Thuringian Forest Mountains

Address: Thuringian Forest (Thüringer Wald), Thuringia, Germany

Admission: Free

The Thuringian Forest (Thüringer Wald) is a wooded mountain range in central Germany noted for its continuous forest cover, ridges and upland plateaus. It is a regional centre for outdoor recreation with long-established hiking, winter sports and timberland management.

The range contains extensive trail networks, small mountain towns and the historic Rennsteig ridgeway, a roughly 170 km path that follows watershed ridges and links numerous viewpoints and villages. The forested slopes and ridges are used year-round for hiking, cross-country skiing and local tourism.

Historically the area supported forestry, small-scale mining and rural mountain economies; the Rennsteig itself dates back to medieval boundary and communication routes. Over time the Thuringian Forest became formalised as a recreational landscape with protected areas and managed forests.

Geographically it lies in the state of Thuringia and extends into neighbouring states in central Germany, forming a wooded barrier between lowland basins and higher uplands.

• Best season: Autumn is a particularly popular season because of extensive forest colour changes and good visibility from ridge viewpoints.

What to See#

• Rennsteig trail: The Rennsteig is a historic long-distance ridgeway trail running about 170 km along the range and is the region’s best-known hiking route.
• Großer Beerberg: Großer Beerberg is the highest peak in the Thuringian Forest at 982 m and a common destination for hikers and winter sports.

The Thuringian Forest is a broad mountain region in central Germany best reached from nearby cities such as Erfurt or Suhl. Drive from Erfurt or other regional centres toward the forested ridge (regional federal roads and the A71 corridor give access to different parts of the range). Regional Deutsche Bahn trains serve towns at the forest’s edges (for example Eisenach, Meiningen and Suhl); from those towns local buses or trailheads provide access on foot.

• If you want scenic ridge walks and fall colour, time your visit for late September-October when the Rennsteig and higher trails show autumn foliage and temperatures are cooler.
• Start hikes from less popular trailheads (for example smaller villages off the main A71 corridor) to avoid the weekend crowds around Bad Salzungen and Oberhof and to experience quieter sections of the Rennsteig.
• Include short detours to the region's small towns (Eisenach, Schmalkalden) and lesser-known viewpoints-many visitors stick to the main ridge and miss timber-framed villages and local glassmaking museums.