View of the Thuringian Forest – Kickelhahn Tower loop from Erbskopf

Hiking trails & Routes

Ilm-Kreis

Ilmenau

View of the Thuringian Forest – Kickelhahn Tower loop from Erbskopf

Moderate

4.7

(265)

824

hikers

View of the Thuringian Forest – Kickelhahn Tower loop from Erbskopf

04:01

12.6km

530m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 6, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Naturpark Thüringer Wald

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

1.43 km

Kickelhahn Restaurant

Highlight • Restaurant

You have a very nice outdoor area with a great panoramic view.

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1.46 km

View of the Thuringian Forest

Highlight • Viewpoint

Great excursion destination with a magnificent view

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1.48 km

Kickelhahn Tower

Highlight • Viewpoint

The dining room above is recommended, delicious and good!

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1.70 km

Historic hunting blind and hunting site on the Hausberg

Highlight • Historical Site

Directly on the summit next to the hunting lodge is the covered shelter with wooden benches, from which the game attracted by food was shot.
The Goethewanderweg signposted here from …

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1.74 km

Goethe Cabin on Kickelhahn

Highlight • Monument

“Over all peaks there is peace…” Goethe wrote on the wall of this small refuge on September 6, 1780. Because of these verses that were written here and later became …

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2.65 km

Goethe Cave at Hermannstein

Highlight • Cave

The perfect break. By the way, you can explore the cave with which Goethe also impressed Frau von Stein. It was probably carved into the rock as a guardhouse in …

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2.77 km

Great Hermannstein and Cave

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Hermannstein, with its cave, was among Goethe's favorite places. On August 6, 1776, he visited it with Charlotte von Stein. Shortly thereafter, he drew the cave. He dedicated these …

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12.2 km

Gabelbach Hunting Lodge Museum

Highlight • Historical Site

The simple late baroque functional building was hastily erected in the summer of 1783 to serve as a guest house for Karl August and his hunting party. Building materials were …

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12.6 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

7.51 km

3.75 km

890 m

482 m

Surfaces

5.76 km

4.87 km

940 m

920 m

137 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (850 m)

Lowest point (490 m)

Weather

Tuesday 20 October

9°C

7°C

92 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 18.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

May 25, 2023,Kickelhahn/Hermannsteine

Kickelhahn is a must when you are in Illmenau. After the ascent you will be rewarded with a wonderful view and your physical well-being is also taken care of. The way back via the Hermannsteine is worthwhile.

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October 20, 2024,Goethewanderweg

We started in Ilmenau in brilliant sunshine. Up to the small Hermannstein, past the Sophienquelle, up to the large Hermannstein (very easy to walk on with fall protection). Here it became significantly windier and cooler. After a final short climb and a short rest in the hunting lodge, we went to the restaurant at the Kickelhahnturm. By now the weather …

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April 20, 2024,Aufstieg zum Kickelhahn - großer Hermannstein - Sophienquelle

Nice tour!!
The weather was all over the place - rain, snow, cold, sleet and later sun.
Unfortunately, many sections of the forest are infested with bark beetles. Everything is being cut down and it looks accordingly.

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May 18, 2023,rundweg Kickelhahn 🍀🌸🥾❗🐓🐣

The circular route is actually 10km... the recording did its own thing again 🤣

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February 11, 2024,240212 'Noch 'ma schnell 'ne Tour' Runde

Gray weather, muddy paths due to forestry work, rain - that's when you see who can hike (joking). It was really impressive what condition the paths were in today.

Well, we still had fun.

In the Ilmenau city park we had to adapt our paths a little to the new routing.

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May 13, 2023,Auf den Spuren Goethes zum Kickelhahn 🐓

It started today in Ilmenau in the large parking lot at the Festhalle. Into the beautifully landscaped city park and along the Ilm we enjoyed the wonderful tranquility of nature. Only the chirping of the birds 🐦 accompanied us.
Pure nature and culture again today 🫠

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