A Perfect Walk Through the Woods at Luisenburg
Since I was a child, I’ve loved big rocks! Boulders and exposed bedrock have such a magical quality. Toss in the mystery of a labyrinth and you really can’t go wrong. Luisenburg Rock Labyrinth is a park in northern Bavaria that brings out the child in everyone. A walking path takes you past, up and down, and through huge granite rocks, where you climb, squeeze through narrow passageways, and enjoy the fresh air.
In good German fashion, there are clearly marked routes, a blue path and a red path. The blue is the ascending path taking you eventually to the highest point in the park, 785 meters above sea level. The view you are treated to is breath-taking, and there is a small gazebo if you want to rest and have a cup of coffee from your thermos or even a small snack.
As you come back down (via the red trail) you can see many more rocks towering above and around you. These formations came about millions of years ago and the cracks and holes were filled with hot lava. Over the past millennia, then, weather and wind, eroded the rocks to the massive jumble you see today.
The walk takes about one and a half hours, and can be extended if you’d like into a full day of hiking and enjoying the great outdoors. The fairy tale nature of the rock formations, the light peeking through the trees, and the hidden clefts and crevices make this a very romantic and popular place.
People have been enjoying the Luisenburg Rock Labyrinth for many years. From 1790, the wealthy would make their way to the park, where they had to stoop to enter into this rocky world. This is something they never did, and it added to the green allure of the park. In 1805 Dr. Johann Georg Schmidt took the area on as a personal project and started shaping the park into a landscape garden. After his death, his sons carried on, but at some point the wildness of the area is what most people were attracted to and other than the metal steps (for safety) and maintaining the paths, the park is left to nature.
Practical Information:
Cost: Because this is designed for families, there is a family cost of 9 Euros, or adults for 4 Euros, and children for 1.50 Euros.
Season and hours: The season begins at the end of March and goes sometime into the middle of November. Hours: 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM.
Tips: Germany is often wet, and the path is dirt, so no matter what time of year, you are likely to encounter some mud. Wear sturdy walking shoes, and layer for warmth. There are a few places to stop and have a picnic, but nowhere inside the park to buy a snack. There is a lot of climbing, so don’t bring a stroller.
Getting there: Really the only way to get here is to drive. It is about 45 minutes north of Grafenwoehr and 2.5 hours north of Munich. Take the Marktredwitz-Nord exit 13 off A93 onto the B303 heading west for about 10 km.
Wouldn’t you like to release your inner kid and hike and climb all over the Luisenburg Rock Labyrinth?
Save Luisenburg Rock Labyrinth!
Well this looks like an amazing day – and most I love the shots of all those mushroom! They just look so cute! Thanks for sharing !
Stacey, It’s a fun place if you happen to be in the vicinity!
what a beautiful place to hike! and your pictures only add more magic to your descriptions. so sad to read it is that far from Munich, it could be the perfect complement to a long WE in the capital of Bavaria
Elisa, Yes, it’s a bit far from Munich, but maybe a longer stay up north, combined with Dresden or Karlovy Vary in Czech?
I never heard of this area before, but it looks gorgeous. What a great way to spend your time…hiking through nature. It sounds like a magical place, thanks for sharing!
It was magical, and it’s so nice to discover places like this when traveling!
I love a labyrinth too! Its so much fun to explore amongst the rocks and boulders!
Vicki, The labyrinth name just comes from winding in and out of rock paths and through passages…a natural one.
The photographs are mind blowing. You didn’t just capture your surroundings, you captured the serenity it carried and the peace that it radiated. The colors of trees red yellow and green, it looks jaw droppingly beautiful
Sandy, Aw, you made my day. Thank you!
Wow your photos are incredible and really bring this place to life! I’ve never heard of this place before but it looks magical. We are also climbers and some of those boulders look like they would be great to climb!
Nic, Honestly when I used the word “climb” it was more like stairs….sorry to get your hopes up.
This looks like a beautiful area to hike. The view through the trees looks amazing. I live next to wood and grew up playing in them and I love hiking and exploring them and finding new parts you hadn’t seen before. This looks like a great area to do that.
Clare, It is! There are plenty of nooks and crannies to explore.
Looks like a place out of a wonderland. I suppose some of the credit goes to some beautiful photography too. 🙂 The umbrella mushrooms look magical.
Hi, thanks for the compliment. It is a beautiful place that captures your imagination for sure.
Beautiful photo collection! This place is amazing! My kids would be all over this place and have a hard time leaving. It’s almost someplace yu’d expect to find fairies or elves 😉
Mary, It’s a great place to spend the day, climbing, exploring, making up stories. I’m sure they’d love it.
The photos along with your story telling made me feel as if I was there. I would really enjoy taking a hike there.
Heather, Thanks; it’s a great place to spend the day.
What a beautiful area! And I actually think part of LOTR was filmed here, where the elves first meet the hobbits. I could be wrong. Magical environment though!
Rob, I don’t know about them filming, but it is photogenic enough!
Stephanie, I love to explore and bring out my inner child!
The photos are so beautiful and the place looks positively enchanting. A visually appealing read!
Gearoid, It is an amazing place to spend a few hours, especially in afternoon light.
What a beautiful place. I love the light you captured.
Thank you very much Ann!