A legendary gorge

The Dragon Gorge near Eisenach

Squeeze through: the Dragon Gorge near Eisenach is only 70 centimetres wide in some places. The gorge is one of the most important geotopes in the Thuringian Forest: 200 metres long, with rocks over 20 metres high and rushing water beneath your feet.

In the Valley of the Dragon

Over millions of years, the stream has carved its way deep into the rocks below Wartburg Castle and is now home to many amphibians and crustaceans, some of which are rare species.

The gorge is only accessible via footbridges, making it an adventure for the whole family. Since 1832, the geotope has been called Dragon Gorge, because according to legend, St. George, the patron saint of Eisenach, fought a giant lindworm that lived among the rocks here.

The hike starts at St. George's Church in Eisenach. From here, hikers climb the Luther Experience Trail to the hill on which the legendary Wartburg Castle towers above the town and follow the hiking trails through the beech and oak forests of the western Thuringian Forest to the Rennsteig high-altitude hiking trail. From the Hohe Sonne hill, you have a fantastic view back to Wartburg Castle. On the way back to Eisenach, you cross the Dragon Gorge. A large wooden gate with a dragon on it marks the entrance. Initially wide, the walls quickly narrow, rising steeply to form the wildly romantic, approximately 200-metre-long gorge. The route then continues back to Eisenach on an easy forest path.

Hauptkarte Topologiekarte

Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors

From the castle to the gorge

Facts and figures about the hike

Difficulty: medium Distance: 14.2 km Duration: 4.5 hours Route: Eisenach market square – Wartburg Castle – Sängerwiese – Wilde Sau – Hohe Sonne – Dragen Gorge – Bachhaus – Lutherhaus – Eisenach market square

Further hikes to the Dragon Gorge and detailed information can be found on the Eisenach-Wartburg Region website: Hiking tour through the Dragon Gorge (eisenach.info)