Discover trails, winter routes and chapels in Philippsreut
Accommodation in Philippsreut
In Philippsreut, hiking and pilgrimage trails, chapel destinations and clearly described winter routes come together. This gives you a selection for planning your trip based on your interests: long-distance hiking, pilgrimage, themed hikes, cross-country skiing or winter walking. The differences can help you decide what to focus on during your stay and which holiday apartment to choose.
Baumwipfelpfad im Bayerischen Wald als regionales Naturausflugsziel
Photo: PantheraLeo1359531 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hiking trails with different focuses
The Goldsteig, the European long-distance trail E6 and the Via Nova pilgrimage trail pass through the municipality of Philippsreut. The E6 is explicitly described as a long-distance hiking trail, while the Via Nova is a pilgrimage trail. By contrast, the themed hiking trail “Chapel Trail” links the Haidel communities of Hinterschmiding, Grainet, Philippsreut, Haidmühle and Neureichenau. Its route through several municipalities gives the choice of trail its own thematic framework. When choosing where to stay, you can weigh up whether to focus on one of the routes passing through Philippsreut or on the Chapel Trail.
Chapels in Philippsreut and Alpe
A faithful replica of the Tusset pilgrimage chapel has stood in Philippsreut since 1985. The Bruder Konrad Chapel is located in the hamlet of Alpe, the highest settlement in the municipality. The two chapels therefore have different connections to place: one is a replica of a pilgrimage chapel, while the other is a chapel in Alpe. If you would like to include cultural destinations in your trip planning alongside the trails, these are two specific places to visit in the municipality.
Cross-country skiing and winter walking
The Philippsreut classic cross-country skiing loop is of moderate difficulty and five kilometres long. It runs through the forest and across the scenic high plateau of Zwerchörter and Hausörter. Whether the trail is groomed depends on snowfall and conditions. In addition, the groomed “Golden Trail” winter walking path runs from Philippsreut to the border crossing. The two routes offer different experiences: the cross-country skiing loop has a specified length, difficulty and technique, while the border crossing is the destination of the winter walking trail. Before setting out, check snow conditions and trail conditions.
Freyung-Grafenau as a regional context
Within the wider destination of Freyung-Grafenau, the Bavarian Forest National Park extends into Freyung-Grafenau district. It opened on 7 October 1970 as Germany’s first national park. According to the 2024 zoning plan, 75.37 percent of its area belongs to the natural zones. This information adds a distinct regional nature focus to the local trails and chapel destinations.
The Buchberger Leite is also part of the wider destination of Freyung-Grafenau. In the wild-stream gorge, steep rock barriers force the boulder- and cascade-filled Wolfsteiner Ohe into a deeply constricted channel; remnants of primeval forest have survived in the moss- and fern-rich gorge woodlands. An eight-kilometre themed hiking trail, with information boards and an accompanying brochure, runs through the Buchberger Leite between Freyung and Ringelai. Historic timber-floating walls, tunnels cut into the rock and above-ground canals bear witness to centuries of human activity there.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Hinterschmiding, Mauth, Röhrnbach, Ringelai, Sankt Oswald-Riedlhütte, Perlesreut, Grainet, Zenting.
Go to the wider travel overview: Freyung-Grafenau.
