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Germany

Bavaria

Upper Franconia

Franconian Switzerland

Forchheim

Gößweinstein

Esper Cave – Gößweinstein Rock Trail loop from Gößweinstein

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Germany

Bavaria

Upper Franconia

Franconian Switzerland

Forchheim

Gößweinstein

Esper Cave – Gößweinstein Rock Trail loop from Gößweinstein

Moderate

4.7

(505)

1,631

hikers

Esper Cave – Gößweinstein Rock Trail loop from Gößweinstein

03:20

11.6km

280m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 8, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Naturpark Fränkische Schweiz - Frankenjura

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

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22 m

Cliffside Trail and Viewpoint in Franconian Switzerland – Franconian Jura Nature Park

Highlight (Segment) • Viewpoint

A shady walk in the valley is always a good alternative to at least escape the heat of summer

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538 m

Gößweinstein Castle

Highlight • Castle

One of the oldest castles in Franconian Switzerland. The exact year of construction is uncertain as there are no detailed written reports or investigations. Count Gozwin expanded Gößweinstein Castle into a fortress before 1062. In a written message from Bamberg Cathedral Dean Poppo to Bishop Gunther from 1062 it says “his stone (=fortress) was built with the greatest effort”. During this time, Counts Gozwin and Hermann von Habsberg fought a devastating feud.

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4.83 km

Esper Cave

Highlight • Cave

Even before you reach the cave entrance, you can feel in summer the much cooler air that flows from the cave. In the summer months, the cave is walkable and definitely worth a visit. Information boards provide information about the cave and its exploration. The most dangerous places are secured by grates, but the shafts are up to 20 meters deep - therefore it is essential to leash the dog.

From Wikipedia: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperh%C3%Bhle

The cave was first explored in the 18th century by the pastor Johann Friedrich Esper, after whom it is named, until its end.

In the cave, now classified as a Bodendenkmal, one could find a variety of human bones and artifacts from the Late Hallstatt and Early La Tène period, so there is a burial place or place of sacrifice suspected; the finds are in the Natural History Museum Nuremberg.

The cave ruin consists of caves, burglaries and side rooms. The most interesting part of the cave is a 22-meter-deep shaft, which can only be accessed by means of a rope technique. At the bottom of the so-called Klingloch are several pools with continuous stalactites (stalagmites) in the cave wall. There are small side chambers in which one can climb and from which one comes out in the Klingloch, two meters higher.

The cave was used by the residents for a long time to store ice. The front cave parts are relatively easily accessible and are deep. In the cool cave, a layer of cold air formed by the deposit on the ground, which preserved the ice into August.

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4.99 km

Grotto near the Esperhöhle

Highlight • Cave

Near the Esper cave lies this small grotto with its large arches. You should definitely go here, if you are at the Esper cave.

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7.34 km

Hydraulic Ram at Burggaillenreuth Spring

Highlight • Monument

Here you can take a short break and fill your bottle. The water bubbles from the Burggaillenreuther spring and can be drunk without hesitation.

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9.94 km

Wiesent River

Highlight • River

The Wiesent winds its way through Franconian Switzerland for 81 kilometers. You can follow the course of the river on varied paths from the source to the mouth.

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10.6 km

Stempfermühle

Highlight • Natural Monument

The Stempfermühle is located in Wiesenttal, on the B470 between Behringersmühle and Muggendorf. The Stempfermühl spring of the same name is one of the strongest karst springs in Franconian Switzerland. Its water flows into the nearby Wiesent and operated the Stempfermühle until the 1920s.

The Stempfermühlquelle is the starting point for outdoor activities such as canoeing, hiking, Nordic walking and cycling. There is also a stop for the museum railway, which runs between Ebermannstadt and Behringersmühle from May to October. You can find more information here: stempfermuehle.de

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11.1 km

Gößweinstein Rock Trail

Highlight • Trail

Short, but beautiful climb below the castle Gößweinstein. The path leads partly over wooden stairs and can therefore be handled well.

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11.6 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

6.26 km

3.10 km

1.34 km

811 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

3.44 km

3.38 km

3.28 km

727 m

621 m

110 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (480 m)

Lowest point (330 m)

Weather

Friday 21 August

18°C

11°C

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Comments

May 12, 2025,Fränkische Schweiz: Gößweinstein - Esperhöhle - BurgGaillenreuth

The pretty pilgrimage town of Gößweinstein, with its castle high above the town and its large basilica, is truly impressive.

From there, we went to the Esperhöhle, a cavern that is quite remote and therefore not so well known; then on to Burggaillenreuth.

Showing Translation

October 6, 2022,5. Tag Basilika u.Burg Gößweinstein über Felsensteig

Today again a day tour in the Franconian Switzerland. The starting point was the hiking car park on the outskirts of Burggaillenreuth. From there through the autumnal colored deciduous forest on the Schlossbergwand to the Esper cave and on to Gößweinstein. Via the Felsensteig down into the Wiesenttal and back to the starting point. Follow the signs to the restaurant …

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September 8, 2024,Gößweinstein Tag 3 - Durchs Wiesenttal zur Esperhöhle

On Sundays, the historic steam train dampfbahn.net runs through the Wiesenttal from Ebermannstadt to Behringersmühle and then back again.

Therefore, we wanted to hike through the Wiesenttal to take a look at this historic train. Before Burggailenreuth, we left the Wisenttal to hike towards Esperhöhle.

Showing Translation

September 29, 2024,166. Esperhöhle – Felsensteig Runde von Behringersmühle

Hello everyone,
before the bad weather comes, we enjoyed the beautiful weather again today with a great hike. Today we went to Gössweinstein in the Forchheim district. The first few kilometers were more of a leisurely hike, but that quickly changed 😅. In addition to the grotto and the Esperhöhle, the Felsensteig was waiting at the end. Unfortunately, this was …

Showing Translation

August 18, 2024,Moostreppen - Esperhöhle – Martinswand - Felsensteig - Sachsenmühle

A beautiful tour in the heart of Franconia with great highlights

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September 26, 2021,Gößweinstein zur Esperhöhle

Nice tour from Gößweinstein to Burggailenreuth. We follow the blue vertical line from the parking lot in Gößweinstein to Burgailenreuth. The route is very well marked. There break in the inn of the same name. Very nicely located. A bit of confusion afterwards because the planned route is just a big hole. But the very beautiful beer garden quickly gets …

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February 6, 2022,Burggaillenreuth/Wiesent/Gößweinstein/Leutzdorf/Burggaillenreuth

Beautiful mountain trail from the Stempfermühle up to Gößweinstein

Showing Translation

November 11, 2023,Fel💲en💲teℹ️g – E💲🅿️e®️höhle 🍂🍃🍁

Off to the Franconian🍁🍂
Over the Felsensteig to Gössweinstein Castle, then through the town along the Franz Josef Kaiser Weg to the Esperhöhle and then to the Celtic Wall .....wonderful autumn impressions. Due to the light rain 🌧 it was quite slippery at times

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Esper Cave – Gößweinstein Rock Trail loop from Gößweinstein

Cliffside Trail and Viewpoint in Franconian Switzerland – Franconian Jura Nature Park

Gößweinstein Castle

Esper Cave

Grotto near the Esperhöhle

Hydraulic Ram at Burggaillenreuth Spring

Wiesent River

Stempfermühle

Gößweinstein Rock Trail

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