Nature park path Meurasteine in the Thuringian Forest

The rather challenging day route starts at the foot of the dam at the parking lot (+ 99 meters elevation and 0.8 km) or directly at the visitor center of the Leibis-Lichte drinking water reservoir and leads steeply uphill to Meura. Along the way, a detour to the Quelitzfelsen with a wonderful view is recommended. In the horse paddocks of the "Meure" the Haflingers graze in summer. A visit to the largest Haflinger stud farm in Europe is as worthwhile as a look into the village's baroque church. Over the steep village street lined with neat slate houses, the route leads to the impressive rock formations of the Meurasteine and their breathtaking views. Then it goes steeply downhill into the Schlagetal and along the reservoir, past wonderful viewpoints, back to the starting point. Crossing the dam, the second highest in Germany, promises pure excitement. At the dam, the visitor center of the Leibis-Lichte drinking water reservoir invites you for a short visit.

Good hiking shoes, rain protection, and sufficient provisions are indispensable on this tour.

Although the hiking trail is well marked and the places indicated, a hiking map, a GNSS device, or smartphone serve for safe orientation in the rocky terrain. The rocky paths are very slippery not only when it rains or snows. Stones can slip off or break away from the rocks. Please enter this area carefully.

The community of Unterweißbach is accessible by train and bus:

http://www.oberweissbacher-bergbahn.de/

https://www.kombus-online.eu/

At the foot of the dam is the large free visitor parking lot:

Lichtetalstraße 95, 98744 Unterweißbach (https://goo.gl/maps/5XQTi8SZSFcdNAJC8)

https://www.thueringer-fernwasser.de/talsperren/talsperren/detail/trinkwassertalsperre-leibis-lichte.html

The highlight of the tour is the Meurasteine. These rock formations are impressive geotopes. Around them, you can find fossilized traces of phycodes. They bear witness to life in the primeval sea about 470 million years ago.