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Ilm-Kreis

Ilmenau

Kickelhahn Tower – Kickelhahn Observation Tower loop from Ilmenau

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Ilm-Kreis

Ilmenau

Kickelhahn Tower – Kickelhahn Observation Tower loop from Ilmenau

Moderate

4.8

(208)

679

hikers

Kickelhahn Tower – Kickelhahn Observation Tower loop from Ilmenau

04:19

14.5km

440m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: May 7, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Naturpark Thüringer Wald

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

7.06 km

Goethe Cave at Hermannstein

Highlight • Cave

The perfect break. By the way, you can explore the cave with which Goethe also impressed Frau von Stein. It was probably carved into the rock as a guardhouse in the Middle Ages. Tear yourself up the steep stairs, it's worth it!

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7.18 km

Großer Herrmannstein and Cave

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Hermannstein with its cave was one of Goethe's favorite places. On August 6, 1776 he visited him with Charlotte von Stein.
Shortly afterwards he drew the cave. In 1784 he assigned the two quatrains to this "chosen rock". These two verses can be found on panels to the left and right of the cave entrance.

There is seating in the cave itself.

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7.99 km

Goethe Cabin on Kickelhahn

Highlight • Monument

“Over all peaks there is peace…” Goethe wrote on the wall of this small refuge on September 6, 1780. Because of these verses that were written here and later became world-famous, it was soon called the “Goethe House”.

It burned down in 1870 due to carelessness on the part of berry collectors. Four years later, the Goethe house was rebuilt true to the original.

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8.15 km

Kickelhahn Tower

Highlight • Viewpoint

On the Kickelhahn there is a lookout tower from 1855, a Telekom tower, a transmission mast, the Goethe house, the foundations of a hunting lodge and a restaurant. South of the summit are the Gabelbach hunting lodge and the Gabelbach mountain hotel.

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8.17 km

Kickelhahn Observation Tower

Highlight • Monument

View from the Kickelhahn into the valley.

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8.17 km

View of the Thuringian Forest

Highlight • Viewpoint

Great excursion destination with a magnificent view

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8.39 km

Historic hunting blind and hunting site on the Hausberg

Highlight • Historical Site

Directly on the summit next to the hunting lodge is the covered shelter with wooden benches, from which the game attracted by food was shot.
The Goethewanderweg signposted here from the city of Ilmenau is probably not historical. At most, Goethe should have walked the last part of the cabin halfway up to the summit area.

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9.39 km

Gabelbach Hunting Lodge Museum

Highlight • Historical Site

The simple late baroque functional building was hastily erected in the summer of 1783 to serve as a guest house for Karl August and his hunting party. Building materials were obtained from the ruins of Ilmenau Castle and the surrounding forest. Goethe often spent time here as a guest. The museum's exhibition is well worth seeing because it offers insights into the hunting habits and social life of the Weimar court.

You can find further information and opening times here: ilmenau.de/de/freizeit/museen-und-börsen/museum-jagdhaus-gabelbach.

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14.5 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

8.87 km

4.25 km

772 m

561 m

Surfaces

6.93 km

4.46 km

2.02 km

1.02 km

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Sunday 17 May

16°C

4°C

67 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 13.0 km/h

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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

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Kickelhahn Tower – Kickelhahn Observation Tower loop from Ilmenau

Goethe Cave at Hermannstein

Großer Herrmannstein and Cave

Goethe Cabin on Kickelhahn

Kickelhahn Tower

Kickelhahn Observation Tower

View of the Thuringian Forest

Historic hunting blind and hunting site on the Hausberg

Gabelbach Hunting Lodge Museum

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