Lautertal (Odenwald): Views, hiking trails and nature

When looking for a hotel in Lautertal (Odenwald), your plans for excursions can be a useful starting point. Viewpoints, various hiking trails and Striethteich each offer a different focus. The places and routes below provide specific points of reference for shaping your trip around nature, activity or culture.

Views and landmarks

The Kaiserturm stands on Neunkirchener Höhe, the highest point in Lautertal. The 34-metre-high stone tower commemorates Kaiser Wilhelm I and was built in 1906/07; it was preceded by a wooden tower. This place therefore combines a prominent high point with a specific building history.

Krehberg also offers different ways to experience the landscape: it lies between Seidenbuch and Schannenbach and has several viewpoints as well as numerous shorter and longer hiking trails. From Seidenbacher Eck, the view across the Odenwald stretches from northeast to southwest. When planning, you can therefore choose between individual viewpoints and a panorama with a clearly specified viewing direction.

Hiking trails with different points of reference

The digital 12-Dörfer-Rundwanderweg Lautertal is 41.32 kilometres long and passes through all of Lautertal’s districts. As it is not marked on the ground, digital route guidance is part of the preparation. Its total length and route through every district give an overview of the scale of this circular hike.

The “Roter Strich” hiking trail passes through Elmshausen by Striethteich and climbs to the ridge between Felsberg and Amalienhöhe. Several named points along the way give a specific impression of the route. On the Felsenmeer circular trail L1, the steepest climb is between Kuralpe and the summit of Felsberg, where the Ohlyturm stands. When planning your route, you can also take the location of this steepest section into account.

Striethteich and its special features

Striethteich lies between Elmshausen and the “Selterswasserhäuschen.” Numerous waterbirds have an island of their own there. A water-powered model of Deichertsmühle also stands on the shore. Every year on Father’s Day, the pond hosts the Teichfest. Nature, a technical model and a recurring event date give this place several points of interest. For planning, Father’s Day is the fixed date for the annual festival.

Geology and history at Felsenmeer

The Felsenmeer Information Centre offers guided tours about the geological formation of Felsenmeer. Its information also covers the work of Roman stonemasons 1,700 years ago and in more recent times, the Siegfriedsquelle and the Bergstraße-Odenwald Geo-Nature Park. This gives you the opportunity to explore geological and historical topics, from the formation of Felsenmeer to human activity and other named places.

More to explore in the wider Bergstraße destination

The wider Bergstraße destination also includes independent excursion destinations. In Heppenheim, the “Wein & Stein” adventure trail is about 6.9 kilometres long and has around 70 information stations. Its annual autumn hike takes place on 3 October from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Along the trail, hikers can enjoy wines and food in the vineyards at five stations. Before making a special trip, check the latest event details.

Another example is in Lorsch: the monastery is home to one of the best-preserved Carolingian buildings north of the Alps. The monastery was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991. The examples of Heppenheim and Lorsch broaden the picture of the Bergstraße to include wine and cultural heritage.

Discover more destinations: Lautern, Gadernheim, Bürstadt, Viernheim, Einhausen, Lindenfels, Neckarsteinach, Lorsch.

Back to the wider travel overview: Bergstraße.