Winter camping in Germany: sites on the Baltic Sea and in the Harz that stay open in winter

Winter camping in Germany looks different on the Baltic Sea than in the Harz. On the coast the January mean sits above freezing, in the Upper Harz below it, and when enough snow has fallen, the cross-country trail in Braunlage starts right at the campsite. Both only work at sites that are open in winter. We checked the operators' own websites to see which ones those are in winter 2026/27. On top of that comes what you should know before you set off, from the gas bottle to the tires.

Winter camping on the Baltic Sea: who is open in winter

In Rostock-Warnemünde the January mean for 1991 to 2020 is 1.9 degrees. There is still frost: in January the German Weather Service counts an average of 14 frost days there.

In Schleswig-Holstein, the Camping- und Ferienpark Wulfener Hals on Fehmarn is open all year. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the Ostseecamping Ferienpark Zierow on Wismar Bay advertises 300 pitches and vacation accommodation on 365 days a year. From November 1 to December 25, 2026, a reduced low-season rate applies there for pitches. The Regenbogen Ferienanlage Boltenhagen, by contrast, is only open until January 3, 2027, and reopens on March 19. That works for New Year's Eve on the coast, but not for a week in February.

In the Baltic resort of Rerik, the Campingpark Ostseebad Rerik is open all year. For November 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 it offers a winter camping package from 650 euros, with a standard pitch for two adults. The site bills electricity and showers by consumption, a kilowatt hour costs 60 cents, and the tourist tax comes on top.

On Rügen, the Wohnmobil Oase Prora is open all year, with pitches for motorhomes and caravans. The local bus to Binz stops in front of the site. The restaurant on the grounds may take quiet periods in winter, the operator writes. Prora belongs to the Baltic resort of Binz, and the resort tax applies there all year.

On Usedom, the Dünencamp Karlshagen with 340 pitches behind the dunes, the Campingplatz Ostseeblick in Trassenheide and the Campingplatz Pommernland in Zinnowitz are open all year. For the ice swimming event on February 6, 2027, Trassenheide expects around a hundred people who walk into the Baltic together. If you want to join, register beforehand. Around it, the Usedomer Winterzauber runs from February 2 to 12, with a program at the Haus des Gastes, the local visitor center.

Winter camping in the Harz: frost and cross-country trails

It is much colder in the Upper Harz. At the Braunlage weather station, at 607 meters, the January mean for 1991 to 2020 is minus 1.6 degrees, and in Schierke there is frost on almost 24 days in January on average. When there is enough snow, Harz National Park tracks around 150 kilometers of cross-country trails, mostly in the higher areas between 350 and 930 meters. Another 88 kilometers are winter hiking trails. The park asks you to stay on trails and paths, keep dogs on a leash and not ski at dusk or at night. Startling wildlife in winter can cost animals their lives if they then do not find enough food.

Camping Braunlage closes for its annual break in November, in 2026 from November 1 to 27, and is open again after that. When it snows, the site clears the pitches, and the Hasselkopf trail, with a small and a large loop, starts right at the campsite. In winter the water taps on the grounds are out of service because of frost, and fresh water is then available in the sanitary building.

Das Kreuzeck in Hahnenklee near Goslar, a campsite by a lake, is open all year, and its reception is staffed daily from November to March. From October to April the sauna opens there, Thursday to Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m., if at least four guests sign up by 1 p.m. The Campingplatz am Bärenbache in Hohegeiß in the southern Harz is also open all year. The guest card counts as a HATIX ticket there: with it you ride all public bus lines in the Harz district for free, and selected lines in the Goslar district. The motorhome can stay parked for day trips.

The Campingpark Wiesenbeker Teich in Bad Lauterberg is open over Christmas and New Year's Eve 2026/27. Because of snow and ice, only 30 pitches for caravans and 30 for motorhomes are usable then, according to the site. From December 19, 2026 to January 2, 2027 a minimum booking of six nights applies. You can ask about shorter stays from December 22.

The sites from this article at a glance, as their operators state them in October 2026:

What is different in winter

Even at a site that is open, a lot works differently in winter than in August. Most of it can be sorted out before you leave.

1. Propane in the bottleButane boils at minus 0.5 degrees, propane not until minus 42 degrees. If you heat and cook in freezing weather, use propane. Ask for it when you swap your bottle.
2. Plan for metered electricityIn Rerik a kilowatt hour costs 60 cents, in Hohegeiß 80 cents according to the February 2026 price list. A 2,000 watt fan heater uses 2 kilowatt hours in one hour, which is 1.20 euros in Rerik. In Rerik and Braunlage all pitches are fused at 16 amperes. Bring a long cable: in Braunlage the power posts are not always right at the pitch.
3. Fetch water instead of hooking upAs in Braunlage, the water taps on the grounds may be shut off in winter. Ask beforehand where fresh water is available, and bring a jerry can.
4. Winter tires with the Alpine symbolIn Germany you may only drive on winter tires in black ice, snow-covered roads, slush, or ice or frost glaze. Tires with the Alpine symbol, a mountain with a snowflake, count as winter tires. Camping Braunlage generally considers snow chains unnecessary for the trip there, but advises winter-ready tires in winter.
5. Grills and stoves do not heatA charcoal grill and a camping stove are not suitable for heating a tent or awning, and gas patio heaters do not belong indoors. They release carbon monoxide, a gas you can neither see nor smell, which can be fatal even with a window open. Only a CO detector warns you in time.
6. Book holidays earlyOver Christmas and New Year's Eve some sites require minimum stays. At Wiesenbeker Teich it is six nights, in Zierow it applies to the vacation accommodation. If you want to travel between the years, book early.