A swimmer cools off with a dip in the Bärenloch in Kindsbach, Germany, on a warm May day. The spring-fed lake is a popular Pfalz swimming spot surrounded by woods with hiking trails. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
Although its name means “the bear hole,” das Bärenloch in the German village of Kindsbach gets a new population of tadpoles in the spring, not cubs.
The 8,000-square-foot natural lake was named after the brown bears that once roamed the Palatinate Forest. The bears are long gone, and today the freshwater “frog lake” is a popular spot for sunbathers and swimmers.
Woodsy hiking and biking trails run along the Bärenloch in Kindsbach, Germany. In the background is the Kahnhaus restaurant. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
Each part of the idyllic setting that surrounds Bärenloch offers its own draw for visitors. The forest playground has zipline swings for kids, the extensive trail system includes hikes past castles, and the lake itself is ideal for swimming in the summer and skating in the winter.
In the spring and early summer, another attraction is the tadpoles and frogs that make the park home.
Dipping our feet in the cool water and watching tadpoles is how I spent most of a sunny German Labor Day afternoon at Bärenloch with a friend and our kids.
The playground at Bärenloch in Kindsbach, Germany, is impossible to miss thanks to its location next to the parking lot. Its attractions for youngsters include sand, a slide and ziplines. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
A forest playground greets families arriving at Bärenloch in Kindsbach, Germany. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
We had to drag the kids away from the park’s playground, with its hillside slide and sand toys. The outdoor play area is next to the parking lot, making it impossible to miss — or sneak past.
When we walked over to the lake, there were a few swimmers who thought an air temperature of 75 degrees was warm enough to take a dip in the serene, spring-fed waters. The lake is touted by the city as safe for swimmers and is drained and cleaned in the winter months.
A map shows the circular hiking and biking trails that pass through the park at Bärenloch in Kindsbach. Germany. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
We followed the circular path around the lake. There are changing rooms and toilets on the hillside. On the waterfront is the Kahnhaus restaurant, which has outdoor seating and serves hot meals and drinks.
At the south end of the lake along the forest, sunbathers gathered on the grass.
Sunbathers gather on the grass on the south side of Bärenloch in Kindsbach. Germany, on May 1, 2024. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
Just beyond the restaurant, at a pond entry point with stairs and railings, is where we had our first tadpole sightings of the day. They formed a dark mass squirming just beneath the surface and clinging to the turquoise barrier wall.
The kids were mesmerized. They would submerge their feet and watch the tadpoles swim away. Some kids used buckets to get a closer look at them, before letting them go.
Parkgoers dip their feet in the lake and look at tadpoles at Bärenloch in Kindsbach, Germany, on May 1, 2024. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
Tadpoles form a swarm in the water at Bärenloch in Kindsbach, Germany. The natural lake is also frequented by humans, who find it a pleasant place for swimming and sunbathing. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
A frog is seen in March 2021 nearthe Bärenloch swimming spot in Kindsbach, Germany. The name means "the bear hole," but bears have long since disappeared from the surrounding forest. (Ann Pinson/Stars and Stripes)
For a more adventurous experience, there are mountain bike and hiking trails that continue into the forest. One circular path passes the Bärenloch, the Heidenfelsen Roman spring sanctuary and Nanstein Castle. Another path leads to scenic sights in Landstuhl.
As we headed to the car, we made another long stop at the playground. The park is easy to get to from Kindsbach and worth a visit for the playground alone.
But Bärenloch — with its scenic hikes, soon-to-be baby frogs and summer swimming season — is already calling me back.
Das Bärenloch
Address: Bärenlochweiher, Kindsbach, Germany 66862
Hours: Open all day, year round
Cost: Free
Information: Kahnhaus restaurant, Online: facebook.com/kahnhaus, Phone: 0172 6820076; mountain bike trails, online: tinyurl.com/5wrmb236
