SaaleHorizontal

• Difficulty: medium
• Condition: easy

• Family friendly
• Nature Highlight
• Refreshment stop
• Multi-day tour
• Accommodation
• Signage
• Predicate path
• Tour with dog
• Quality trail Wanderbares Deutschland
• Good connection to public transport

Directions: Stage for the day 1: Jena (Lobeda) - goat grove
There is no shortage of vantage points along the Saale horizontal. Jena from far away, from close up or from the very top. The views of the university town embedded in the Saale valley are always captivating. Just a moment ago the characteristic JenTower greets you between the trees, then a sleepy little village lies between orchards. The first stage starts at the bus stop Platanenstraße. It goes quickly up to the Lobdeburg and along the steep slope up to the Johannisberg. Over the meadow at the Sommerlinde further to the shady Fürstenbrunnen. The horizontal path above the Pennickental runs close to the steep rock and offers wonderful views of the Saale valley and Jena. Through dense beech forest the horizontal path leads into the Ziegenhainer valley. Before the ascent to the Fuchsturm begins, Ziegenhain is reached.

Stage for the day 2: Goat grove/Stone cross - Beutnitz 
From Ziegenhain the SaaleHorizontal leads steeply up to the Fuchsturm, a former keep. On the slopes of the Gembdental the descent to Wogau then follows. From here the path climbs up again to the Jenzig ridge. The path then leads level to the Jenzighaus and then drops through forest down to Laasan, a small village at the end of the path. Following the road for a few hundred metres, the SaaleHorizontale turns off across meadows and fields to the ruins of the Kunitzburg, which is enthroned above the Saale at the end of the mountain. Through beautiful beech forest the path reaches the Königsstuhl with a magnificent view of the Dornburg castles. Then the descent to Beutnitz follows.

Stage 3: Beutnitz - Dornburg 
From Beutnitz the route leads through orchard meadows and scattered vineyards to below the rocky Zietschkuppe. The SaaleHorizontal leads above the Zietschgrund into the Tautenburg Forest. Past the observatory, the path leads to the Tautenburg ruins with a beautiful view of the village of the same name. The trail continues through beech forest and along forest meadows to the Hohe Lehde lookout point. The descent to Dorndorf takes place via the Sophienterrasse. Ideal for a break and tired feet is the Kneipp facility at the Stockborn spring. The path crosses the Saale river very close to it, crossing the historic Carl-Alexander bridge. In a small side valley the short ascent to Dornburg then follows. 

Stage 4: Dornburg - Jena, Carl-Zeiß-Platz 
From Dornburg, the route runs along the Burgschädel down to Neuengönna and then back up to the Plattenberg with a sweeping view of the Alte Gleisberg and the Gleistal. Through dense deciduous forest and colourful meadows, the SaaleHorizontal winds its way up to the Weidenberg before descending into the Rautal. Along the murmuring Steinbach stream it climbs up to the Windknollen, a former battlefield between Napoleonic and Prussian troops in 1806. At the Napoleonstein the descent begins over the Landgrafen into the Mühltal.

Road markings: SH
More info / links: Hiking with a wide view on the SaaleHorizontale hiking trail means pure hiking pleasure for active people. The trail is 72 km long. It stretches along the shell limestone slopes on both sides of the Saale between Jena and Dornburg. Fantastic views of the middle Saale valley are offered from numerous vantage points.

https://www.saalehorizontale.de/startseite
https://www.visit-jena.de/sehen-und-erleben/aktiv-und-natur/saalehorizontale/

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