Best hard trails in Thuringian Slate Mountains/Upper Saale Nature Park

Popular hike or cycle tour in the Thuringian Slate Mountains/Upper Saale Nature Park, Thuringia. This wonderful circular route runs once around the Bleiloch dam - the largest dam in Germany in terms of capacity. The route can be completed on foot or by bike. Highlights of the hike: - Bleiloch dam - historic dam wall - Saalburg castle

This route follows stage 8 – the final section – of the Rennsteig, connecting Brennersgrün with Blankenstein on a historic path through the Thuringian Slate Mountains. The hike leads via Schlegel, passing an impressive 400-year-old apple tree, and traverses the picturesque landscape of the Franconian Forest. The official destination is the Selbitz Bridge in Blankenstein, where, according to tradition, hikers throw the pebble collected at the start in Hörschel into the river to successfully...

This route follows stage 17, the official final leg of the certified "Kammweg Erzgebirge-Vogtland" premium trail, connecting Hirschberg with the grand finale in Blankenstein. The hike runs almost continuously along the banks of the Saale River, offering a profound nature and history experience through the "Green Belt" along the former inner-German border. Along the way, hikers will experience fascinating architectural structures and striking vantage points before the journey concludes at...

Near-natural stretch of road in the Franconian Forest, Thuringia The first section of the Franconian Trail begins in the Franconian Forest. From the Wiedeturm observation tower, you have a wonderful view over Blankenstein. Through the Höllental valley, you pass the famous "Hirschsprung", a large deer sculpture on a rock. In the nature reserve there, you can enjoy the wild and romantic atmosphere on the small bridges over the Selbitz. There are refreshment stops along the way. Highlights: -...

2nd stage of the Hohenwarte Stausee Trail, Thuringia. On this stage of the Hohenwarte Stausee Trail, there are a few metres in altitude to overcome. However, hikers are rewarded with unique views of the Saale cascades. The scenic route crosses several regional recreational areas. One section of the trail leads along the European long-distance hiking trail Eisenach-Budapest to Ziegenrück. Highlights: - Fantastic views - Unique landscape

Extensive, varied mountain bike tour in the Schwarzatal, Thuringia. The tour offers quite a few metres of elevation gain and leads through the Schwarzatal and Greifenstein nature reserves. You start in Saalfeld, from here you first head into the Siechenbach valley via Zechengrund, Eisenberg, Gipfelkreuz to Wittmannsgereuth. Continue via Birkenheide, Braunsdorf and Hainberg to Bad Blankenburg. A few extra metres in altitude via Greifenstein, Fröbelblick, Kesselwarte, then via Zeigerheim,...

Demanding route of the "Saale-Orla-Hunderter". This route follows the challenging route of the "Saale-Orla-Hunderter", a classic 100-kilometre hiking marathon. This is an extreme endurance challenge. The route is a mixture of tarmac country roads, unpaved forest paths and dirt tracks and explores the picturesque, rolling hills of the Thuringian Slate Mountains and the Orla Valley. You can expect "hilly" terrain throughout without any technical sections. Success on this route depends solely...