Hiking in the Taunus with children goes particularly well on the Wichtelweg. The route combines fantastic vantage points with exciting stories along the way, making it perfect for families. A free Wichtel fairy tale podcast can get you in the right mood for the hike while you’re still on the trail.
Anyone who goes hiking with children knows that the experience of nature alone can’t entice the little ones. To avoid boredom or even a bad mood on a hike, there always has to be something along the way. The Wichtelweg in the Taunus offers the perfect solution: in addition to varied nature, there are always wooden carved gnomes with little stories waiting to be discovered.
The perfect hike in the Taunus for children: The Wichtelweg
The Wichtelweg is a circular trail around the community of Schmitten in the Taunus. With a length of just under 11 kilometers, it leads over green meadow paths, along the still tranquil Weil River here and through relaxing forests in the middle of the Taunus Nature Park.
The well-maintained and signposted trail (simply follow the Wichtel markings) leads with moderate inclines past lovingly carved Wichtels. There are four information boards about the hiking route and about the flyer for the tour from the tourist information (link just in German), as well as online, even the matching podcast for the hike. There is also a playground on the route.
Reading tip: How to motivate kids to hike
The hiking route
The starting point of the hike is the Felsenkirche in Schmitten. If you arrive by car, the search for a parking lot can be a bit tricky, since the village is not very large. The Rewe (supermarket) parking lot is a good place to start. From there, you first head up to Wiegerfelsen – a rocky outcrop that offers the first beautiful view. By the way, it is named after the doctor Dr. Wieger, who recognized the good air quality of the village more than 100 years ago and promoted the designation of Schmitten as a climatic health resort.
After that, head towards the public swimming pool and then to the Bärenfichtenweiher pond. Then you hike back towards Schmitten, but go around the outside of the village and arrive at a picnic area. From there you walk steadily uphill towards Dorfweil. Next, continue south – to the opposite side of the Schellenberg until you reach the highest point of the hike. Here there is a panoramic picture frame that invites you to take snapshots.
From now on, it’s only a leisurely downhill, so you can enjoy the beautiful landscape once again on the way back to the Felsenkirche.
A flyer from the Taunus tourist information office offers a map and additional information (just in German).
Refreshment stops on the Wichtelweg
There are several possibilities for refreshments and restrooms along the Wichtelweg:
- Kurhaus Ochs, Kanonenstraße 6 in the Schmitten district (starting and ending point).
- Bistro at the public swimming pool, Wiegerstraße in the district of Schmitten
- Mühlenbäcker at the REWE (supermarket), Seelenberger Str. 1 in the district of Schmitten
- Haus Wilina, Weihergrundstr. 2, in the district of Dorfweil
Summer tip: If you pack a bathing suit, you can cool off after the hike on the Wichtelweg in the Schmitten open-air pool (link just in German).
Hiking in the Taunus
The Taunus is ideal for hiking – 210 hiking trails with a length of almost 1200 kilometers in various difficulties can be explored by hiking enthusiasts here. The Taunus Nature Park stretches from the Wetterau in the east to the Idsteiner Senke in the west. It is bordered by the Lahn River in the north and the Main River in the south.
A whole ring of natural and healing springs surrounds the Taunus Nature Park. In its center there is also the main ridge of the Taunus Mountains. For history buffs, the Limes might be a special highlight. The UNESCO World Heritage Site runs from west to east through the entire nature park – including along the famous Roman fort of Saalburg.
For hiking, the Taunus Nature Park offers countless opportunities, especially in summer. With the Schinderhannes Steig (link just in German) and the Limeserlebnispfad Taunus (link just in German), there are two quality trails of the German Hiking Association in the area.
About 100 parking lots for hikers, often located at intersections of important hiking trails, facilitate the entry into the hiking area Taunus.
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