© Robert Michael, GEOPARK Sachsens Mitte e.V.

2nd route: Hiking through the volcanic basin - geology & old mining in the caldera "Tharandt Forest"

At a glance

  • Start: Roßmäßlerbau Tharandt, campus of TU Dresden Department of Forest Sciences
  • Destination: Roßmäßlerbau Tharandt, campus of TU Dresden Department of Forest Sciences
  • Difficult
  • 26,50 km
  • 8 hours
  • 441 m
  • 426 m
  • 212 m

An adventurous route through the Tharandt Forest, which lies in an old volcanic basin – a caldera – and is still considered the classic geologists' square mile.

The Tharandt Forest, located in an old volcanic basin – a caldera – is also known as the geologists' square mile. Along the way, we encounter impressive outcrops with all major rock types. On the Geological Hiking Trail, we reach Kurort Hartha. From there we hike on the Geological Open-Air Museum educational trail over the Landberg to Grund. Along the way, we see the porphyry fan. In Grund, we visit the KNOX incense candle manufactory and then walk through the old mining area along the Triebisch, into the Tharandt Forest, to the Warnsdorfer spring, through the Breiter Grund with the charcoal pile site back.

Attractions along the way:

  • Burgberg with ruins and church Tharandt

  • Former lime works Tharandt

  • Talmühlengrund

  • Kurplatz Hartha

  • Forest stage

  • Forestry office Spechtshausen

  • Natural monument Kugelpechsteine

  • Landberg

  • Porphyry fan

  • Mouth of the Reicher Matthias Erbstolln adit

  • KNOX incense candle manufactory

  • Mining educational trail Grund

  • Jungferloch

  • Klingenquell, Ernemann hut

  • Warnsdorfer spring

  • Breiter Grund

  • Hydroelectric power station

Tour dashboard

Pavings

  • Unknown (6%)
  • Tarmac (14%)
  • Hiking trail (80%)

Weather

General information

Next steps

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