Hayingen: Wimsener Cave, Hiking Trails and History
Accommodation in Hayingen
Hayingen combines nature experiences, circular hiking trails and history. A boat trip through Wimsener Cave, trails with destinations such as Maisenburg and Digelfeld, and the Old Hospital in the historic town center give your stay a range of different highlights. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can first consider whether a cave tour, outdoor activities or the town’s history is more important for your trip.
Das Naturtheater Hayingen bietet seit 1949 Volkstheater auf einer reizvollen Bühne mitten im Wald nahe Hayingen auf der Schwäbischen Alb.
Photo: Dr. Eugen Lehle via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
By boat through Wimsener Cave
Wimsener Cave is Germany’s only water-filled cave that can be explored by boat. During the boat trip, the boatman tells stories. The trip thus combines the cave’s distinctive natural setting with storytelling. If you would like to combine a nature experience and stories in one outing, this is a specific activity to consider. Check the current boat trip times when planning your visit.
Hiking with a variety of destinations
The premium hiking trail “hochgehschätzt” is the Hayingen–Glastal route and is listed as 9.2 km long. The route authority may adjust the length, so check the current information before setting out. Two published circular hiking trails also start in Hayingen and offer different highlights. One passes through Maisenburg and allows for a detour to castle ruins. The second runs through the “Digelfeld” juniper heath. You can choose based on the kind of scenery you are looking for: Maisenburg, with the option of a detour to the ruins, or a loop through the heath. Check route conditions before setting out.
Local history and culture
The Old Hospital is one of the noteworthy buildings in Hayingen’s historic town center. Schweikhard von Gundelfingen founded it in 1536, giving the building a specific historical reference point. From July 5 to August 30, 2026, the Hayingen Town Nature Theater presented the family musical “Herz aus Stoi.” If you plan to visit outside this period, check the performance dates then in effect. The town festival in the center of Hayingen was also held for the 41st time in 2026.
Seasonal water activities
According to Naturerlebnis Hayingen, visitors can go canoeing and boating in the area around the Große Lauter on a seasonal basis. This adds a water activity to the hiking options, and its operating period should be taken into account when planning. Check in advance when canoe and boat trips are offered.
Exploring the wider Reutlingen travel destination
Other places in the wider Reutlingen travel destination offer their own cultural and nature-related highlights. In Zwiefalten, the Minster of Our Lady is the focal point of the historic monastery and pilgrimage town and is one of the most significant examples of German-influenced late Baroque architecture. Concerts are held in the minster every year; dates vary. Lichtenstein Castle was built between 1840 and 1842 on the foundations of an older knights’ castle. From there, the Hochgehträumt circular hiking trail follows impressive scenic cliffs directly to Nebelhöhle Cave.
In Münsingen, the Swabian Alb Biosphere Center uses interactive exhibits as well as audio and video features to share information about the nature, landscape and people of the biosphere area. The town museum in the Old Castle presents the history and culture of the Münsinger Alb. These destinations broaden the range of culture, hiking and nature interpretation in the wider Reutlingen travel destination without replacing the experiences in Hayingen.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Römerstein, Lichtenstein, Engstingen, Reutlingen, Sankt Johann, Riederich, Grafenberg, Eningen Unter Achalm.
Back to the wider travel overview: Reutlingen.
