GeoRoute 9: across the tropical Ruhla island loop – UNESCO Global Geopark Thuringia Inselsberg – Drei Gleichen

Hiking trails & Routes

GeoRoute 9: across the tropical Ruhla island loop – UNESCO Global Geopark Thuringia Inselsberg – Drei Gleichen

Hard

4.4

(69)

206

hikers

GeoRoute 9: across the tropical Ruhla island loop – UNESCO Global Geopark Thuringia Inselsberg – Drei Gleichen

05:55

20.9km

450m

Hiking

Time is important for this tour. On the one hand, because you should have some time for the approximately 21 kilometer long hike, and on the other hand, because it goes back 250 million years into the history of the earth. GeoRoute 9 takes you along several information stations through…

by Eisenach-Wartburgregion Touristik

Last updated: June 3, 2024

Waypoints

Start point

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7.34 km

View of the Großer Inselsberg from the Meisenstein

Highlight • Viewpoint

From the 558-meter-high Meisenstein you can enjoy a wonderful view of the landscape, for example of the Inselsberg, but also towards Friedrichroda.
From the perspective of many experts, the Meisenstein …

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12.7 km

Scharfenburg Keep (bergfried)

Highlight • Castle

Even though only ruins and the keep remain of the almost thousand-year-old hilltop castle, a visit to the observation tower is worth the climb. With a bit of luck, the …

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16.0 km

Kittelsthal Dripstone Cave

Highlight • Cave

The Kittelsthal stalactite cave is a show cave of natural origin that was developed between 1894 and 1896 by mining barite (barite). Temporarily closed, it has been open to visitors …

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20.9 km

End point

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

12.7 km

3.60 km

2.86 km

958 m

461 m

382 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

5.82 km

5.64 km

4.59 km

2.85 km

1.61 km

386 m

Elevation

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

Highest point (570 m)

Lowest point (290 m)

Weather

Tuesday 6 October

22°C

7°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 10.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

December 30, 2022,GEO-Route 9 / Über die tropische Ruhlaer Insel

258-251 million years ago a shallow tropical sea covered Central Europe. In the area between Ruhla and Brotterode there was an island which geologists call the "Ruhlaer Insel".

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September 13, 2025,Über die tropische Ruhlaer Insel

It's annoying on the road, but you're compensated by a beautiful hike with many interesting places.

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March 3, 2024,🍃 Frühling im Thüringer Wald ☀️

In fantastic hiking weather, we started at Rosi's restaurant at the stalactite cave in Thal. From the still empty parking lot we first walked through the residential development down to Farnrodaer Straße. This leads from Thal to Ruhla and our hiking trail ran parallel to it on the combined cycle and footpath. Along the Erbstrom (electricity is perhaps a bit …

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September 18, 2023,Touringen - Geo-Route 9 bei Ruhla - modifiziert

I walked the route without the part about Kittelsthal and the stalactite cave.

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July 13, 2024,Meisenstein und Wartberge bei Thal (Bus-Thal-Post - Bus-Thal-Post)

Tour 7 from the Rother hiking guide Thuringian Forest
As I am driving straight to Frankfurt, where Till and his band will once again be performing their musical works in the Deutsche Bank Park this evening, I only hiked this manageable loop near Thal today. I already knew some of the places, like the Meisenstein, but the weather was much …

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June 20, 2025,Tropische Ruhlaer Insel Touringen 18, 19, 20

I set off in cool morning temperatures. Wide paths, distant views, dark forests, rustic trails... strolled a bit through Ruhla. Thuringia – my hiking heart beats for you.

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December 16, 2025,Zum eingewöhnen ne Wanderung ab Thal nach Ruhla und wieder zurück 🚶‍♂️

Out and About in the Cool Forest

Barely back home, I didn't stay within my own four walls for long. I was drawn to western Thuringia, where winter had already made its presence felt. The crisp air reminded me that three weeks away are enough to readjust to the temperature and rhythm of the landscape.

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March 4, 2025,Sonnige Wanderung auf GeoRoute 9: Ruhla nach Thal - „Tropische Ruhlaer Insel“ im UNESCO Global Geopark Thüringen

A real highlight on GeoRoute 9! Particularly impressive was the panel that showed the tropical Ruhla Island millions of years ago, when everything was still covered by the sea. During the descent to Thal on the high trail, I had the feeling of diving into the depths of this prehistoric sea. The reef limestone cliffs, the former reefs in the …

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March 28, 2024

Time is important for this tour. On the one hand, because you should have some time for the approximately 21 kilometer long hike, and on the other hand, because it goes back 250 million years into the history of the earth. GeoRoute 9 takes you along several information stations through the long-vanished

Translated by Google •