© HA Hessen Tourismus, Roman Knie© HA Hessen Tourismus, Roman KnieOnly half an hour from Frankfurt by train, the Taunus mountains are a popular destination among nature lovers and hikers. With trails surrounded by forests, meadows and fields, the steep slopes and sunny valleys of the low mountain range ensure you’ll never get bored. At 880m, the Großer Feldberg, the Taunus’ highest mountain, offers panoramic views across the region. There are varied highlights along the route, however, from the Roman walls and watchtowers that made up part of the former external frontier of the Roman Empire, to the spectacular cliffs at Esbach.
The 750km Limes Trail, one of Europe’s most important cultural hiking trails, passes through four of Germany’s federal states. If you’re looking to hike a shorter stretch of the route, opt for the 30km section between Glashütte and Ober-Mörlen, known as the Upper Taunus Limes Experience Trail. A largely forested route, it takes in some extraordinary cultural sites en route, including the Saalburg, the world’s only reconstructed Roman fort, which forms part of the Limes UNESCO World Heritage site.
© Taunus Touristik Service eV.
The circular 184km Schinderhannes Trail is named after a legendary outlaw from the 1800s who roamed Taunus with a band of robbers. It begins and ends in Kelkheim, right on Frankfurt’s doorstep. The 38km-long Taunus Schinderhannes Trail portion runs from Kelkheim to Weilrod, leading hikers through forests and meadows over the Taunus Causeway, past historical highlights such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site Limes and Eppstein Castle. There are plenty of panoramic views to enjoy along this route, but the views from the 663km high Pferdskopf mountain, toward the end of the route, are spectacular.
For further information on hiking in the Taunus visit Taunus.info (PDF).