Where to See Sequoia Trees in Germany
Yeah, you read that title right: you can actually see real live sequoia trees in Germany. Who knew?!
One dark and gloomy day during our shutdown last fall, I started looking for cool and unique places to visit in Germany. After exploring places around us for day trips, I stumbled on the Kaldenkirchen Sequoia Farm not far from us.
“Whaaaaat?” I whispered to myself.
I wasn’t sure if I was reading what I just saw correctly. “Sequoia trees in Germany?! No way!”
I looked into it a little more, and it turns out that my initial reaction wasn’t wrong.
There’s a small 3.5 hectare (~8.5 acre) sequoia forest not far from us, and we’ve been trying to make plans to visit ever since that day a few months ago.
The problem is that they’re only open one day a week (on Sundays, and their season is only from April—October; see below), so we had to be strategic with our visit.
Finally, this past weekend, the stars aligned and we made it happen. Thankfully, the result was a fun little outing. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting:
When to Visit
The Sequoia Farm is only open April through October, and only on Sundays and public holidays.
Hours: 10am—5pm. Like with most things, plan on getting there early. The parking area is small and it was pretty full when we got there at 10:30am. There are more spots near the park around the corner…it just means a little further walk to get there.
How to Get There
Located just over the border between the Netherlands and Germany, Kaldenkirchen Sequoiafarm is in the German state, North Rhine-Westphalia.
Get to it by googling “Kaldenkirchen Sequoiafarm” or use this address: Buschstraße 98, 41334 Nettetal
Driving from…
Geilenkirchen: 50 minutes
Amsterdam: 2 hours
Spangdahlem: 2.5 hours
Ramstein: 3 hours
What to Do
This is a pretty laid-back excursion, and while it’s smaller than I envisioned (the area as a whole; the trees are just as tall as ever), it’s still quite enjoyable, especially if you’re in the area or need something to do.
There is no map to guide you around the farm (but there are paths that take you all around once you’re inside), and there’s very little information about the trees. I would have loved to learn more.
When we were there you could see a man (who I think worked there), speaking to different families in German. I never wanted to interrupt him since he was always speaking to a larger group, but he very well might have spoken English.
Keep in mind, if you’ve seen sequoias and redwoods in California, you may be extremely underwhelmed by seeing the sequoia trees in Germany.
They’re definitely not as big or impressive, but we thought it was still pretty neat. There were zero trees even remotely big enough that you could walk through or drive through.
Pro tip: if you do visit, keep your eyes peeled for a little piece of the infamous General Sherman tree!
What Else You Need to Know
Cost
Y’all, it’s FREE to visit!! But, there is a literal piggy bank where you can donate money. Find the piggy bank by walking down the main path; it was next to the giant sequoia trunk!
Bathrooms
We did not notice any toilets within the SequoiaFarm, so keep that in mind if you travel to it. For the kiddos, nature is only a few steps away…or keep a squatty potty in the car with you.
Family Friendly
If you have little ones, the grounds are level and “paved” enough to accommodate a stroller. While I’d leave the side-by-side stroller at home, since some of the paths are narrow, you can technically get away with a smaller one.
Speaking of kids, there’s also a spielplatz (Spielplatz Galgenvenn) just around the corner. You can pack a picnic lunch and let the kids run around here.
Dogs
We saw a couple dogs on leashes, so I’m assuming they’re welcomed.
I hope this post helps you to explore a little bit more!
If you see these sequoia trees in Germany, please let me know what you think!