Gorge tour near Eisenach

With my friend Andrea, who spontaneously joined us, we went to Eisenach. The goal was to close the gaps in our education and get a hike off our list! We achieved both, had a nice meal at the Kartoffelhaus, and enjoyed perfect hiking weather! A tip: definitely don't go via the Landgrafenschlucht to the Drachenschlucht as some hikers recommend, but follow the route here! I'll definitely be back in the area!

WOW❗ Just great❗ Did this wonderful tour in the best weather 🤗 😍😍😍

Today we went on a great hike through the Drachenschlucht and the Landgrafenschlucht. Beautiful nature in wonderful autumn weather.

Very nice tour in the best weather 🔆 It is pleasantly cool in the gorge. In some places it was quite muddy. Therefore, sturdy shoes are strongly recommended.

Today we went to Eisenach, directly to the parking lot 🅿️ near Wartburg Castle. Then on to the Drachenschlucht (Dragon Gorge) with its amazing, impressive ice formations 🙂❤️🔝. Next, we went to the Großer Drachenstein (Great Dragon Stone), where the views are usually fantastic 🙃. With the fog 🌫️, not so much 🥳🤣. Then we continued through the winter wonderland towards the Landgrafenschlucht (Landgrave's Gorge). The crampons were definitely worth it 😝. At times, our feet were glued to the ground 😘🤪. Great impressions from the tour 🫶. We took a break at a snowbank and had tea and a snack. Ah, life is beautiful 🥰. Have a lovely evening 🌇

Since it is well known that the ice ages in our latitudes are usually quite short-lived, I took the opportunity today to visit the Drachenschlucht and Landgrafenschlucht in the best winter hiking weather to take a close look at the natural spectacle of "frozen water" 🧊🧊. However, I would have liked spikes on my shoes in some sections of the Drachenschlucht and the ice makes the already narrow passages so narrow that you have to turn lengthways to get through 😀. I also started quite early in the day and so the oncoming traffic was limited.

🇬🇧 Tabarz/Thuringia Day 2: Gorge Hike near Eisenach. The Drachenschlucht Gorge runs along the B19, which runs through the Anna Valley. The entire area is located near Eisenach. We started at the Liliengrund parking lot. We first walked along the Wichmannpromenade past the golden "M" – no, not McDonald's, but a 6.50 m high "M" carved into the rock face of the Breitengescheid valley. It symbolizes the Mariental valley and honors Maria Pavlovna. The highlight of the tour is the Drachenschlucht Gorge, an approximately 3 km long gorge that is only 68 cm wide at its narrowest point. The entire section leads from the outskirts of Eisenach, from the Hotel Sophienaue, to the Hohe Sonne forestry site on the Rennsteig trail. In the depths of the cool, damp gorge, mosses and small ferns are particularly abundant. Hohe Sonne is our next stop. There, you'll find another parking lot, a snack bar with a beer garden, and a bus stop with bus connections to Bad Liebenstein and Eisenach – albeit not very regular. Numerous hikes start and end at Hohe Sonne. The east side is also quite beautiful, once you've overcome the short forest path section. The 471-meter-high Grosser Drachenstein, with its panoramic view, is worth a rest. The Landgrafenschlucht (Gorge of the Dragon), although smaller than the Drachenschlucht (Dragon Gorge), is also less crowded. Unfortunately, you can't see everything – this thought shows that there is so much to discover in the area. A definite recommendation! 🇬🇧 Tabarz/Thuringia Day 2: Gorge hike near Eisenach. Along the B19, which runs through the Annatal valley, the Drachenschlucht (Dragon Gorge) also stretches. The entire area is located near Eisenach. We started at the Liliengrund parking lot. At first, we walked along the Wichmann Promenade past the golden “M” – no, not McDonald’s, but a 6.50 m high “M” that was carved into the rock face of the Breitengescheid. It symbolizes that you are in the Mariental and honors Maria Pavlovna. The highlight of the tour is the Drachenschlucht, a roughly 3 km long gorge that, at its narrowest point, is only 68 cm wide. The entire section leads from the outskirts of Eisenach, from the Hotel Sophienaue, to the forest location Hohe Sonne on the Rennsteig. In the depths of the cool and damp gorge, you'll find especially mosses and small ferns. Hohe Sonne is our next stop. There, you’ll find another parking lot, a snack stand with beer garden, and a bus stop with connections to Bad Liebenstein and Eisenach – although not too regularly. Many hikes start and end at Hohe Sonne. The east side is also quite beautiful, once you’ve gotten past the small forest path section. The 471 m high Große Drachenstein (Great Dragon Rock) is worth a rest for its panoramic view. The Landgrafenschlucht (Landgrave’s Gorge) is smaller than the Drachenschlucht, but also less crowded. You can’t see everything, unfortunately – this thought shows that there is a lot to discover in the area. So a very clear recommendation!

The tour is without question one of the most impressive we have done so far. 🫶🥾According to the media, it is definitely the most beautiful hiking tour in Thuringia, or one of the most beautiful in Germany. The weather wasn't always on our side today, but the light rain made the round even better and more interesting. The starting point was the free Mariental hiking car park. From there you just follow the very good signs. Initially wide, after a few minutes of walking the walls narrow, rise steeply and form a wildly romantic gorge overgrown with moss, which in some places is no wider than a shoulder. We continue on lattice walkways under which the stream rushes along. After several hundred meters the gorge widens again and from there you hike through a loose mixed forest to the former Hohe Sonne hunting lodge. Here we cross the road and follow the hiking trail on the left to the viewpoint at the large Drachenstein. From there we continue through the Landgrafenschlucht back to the starting point. The tour is possible despite the rain and the mud on the paths. 10/10 points. Entertaining, not too strenuous, varied... a clear recommendation.