Kammweg Erzgebirge-Vogtland Stage 16: Burgsteingebiet - Hirschberg

This route follows stage 16 of the certified "Kammweg Erzgebirge-Vogtland" premium trail, connecting the Burgstein region with Hirschberg on a historically profound section where modern German history comes alive. The hike begins at the Burgstein houses and leads through the idyllic Kemnitzbach Valley past the Kienmühle mill. A major historical landmark along the way is Gutenfürst, home to a former East-West German border railway station. The trail then follows the "Green Belt" along the authentic concrete patrol road (Kolonnenweg), passing remnants of the old border fortifications to the Dreifreistaatenstein stone, where the three free states of Saxony, Thuringia, and Bavaria meet. After passing the famous, once-divided village of Mödlareuth and its East-West German Museum, the path runs through the scenic Saale Valley and the Hag nature reserve, crossing the Saalebänk viewpoints and a suspension bridge before reaching its destination in Hirschberg. Cozy accommodations and refreshments are available in the villages along the route as well as directly in Hirschberg; wild camping is prohibited. Gutenfürst station provides direct access to the Vogtlandbahn train network, while the destination in Hirschberg is served by regional bus lines; schedules are available through local transit networks.