Hiking - "Gold Path" from Schalkau to Goldisthal - Thuringian Forest

Schalkau - Almerswind - Oberroth - Gold panning hills near Selsendorf - Grümpental Bridge - Rauenstein - Gold Museum in Theuern - Kugelbaum - Neumannsgrund - Gold panning site - Limbach - Schwarzastausee - Scheibe-Alsbach - Goldisthal pumped storage power plant - Goldisthal

You start the hike at the Geopark information point in Schalkau and initially walk along the Itz river to Almerswind. There you discover historic gold panning hills in the Grümpen valley. This river is one of the richest in gold in Germany.

In Theuern, a visit to the Gold Museum is worthwhile, which tells us the exciting history of gold mining and gold panning in Germany. After that, you continue uphill into the slate mountains. Shafts up to 200 m deep were driven into the mountains to access the valuable precious metal hidden in the rock. On the way to Neumannsgrund, you repeatedly pass old waste heaps or collapses of gold shafts, which bear witness to the former gold rush in this region. In Neumannsgrund, there is the "Güte Gottes" mine, which yielded particularly much gold, and the gold panning site where you can still try your luck today.

Along the Schwarza river, past the Schwarzastausee, you first descend, then ascend again to the "Large Gate" and the upper basin of the Goldisthal pumped storage power plant. Finally, you hike downhill again and reach the lower basin of the Goldisthal dam, where you end the hike.

Note the typical dangers of the forest!
Walking is at your own risk!
We wish you a relaxing and eventful hike!

Coming from the A73, take exit 8 (Neustadt bei Coburg) and continue on the B4 towards Sonneberg. At the Unterwohlsbach junction, switch to ST2206 and drive north towards Schalkau.

Coming from the north, please take the Eisfeld Nord exit off the A73 and follow the B89 to Schalkau. The start of the Gold Path at the Geopark information point Bleßberghöhle is directly on this highway.

Park there free of charge if you want to return by public transport.

We recommend you travel with the South Thuringia Railway. The Gold Path starts directly below Schalkau station at the Geopark information point Bleßberghöhle.

Use the free parking spaces in Schalkau (Google NAV point)

National Geopark Slate Land: https://www.geopark-schieferland.de/

Thuringian Forest Touring Portal: https://www.tourenportal-thueringer-wald.de/

Thuringian Forest Nature Park: https://www.naturpark-thueringer-wald.de/

Guided hikes on the Gold Path: https://www.gebirgspfade.de/

Natural History Museum "House of Nature" in Goldisthal

Geopark information point Bleßberghöhle in Schalkau