Location
Germany
Status
Informal / Traditional
Suitable for
Families and adults
Terrain
Sand
Best season
June to September
About Erlensee
The Erlensee is an old flooded gravel pit in the fields just north-west of Bickenbach on the Bergstraße, between Darmstadt and Bensheim in southern Hesse, with the A5 close by. It is a groundwater lake with clear water and fine sand underfoot, framed by woodland and meadows. The lake is managed by the local angling club ASV Bickenbach, and swimming is at your own risk; the DLRG lifeguard presence reported in the early 2000s ended around 2006. A kiosk and snack bar sit on the west shore, and the beach there is family territory where signs have asked people to stay clothed. Nude bathing has a long history at the lake: older reports describe FKK on most of the shore and even on a small island. Since the angling club took over, the south and east shores are reserved for anglers and closed to bathing, and nudity is tolerated only from around the middle of the lake along the north and north-east shore, where small clearings and wooded patches give scattered, quiet places to lie. Weekdays are quieter than weekends.
Getting there
From the A5 take the Seeheim-Jugenheim exit, head towards Bickenbach over the bypass bridge, continue through the small industrial estate and follow the 'Erlensee' signs out across the fields and over the motorway bridge. The car park is attended and paid (around 2 EUR per car and 1.50 EUR per motorbike in 2012). There is no public transport to the lake; cyclists can use cycle route 17 from Darmstadt-Eberstadt, about 9 km. From the car park walk round to the north side of the lake for the tolerated nude area.
What visitors say
Long-running visitor reports describe a pleasant, clean lake used by both clothed and nude bathers, with the nude crowd concentrated in small, partly hidden spots on the north side and fewer people on weekdays. Later reports stress tighter control by the angling club since it took over, with bathing banned on the south and east shores and an active water warden. A recent comment complains of Nile goose droppings on the shore, and another notes that toilets at the kiosk are for customers only. Most reports are older, so check current rules on arrival.
Summarised in our own words from public reviews and guides listed under Sources.
Amenities
Legal context
There is no designated FKK area. The lake is an angling club water where bathing is at one's own risk; according to visitor reports (2009, 2012) the club bars all bathing on the south and east shores and nudity is tolerated only on the north and north-east shore. Signs at the kiosk beach have asked bathers to stay clothed as it is treated as a family beach.
Naturism at Erlensee sits under Germany's rules for traditional tolerance — custom more than statute.
Full country law: Germany public nudity guide.
Researched 24 October 2026. No official source confirms naturist status, so treat it as unverified.
Location
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Approx. 49.7682, 8.5961
Visitor tips
- 1 Informal / tolerated site — be discreet and leave no drama.
- 2 Towel, water, sunscreen. Sit on your own towel.
- 3 No photos without clear consent.
- 4 Check access, tides, and parking before you go.
- 5 House rules and local custom can be stricter than the law.
More in Germany
Frequently asked questions
Is nude bathing allowed at the Erlensee?
It is tolerated, not officially designated, and only on the north and north-east shore. The west kiosk beach is meant to be textile.
Is there a lifeguard?
No regular lifeguard has been reported since about 2006; swimming is at your own risk.
How much is parking?
The attended car park charged about 2 EUR per car in the last report (2012).
Can I swim anywhere on the lake?
No. The angling club reserves the south and east shores for fishing and does not allow bathing there.
Sources
Important
Beach status changes. Verify current conditions before you go. This is guidance, not legal advice.
Members’ reviews
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