum
or Oppenheim. If traveling from the Mainz-Wiesbaden
areas take highway 9 which runs south along the river through Nierstein and Oppenheim before
coming to Gunterblum and the turn-off toward the
ferry. Or take the ferry across the river at Oppenheim
and drive on to Stockstadt (look for signs to the Kühkopf preserve parking area).
Website
For more
information about the nature preserve point your browser to www.rpda.de/kuehkopf/english.
Exploring the nature preserve by canoe or kayak is another
possibility. Outdoor Recreation centers occasionally features trips to the area
or one can rent the gear from Outdoor Rec and then
paddle on the Old Rhein portion of the river which
flows around the nature preserve. Check with your local Outdoor Recreation
check-out center for more information.