Bike Tour - "Mining Route" Saalfeld-Könitz-Saalfeld - Thuringian Forest

The Bergbahnroute bike loop passes through the towns of Saalfeld, Unterwellenborn, Könitz, and Kamsdorf. The route marking shows a cyclist on brown rock with the logo "Pick and Hammer".

Along the route, you will find numerous references to the mining that gave the trail its name. This is still visible today in the variety of exposed rock types. It's not just about extracting building materials, as seen in the large-scale mine at Kamsdorf, but also about mining ore used as a metal and pigment raw material. This led to the development of the smelting industry in the region, with a significant example being the history of the Thuringia steelworks in Unterwellenborn.

The famous Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes, considered the most colorful grottos in the world, are also an impressive result of the former mining activity.

A particularly interesting starting point for your route is the visitor mine in Kamsdorf. Through two cleverly designed underground loops, you gain impressive insights into different mining periods. If you are adventurous, you can even explore the southern mining area underground over more than 500 meters by train in original crew cars.

From the visitor mine, you can continue your bike route via Eisenstraße and then via Rote-Berg-Straße towards Saalfeld.

Along the way, you will encounter many beautiful views – for example, from the "Wernburg" viewpoint into the scenic natural park area "Thuringian Slate Mountains/Upper Saale", or from the "Schwedenschanze" over the town of Saalfeld.

In Unterwellenborn-Röblitz, at Talbachweg, there is also a worthwhile view of the industrial site "Maxhütte" with the impressive industrial monument "Gas Engine Central".