Steinwiesen – Forest, Panoramic Views and the Rodach Valley

Panoramic views from Birnbaum Tower

Birnbaum Water and Observation Tower stands on a treeless ridge near Birnbaum, a district of Steinwiesen. The tower is 32 metres tall and stands at an elevation of 610 metres. From the observation platform, the panoramic view takes in the heights of the Franconian Forest, the Thuringian Forest and the Fichtel Mountains; on a clear day, you can see as far as the Main Valley. The tower offers a clear contrast to the trails that pass through the forested municipality: here, the view itself is the highlight of the outing.

Forest trails and a paved circuit

Steinwiesen has numerous well-marked hiking trails that are scenic and challenging. Many developed hiking and cycling trails add to the range of options. If you are looking for a challenge on active days, these hiking trails can help guide your choice; make sure the difficulty of each route suits your plans.

Another option for an outing lies nearby: the circular route along the Ködeltalsperre reservoir is paved throughout and is suitable for cycling and skating, as well as for wheelchair users and pushchairs. This gives you different ways to spend time outdoors side by side: challenging hiking trails in Steinwiesen and a paved circuit at the nearby reservoir. Check the route conditions in advance if they are important to your plans.

Outdoor pool or sauna

Steinwiesen outdoor pool has a sunbathing lawn, a kiosk and a beach volleyball court. During the summer months, a heated swimming pool and a non-swimmer pool are available. As both the facilities and seasonal opening are important for a visit, check the current conditions with the operator in advance.

Steinwiesen Erlebnisbad has several saunas: an indoor herbal sauna, as well as an outdoor Finnish log-cabin sauna with a relaxation room, a barrel sauna, a sauna cube and a bio sauna. This offers a different kind of experience from a day at the outdoor pool in summer. For current information on facility availability, it is advisable to contact the operator.

The Rodach Valley Railway and a construction project on the Rodach

The Rodach Valley Railway offers a historic locomotive and carriages for a trip between Steinwiesen and Nordhalben. If you would like to include the ride in your plans, check the current operating days with the operator. This lets you distinguish the train ride from the trails and viewpoints that are available independently of the railway.

The Erlebnisweg an der Rodach (Rodach Adventure Trail) is also part of Steinwiesen’s future development: construction work has officially begun, and completion of the overall project is planned for mid-2027. The planned date refers to the overall project.

Steinwiesen within the wider Kronach destination

The wider Kronach destination encompasses a broader range of landscapes. The larger northeastern part of Kronach district extends into the Franconian Forest, a gently rounded, densely forested upland range with many valleys at elevations of around 500 to just over 700 metres. The rest of the district lies in the northern part of the Upper Main Hills. This area slopes down to the southwest to around 300 to 500 metres and has a varied relief with escarpments and terraces.

Cultural attractions also add their own distinctive character to the wider Kronach destination. Rosenberg Fortress brings together medieval, Renaissance and Baroque defensive architecture; the oldest surviving document to mention the name Rosenberg dates from 1249. The Franconian Gallery presents 220 masterpieces of painting and sculpture from the Late Gothic and Renaissance periods in Franconia, across 1,000 square metres. This extends the focus beyond Steinwiesen’s forest and water attractions to include landscape and culture across the wider Kronach destination.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Tettau, Wallenfels, Stockheim in Upper Franconia, Tschirn, Ludwigsstadt, Teuschnitz, Weißenbrunn and Nordhalben.

Back to the main travel overview: Kronach.