The Taunus Mountains

The Taunus is the low mountain range that lies in Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. The Großer Feldberg is 879m high., the highest mountain. It is also part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains and is therefore a member of the ancient mountains of Germany. Its rocks largely come from the Devonian. Since the Taunus is covered with many forests and has a sparse population, it has become a very popular excursion destination from the Rhine-Main region.

The Taunus is part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. It is in a southwest to northeast direction approx.75km. long and in a northwest to southeast direction approx.35km. wide and has a total area of ​​approx.2700 km². The cities of Wiesbaden, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Bad Homburg and Hofheim am Taunus are located near the Upper Rhine and Main valleys. The towns of Butzbach and Bad Nauheim are on the eastern edge and in the north are the towns of Weilburg, Wetzlar, Lahnstein and Bad Ems.

Hiking in the Taunus

Hiking fans have many different routes available in Taunus. The Lahnwanderweg and Rheinsteig routes are the best known. But the Weiltalweg, the Taunushöhenweg, the Aarhöhenweg and the Frankfurter Elisabethpfad are also alternatives. Of course, the day trips are particularly exciting, i.e. the routes that are hiked as a circular route. In this article we have once again listed ten popular hiking routes as recommendations for the Taunus.

The best 10 hiking routes to recommend

1-    The Three Peaks Route on Feldberg

The route starts at the Große Kurve hiking car park on Kanonenstrasse, between Arnoldshain and Oberursel. First we go north to the Sandplacken pass. He will lead us to the large Feldberg, the highest peak in the Rhenish Slate Mountains. The Feldberg has a very simple route that takes you to the observation tower without any effort. Here, in the Taunusklub youth and hiking home, we have accommodation and overnight accommodation options. You can also enjoy an enormous panoramic view over the Taunus. The view of the skyline of Frankfurt, the areas of Vogelsberg, Westerwald, Spessart, Rhön, Odenwald, Palatinate Uplands, Palatinate Forest, Hunsrück and Eifel will delight you.

The three summit tour then leads south to Hochtaunusstrasse, where we reach the little brother of the Feldberg. But we can't go to the absolute top of the small Feldberg because it is surrounded by a fence and there are various measuring devices from the Taunus Observatory there.

Now we walk through the Neuwald over the Fuchstanz pass to the Altkönig. The Ringwallanlage Altkönig fortification is located here. It is very impressive and has an area of ​​26ha. Less far down the path lies the White Wall, the sea of ​​frost rubble. Finally we go back to the starting point to the Große Kurve car park.

2-    From Eppstein to the Imperial Temple

Our route begins at the parking lot at the B455 intersection. We first walk through the city and walk along Eppstein Castle. Here we have a few beautiful half-timbered houses to visit along the way. Our path takes us along the Schwarzbach and the L3011, then we turn right uphill into the forest. Winding paths lead us through the forest over the hilltop so that we can go downhill to Lorsbach. At the bottom of the railway line we hike over the Schwarzbach stream and soon come to a forest path on which we come to Gundelhard. We can take a break here.

From here we go uphill to approx.385m. Height and after a short break downhill to the Mendelssohn stone and then to the imperial temple. Here we remember the great composer, who stayed in Eppstein several times between 1837 and 1847. Here we go downhill again to Eppstein, where we meet the starting path and this leads to the starting point at Eppstein.

3-    From the pheasantry to the Altenstein

Immediately after the start at the “Jagdschloss Fansanerie” inn, we follow the path marked with a black dot, on which we walk uphill parallel to the asphalt road. On the right side we pass a forest and come to the valley of the Gehrner Bach. We walk steadily uphill along the edge of the forest. Then we go under the crossing of the Aartalbahn track and turn sharp left. Here we arrive back at the railway embankment and shortly afterwards turn right.

At the Kneipp club we follow the same markings uphill to the Schläferskopf. There is an inn and a lookout tower here, but it is currently closed. The red dot continues to accompany us downhill until we arrive at the Taunus-Höhenweg. On this we go through the underpass at B54 and walk next to the railway tracks from the Aartalbahn to the right until we arrive at the Iron Hand (inn). About 200m. Then we cross the tracks and uphill on the wide forest path. Until we are on the left at 10m. When we reach the high rocks of the Altenstein, we follow the roebuck. Enjoy the view and go to the rock of the Pointed Stone.

