Nabentaler Wasserfall

The Nabentaler Wasserfall lies in the Harz uplands, west of Torfhaus in the unparished district of Harz. It is made of two sections: a lower cascade reached by wooden stairs since 2010, and an upper stretch of rushing water that forms part of the Upper Harz Water Regale. The upper section carries water diverted from the Clausthaler Flutgraben, giving the whole fall an artificial start in 1827. The site sits 800 metres north of the Steilen Wand, a steep rock face on the Bruchberg massif. The Landstraße L504 passes above, and the Harzer Hexenstieg long-distance path crosses the stream just below the fall. Only 0.3 square kilometres of natural catchment feed the upper part, so most water is brought in channels that belong to the World Heritage-listed Upper Harz Water Management system. Visitors walk a short, steep gorge to the lower cascade, where the stream plunges four steps between mossy walls. Above, the rushing water follows a man-made course before plunging into the Kellwassertal through a narrow gorge. The path continues along the historic Magdeburger Weg, offering views of the surrounding spruce forest and the deeper valley below.