Thuringian Ancient Forest Trails Vessertal - Thuringian Forest

We start our hike at the parking lot near the sports field in Schmiedefeld am Rennsteig. Here you will find a wooden art stele as well as information signs that get you in the mood for the primeval forest trail hike. If you wish, you can visit the information center of the UNESCO biosphere reserve Thuringian Forest in Schmiedefeld before or after the hike.

From the parking lot, we walk in a southwesterly direction into the forest. After about 45 minutes we reach the entrance portal of the Thuringian Primeval Forest Trail Vessertal at the former ski jump Vessertalschanze. Here we keep to the left and follow the path in a southerly direction.

After a few meters, behind the small bridge over the Vesser. the paths fork. We keep half-left and walk from now on along the lively Vesser.

We pass colorful mountain meadows and wild forest areas, where the trees are allowed to age naturally. Here you should pay special attention to the high percentage of standing dead wood and fallen trees. In a natural forest these are part of it, as they represent the last phases in the life of a tree. Especially old, but also dead trees have special microhabitats, which are essential for the survival of many specialized species.

We always follow the course of the Vesser and pass the Glasbachhütte as well as a former cutting mill.

Passing some resting places and a silver fir gate, we finally reach the entrance of Breitenbach at the Sensenhammer. Here we turn right into the Ziegenrückstraße and after a short time we reach a parking lot for hikers with a resting place. The primeval forest path info sign marks here the southern starting point for the primeval forest path Vessertal.

We continue to follow the Ziegenrückstraße to the next fork in the road, where we leave the road turning left over a bridge (rescue point HBN-7642).

After the bridge we keep to the right and follow the stream uphill. On the next section of the trail, a trim trail called the Generations Vital Trail allows for entertaining stops that may cause the hike to take longer than planned.

You should also bring time for the short path of the senses.

At the Hirtenbrunnen (shepherd's well), where the Breitenbach flows into the Roßbach, you can not only rest but also test your strength on a whole-body trainer.

From now on, the path leads away from the brook along the slopes of the Erdeberg to a crossing of several paths. Here we follow the hiking trail sign over the Lange Leite to the Stutenhaus (3.5 km).

At the next shelter there is another opportunity for a rest before we cross the brook from the Dommigsgrund and tackle the last ascent to the Stutenhaus. Through the Stelzenwiesengrund we reach the equestrian farm, which belongs to the Stutenhaus.

Now we follow the Ziegenrücker road again, before we have the possibility to walk up to the Stutenhaus across a meadow at the next fork in the road. With a great view, you can take a break here and drink something cool.

From the Stutenhaus we follow the Stutenhausstraße in the direction of Vesser.

Immediately before the Runnebaum monument, we leave the Stutenhausstraße to the left and take a gravel path to the crossroads at the Neue Wiese.

Now we hike along the edge of the forest to get back to the Stutenhausstraße a little later. This leads us down into the village of Vesser, back to the stream of the same name. Following the course of the stream, along the Breitenbacher Straße we get back to the Vesserschanze, from where we take the way back to the sports field in Schmiedefeld.