Now we go back to the Rehbock path and soon arrive at the Rheinhöhenweg. We walk this way to the “Herzogshütte”. There we turn right and walk on the path marked “red bar”. We follow this downhill and the “yellow bar” comes along, which we then follow to the fish farm in Adamstal. Below the Waldhaus restaurant we walk approx.1km. and keep us to the right. We then cross the stream and come to the path marked “Schwarzer Punkt”, which we follow to the B54. After we have crossed this, we continue on the path for approx.1km. to the starting point.

4-    From Eppstein to the Imperial Temple

The route starts at the parking lot next to the B455 intersection in Eppstein. We first walk through the city and walk past Eppstein Castle and the striking church. Along the Schwarzbach and the L3011, we go uphill into the forest.

On the path we go winding through the forest and over a hilltop so that we can come downhill to Lorsbach. We soon hike on the beautiful forest path that takes us to Gundelhard, where we take a break. After the break we go left and right uphill to the highest point at approx.385m. From here we walk downhill to the Mendelssohn Stone and the Imperial Temple. After taking a break, we walk downhill to Eppstein, where we return to the starting point of the route.

5-    The Riesling, the Rhine and the roses

The route starts at the Bubenhäuser Höhe car park, which is located on the edge of Rauenthal. We briefly enter the wine village and leave it again after Kiedricher Straße. We continue on the Rheingau Riesling Trail and past pastures into the forest. Then we walk downhill along a chapel to the left. Then we turn left and continue to follow the stream, taking the path in the direction of “Altes Forsthaus”. Immediately after we reach the forester's lodge, the path goes uphill to the right. Now we come to the Gothic wine village of Kiedrich. After visiting the historical sights, we turn left on Mühlbergstrasse to the wine tasting stand at Kiedrichs Winzer.

Finally we turn left through the old town to the bank. After conquering the beauties of Eltville, we leave it the same way we entered it. Here we walk on the left side on the old towpath past the Rhine. Uphill to the left we walk past the garden of Crass Castle and walk towards the outskirts of the city. A farm road leads us from here to the vineyards. The dry stone wall ends here.

Through the vineyards to the left we take the small route on Schwalbacher Straße, where we have to find our way ourselves. The path we were supposed to find here doesn't exist. But from the perspective of the future, it is easy to overcome. That's why we briefly cross country and set off on the path that leads us back.

6-    From Wildsachsen to Eppstein

The start of the route is at Hofheim train station and this route does not return to the starting point because we need plenty of time to explore the castle town of Eppstein.

We follow the sign to the Taunus Club Hofheim. To do this, we cross under the Frankfurt-Niedernhausen-Limburg railway line. On Rheingaustrasse and Breckenheimer Strasse we go in the direction of Sportpark Heide. After crossing K787 Langenhain-Diedenbergen we walk another few 100m. and turn right. At the edge of the forest we go to the Bahnholz weekend settlement and cross the L3368 Langenhain-Breckenheim-Wallau. We go uphill to the Karthaus and continue walking in a northerly direction. Heading to the left we come to the burial mounds from 800 BC.BC

Now we go to Thierbach over the Lotzenbach into the Hofheim district.At the Lorsbach car park of the Taunus Club we turn right downhill to the “Turm am Ringwall” viewing point. The lunch break can follow at the Taunus Club's forest restaurant.

After the break our final stage begins. The Taunus Club accompanies us from the Gundelhard to Hofheim. Our last part of the path goes through a shady forest, along the forester's lodge to Hofheim's old town. Lots of historical exploration can be done here.

Now we walk along the sports field to the Neufville tower. After 16km. we reach the Eppstein train station. We can spend the rest of the afternoon at the ruins, in the local museum or in a restaurant, depending on our interests. If we want to go back to Hofheim, we take the S2 from Eppstein station.

7-    From the Wiesental to the Eschbach cliffs

The start is at the train station and we follow the “Schwarzer Stange” sign past the road to Wiesental. We take the Josef-Singer-Weg onto a beautiful path through Hochwald. After about 1.5km. After the hike we turn right onto the steep gravel path. At the next junction we turn left and cross the country road L3353. After we leave the Hubertus youth center on our left, we turn left behind the home. Here we go uphill to Nollkopf. After approx.500m. we come to the street and cross it. We go downhill to the right into the Wiesental and follow this along the valley. After approx.1.5km. the meadow becomes wider and we enter it. At the edge of the forest (to the right of the meadow) we continue to the drawing "Bunny". We follow this to the state road L3270. We walk along the path parallel to the road to the “Eschbacher Klippen” car park. Here the sign “Eschbacher Klippen” leads us to the rock wall made of Taunus quartzite. We take a break here.

