the high fens, established as a reserve in 1957, with their high altitude and unique location, consist mainly of raised bogs, and low, grass- or wood-covered hills, moorland and forest. the provincial capital of liège is to its west, the german border is to the east and the dark forested hills of the ardennes surround the southern part. the park stretches between eupen in the north, monschau in the east, spa in the west and malmedy in the south. it stretches north of malmedy as far as eupen and marks the end of the ardennes proper. it is contiguous with the eifel hills, which stretch east from the german border to form the large deutsch–belgischer naturpark. signal de botrange located in the haute fagnes is marked by a telecom tower erected over an older artificial, earthen mound with stone steps that was built to raise a small part of the broad plateau from . large urban centres in the vicinity of the reserve are eupen, verviers, spa and malmedy.