Hiking - Summit hiking trail - Suhl-Goldlauter - Thuringian Forest

From Suhl the route starts with a rapid ascent to 867 meters to the Salzberg summit - the entry to the 900-meter peaks of the Thuringian Forest. At the mountain station of the Goldlauter ski lift you have the first fantastic panoramic view over the southern Thuringian Forest.

Soon after, you reach Kalte Herberge. Passing the Großer Eisenberg (907 m), the summit hiking trail continues along ridges to the lift lodge at the mountain station of the ski lift of the Winterwelt Schmiedefeld. Here the summit hiking trail turns north and leads you through dense forest areas to the rest area at the crossroads. Via the Rennsteig it goes to the Großer Finsterberg. At 940 m, you have a wonderful view of Schmiedefeld and the adjacent Vessertal.

After the short detour, it continues over Mordfleck and the Goldlauterberg (874 m) towards Borstenplatz. Here you find the Herbert Roth memorial stone. You leave the Rennsteig again and reach the Fichtenkopf (944 m). The gentle descent to Heidersbacher Tränke and the Suhler Hut provides a short rest. It's wonderful to rest here before you start the ascent to the highest point of the tour via Schmücke to the Schneekopf.

After Schmücke and past the Schneekopf view, you reach the Golden Bridge. From here begins one of the steepest stages to Teufelskanzel and finally to Schneekopf. Although only 978 m high, this mountain has a special feature: a lookout tower stands on it whose visitor platform is exactly 1001.1 m high. This makes it the highest viewing point in all Thuringia. Only the tip of the Inselsberg radio tower is higher. 

Following the Rosenkopf, the path leads initially downhill again. At Plänckners View below the Großer Beerberg (983 m), you have a magnificent view south towards Suhl and Zella-Mehlis to the west. From the Suhler rest stop it goes straight downhill past the Dietzen-Lorenz stone, passing the lower Beerberg to Skibaude Goldlauter.

The Rosenkopf Street finally leads you via the forest tavern at Geiersberg back to Goldlauter and the starting point of your route.