We go past the edge of the forest with a view of the Hochtaunus and Usingen down into the Michelbachtal. We stay in the valley and cross the bridge, walk on a meadow path and keep to the edge of the meadow. After hiking in the forest, we pass the fence around the fish breeding ponds. Shortly afterwards the E3 hiking trail comes before us. We reach the "Bank-Gastbuch" until we reach a dirt road, along which we go uphill through fields on the left to the edge of the forest.

After taking a short breath, we turn right to the road at the edge of the forest. Approx.100m. We follow this uphill and then turn sharply right onto the field path at the edge of the forest. We walk steeply downhill past the soccer field at the edge of the forest. Then a forest path takes us past the Krebsbach stream and back to the starting point.

8-    Rheinsteig 12 / Braubach to Kamp-Bornhofen

The route starts in the town center of Braubach on a partly rocky serpentine path. One 50min. Joining a long tour would be worthwhile. Then we leave the castle hill and go briefly down to St. St. Martin's Church, visit it and go to the stairway that leads us down to the train tracks. The steep Zecherweg begins here. On the way uphill you should look back every now and then, because you shouldn't miss the view of the Marksburg and the Rhine. Now we arrive at the summer house and the first strenuous part is behind us.

From here we will enjoy the hike parallel to the slope until the Rheinsteig takes us sharply downwards to the right. On the serpentines into the Dinkholder Bachtal we descend to the Sauerbrunnen.

First we follow the valley, which climbs slightly until the path goes steeply up the narrow forest path. Here we reach the Dinkholder mountain with a refuge, a rest area and a magnificent view. We go steeply back down from the Dinkholder mountain, continuing up and down through the forest, where we leave the side valleys aside.

The witch's head reminds us of the Middle Ages and the gruesome burning of witches. We don't have to hike long past the “Alter Ellig” hiking car park until we reach Filsen. Behind this we go up a climb to a viewing pavilion with a view of Boppard and the Filsener Ley. Now we walk along the following path past the edge of the slope of the Kamperhauser Feld and reach the destination Kamp-Bornhofen via the yellow marked access path of the Rheinsteig.

9-    In the Valley of Wailing

The start is at the parking lot at the Klostermühle in Kloster Arnstein. From Arnstein Monastery we now hike into Jammertal and go to the initial passage to the right of the Dörsbach. We switch to the path on the right on the banks of the Jammertal and after a while of hiking we come to the 19-hole gorge. Now we leave the Jammertal and climb steeply uphill through the 19-hole gorge with the waterfalls to Attenhausen.

Staying on the outskirts of town, the country road L 323 crosses and we come to the Attenhausen sports field. From there we hike through a beautiful forest back to Jammertal. Here we come to the Landgasthof Obermühle, which is located at the mouth of the Hasenbach. Here we can take our break and then we walk on the left side of the Dörsbach through the Jammertal, along the Untermühle and the Neubäckersmühle, back to the starting point in the Lahntal.

10- The extra tour – Loreley

The route begins at the visitor center on the Loreley. Along the summer toboggan run we go up the slope on a soft meadow path, and then follow a beautiful serpentine path on the slippery slate rocks to get steeply back down through the old vineyards to the banks of the Rhine. Here we have to overcome a pasture fence over a small ladder, where the goats that live on the old vineyard should not have the opportunity to run out of the pasture.

We come to the banks of the Rhine and walk along the bank to the houses of St. Goarshausen. Here the circular path meets the Rheinsteig and we walk steeply up a beautiful path to the level of the village of Patersberg. Now we are at the Three Castles View. From here we walk along meadow paths and have beautiful views of the Taunus plateau. When we have the Rhine in sight, we join the Loreley circular tour and walk for a while over the queen stage of the Rheinsteig. On the viewing platform we take a last look at the most famous rock in the Middle Rhine Valley and then go back to the starting point.

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