Emmerdennen: a forest full of stories

Right next to Emmen’s vibrant city centre lies a surprising oasis of calm: the Emmerdennen. A beautiful forest area with ancient sand dunes, mysterious pines, and centuries-old stories. Locals affectionately call it “Little Switzerland” — and with good reason.

Here, you can walk past the impressive hunebed D45, across sand dunes such as the Haantjeduin (31 metres above sea level), and through forests once planted to keep drifting sands under control. A piece of Drenthe full of nature and history — right next to the city.

From drifting sand to city forest

In the 19th century, local farmers decided to tame the drifting sands. They covered the bare soil with sods and planted Scots pines. With success: the shifting sands of Emmerzand were stabilised and gradually grew into the forest we now know as the Emmerdennen — a place where mosses, ferns, and mushrooms thrive beneath the canopy.

Highlights of the area

• Haantjeduin: one of the highest points of the Hondsrug, offering wide, open views. Around it, you’ll find gnarled pines partly exposed by the wind — as if they’re standing on legs.

• Hunebed D45: one of the best-preserved hunebeds in Drenthe — silent, powerful, and perfectly situated on top of the dune. Tip: take a look at the dent in one of the capstones. Legend has it that it was made in 1809, when King Louis Napoleon visited Drenthe and rode his horse right onto the hunebed.

• Emmerschans: a 17th-century defensive fort just east of the forest, featuring impressive earth walls and a surprising amount of greenery.

Hiking in the Emmerdennen

Staatsbosbeheer has marked out several beautiful walking routes. Follow the signs (red, yellow, or grey) and let them guide you past hunebeds, dunes, and centuries-old trees. Each route has its own unique atmosphere and length.

You can park at P+R Emmen (Stationsplein 27) or P+R Burgemeester Tijmesstraat, close to the hunebed. You can also easily walk there from the city centre or Emmen Station.