Oehrenstock: Forest, Water and Ski Touring Trails
Accommodation in Oehrenstock
Oehrenstock lies in the Thuringian Forest at an altitude of about 575 metres. The Oehre, a tributary of the Schorte, flows through the village; to the south of Oehrenstock rises Kienberg, at 774 metres. The village’s elevation, the stream running through it and the mountain to the south provide concrete points of reference in the landscape. For trip planning, these offer different impressions side by side: the Oehre within the village and Kienberg at a higher elevation to the south.
Local history with an early historical reference
Oehrenstock was first mentioned in 1311. This date adds a historical perspective to the landscape features. If you want to understand a place not only through its routes and surroundings but also through its history, this gives you a specific point of reference in time.
Compare ski touring trails by length and route
Three named ski touring trails offer different distances and routes. They all start at the Oehrenstock sports ground, but lead to different waypoints and destinations. The details help you compare the tours by length and the places named along the way:
- Oehrenstock Ski Touring Trail I is 8.7 kilometres long. It runs from the Oehrenstock sports ground to Carl-Marien-Höhe in Gehren and back.
- Oehrenstock Ski Touring Trail III is 9.5 kilometres long. From the sports ground, it runs via Hochzeitswiese and Erhardstanne, around Pferdeberg to Keynhaus, and back to Erhardstanne.
- Oehrenstock Ski Touring Trail IV is 16.8 kilometres long. It runs from the sports ground via Hochzeitswiese, Ehrhardstanne, Keynhaus and Roter Stein to Dreiherrnstein and back.
Route I is the shortest of the three trails listed, and Route IV the longest; Route III is in between. The routes differ not only in length but also in the sequence of named points: the first leads to Carl-Marien-Höhe, while the others describe routes passing several other places and high points. This lets you compare the details without relying on distance alone. Before a winter tour, it is advisable to check current snow and trail conditions.
More topics in the wider Ilmenau destination area
The wider Ilmenau destination area offers other landscape and cultural highlights. Kickelhahn is Ilmenau’s local mountain and stands 861 metres high; its 21-metre observation tower is one of the town’s landmarks. The 20-kilometre Goethewanderweg connects places associated with Goethe from Ilmenau to Stützerbach. These offer two distinct focal points: Kickelhahn and its observation tower, and a longer route linking places associated with Goethe.
The Münzkeller is right next to the Alte Münze and offers a glimpse into the 16th century. The Bergmannskapelle is located on the Sturmheide, in the middle of the former Ilmenau copper and silver mining district and below the spoil heap of the former “Gottes Gabe” mine shaft. It houses an exhibition on Ilmenau’s copper shale mining. For active days on holiday, three different trails in the Lindenberg Trail Park are open to mountain bikers; check current local information before setting out.
Choose Oehrenstock or Ilmenau as your main focus
When looking for a holiday apartment, you can start by deciding which themes will shape your stay. If Oehrenstock’s forest setting, the Oehre and the ski touring trails described here are your main interests, focus your search on Oehrenstock. If Kickelhahn, the Goethewanderweg or Ilmenau’s cultural sites are what matter most, include Ilmenau as a separate destination and search area.
Go to the wider travel overview: Langewiesen.
