The Alemannenweg - hiking in the Odenwald

Hiking Collection by Odenwald

days

5-7 h

/ day

95.0 mi

12,475 ft

12,400 ft

There are many ways to hike in Odenwald and along the Bergstrasse, but a long-distance hiking trail lets you really get to know the region’s landscape, culture and history. This Collection guides you along the Alemannenweg, a stunning trail through the area. You will get to know the region in seven stages: the 90 mile (144 km) stretch takes you to the most beautiful places in the Odenwald and Bergstrasse.

Named after the West Germanic tribe that once fought here against the Romans, the Alemannenweg winds its way through green mountain ranges. Erbach Castle is the starting point of the trial, which gives you a taste of the historical treasures to come. You will hike in a wide loop to Fuerstenau Castle in Michelstadt, discovering silent forests, rolling hills and mysterious ruins along the way.

The Alemannenweg leads you up and down hills, through idyllic valleys and over wooded slopes. In between, you will find romantic villages and towns with typical half-timbered houses. You don't have to worry about your hunger pangs - you will find traditional restaurants and inns along the hiking trail. Each individual stage ends in a place with a good selection of hotels and guesthouses or directly at overnight accommodation. You can easily reach the Alemannenweg starting or ending point in Erbach and Michelstadt from Frankfurt with the Odenwaldbahn. You can find more information about the timetables at odenwaldmobil.de and rmv.de/c/de/start.

In addition to the Alemannenweg, the Odenwald region also offers other exciting day routes and long-distance hiking trails. On the Nibelungenweg, for example, you can hike in the footsteps of knights and counts from Zwingenberg to Freudenberg am Main. The Burgensteig takes you along the Bergstrasse to thirty castles and palaces between Darmstadt and Heidelberg.

You can find inspiration for your next hiking adventure here:
komoot.de/collection/893328/auf-ritterlichen-spuren-9-etappen-auf-dem-burgensteig-bergstrasse, komoot.de/collection/893330/einfach-sagenhaft-7-etappen-auf-dem-nibelungensteig, komoot.de/collection/893269/wein-weitsicht-welterbe-wandern-im-odenwald-und-an-der-bergstrasse.

On The Map

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Alemannenweg Odenwald

90.4 mi

11,200 ft

11,250 ft

Last updated: November 17, 2021

Plan your own version of this adventure in the multi-day planner based on the stages suggested in this Collection.

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Tours & Highlights

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Etappe 1: Von Erbach nach Reichelsheim – Alemannenweg
06:44
14.7 mi
2.2 mph
1,775 ft
1,800 ft
Expert
Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
The stately Erbach castle with its castle garden is the starting point of your seven-day hike and gives you a foretaste of the numerous historic buildings along the Alemannenweg. You leave the county town to the west and follow the course of the Roßbächleins. In the idyllic Brudergrund you will pass…
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Etappe 2: Von Reichelsheim ins Lautertal – Alemannenweg
07:14
15.5 mi
2.1 mph
2,300 ft
1,525 ft
Expert
Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Rested, you start the second stage in Reichelsheim. Over forested heights and wide meadows you reach the ruin Rodenstein. Legend has it that a ghost army rages around the castle ruins. If you listen carefully, you can hear a mystical noise among the trees.

After exploring the Ruin Rodenstein you walk…
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Etappe 3: Vom Lautertal nach Zwingenberg – Alemannenweg
06:07
12.5 mi
2.0 mph
1,725 ft
2,700 ft
Expert
Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
The third leg of the Alemannenweg leads you from the Kuralpe up to the Felsberg. Since 1901, there is the remarkable Ohly Tower, from which your gaze wanders over the beautiful mixed forest to Frankfurt. On the descent from the 515-meter-high Felsberg you pass the impressive sea of rocks: Huge, massive…
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Etappe 4: Von Zwingenberg zur Burg Frankenstein – Alemannenweg
05:34
11.3 mi
2.0 mph
2,425 ft
1,525 ft
Expert
Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Two castles and two castles await you on the fourth stage and make this section one of the most beautiful of the Alemán's way. The start is made by the Alsbacher Schloss, which towers high above the town of the same name. The restored Burgfried deserves special attention, from which you have a fantastic…
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Etappe 5: Von der Burg Frankenstein ins Fischbachtal – Alemannenweg
05:43
12.5 mi
2.2 mph
1,275 ft
1,900 ft
Expert
Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
From Frankenstein Castle on the fifth day, you can comfortably hike uphill and downhill to the Fischbachtal. The route is characterized by the gently rolling landscape of the Odenwald. At the foot of the Langenberg, cross the rippling Beerbach and follow the path further east. In alternation you walk…
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Etappe 6: Vom Fischbachtal nach Höchst im Odenwald – Alemannenweg
07:00
15.3 mi
2.2 mph
2,000 ft
1,475 ft
Expert
Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Stage Six starts in Niedernhausen in the Fischbachtal. You leave the village via the Teichäcker and walk along the course of the Nonroder stream. In the forest, it goes steadily uphill and our route takes you to the hiking car park Heilsruhe, where a refuge is available for a rest. Here you can enjoy…
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Etappe 7: Von Höchst im Odenwald nach Michelstadt – Alemannenweg
05:52
13.2 mi
2.3 mph
1,000 ft
1,500 ft
Expert
Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
The last leg of the Alemannenweg starts with a wonderful panoramic view from the Hassenrother Höhe. Through quiet forests and colorful fields you walk south. At the oven mountain, you descend into the valley to climb up the other side of the bird's stove. This section will let you experience the hilly…
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