View of Josephskreuz – Josephskreuz Observation Tower loop from Großer Auerberg

Hiking trails & Routes

Harz Mountains

Mansfeld-Südharz

Südharz

View of Josephskreuz – Josephskreuz Observation Tower loop from Großer Auerberg

Easy

4.7

(274)

1,128

hikers

View of Josephskreuz – Josephskreuz Observation Tower loop from Großer Auerberg

00:54

3.15km

80m

Hiking

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: October 1, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Biosphärenreservat Karstlandschaft Südharz

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

1.14 km

View of Josephskreuz

Highlight • Viewpoint

The view of the country from here is beautiful, but unfortunately it costs money.

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1.25 km

Folk Song Rest

Highlight • Trail

A cool feature on the way to St. Joseph's Cross is the display of folk songs.

A bench next to each song invites you to practice. 🎼🤗

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1.40 km

View of the Brocken

Highlight • Viewpoint

If you want to take something positive out of the dying trees, it is the clear view. 🥴.
The bench is in a good position here to get a peaceful view of the Brocken and Wurmberg.

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1.47 km

Josephskreuz on the Great Auerberg

Highlight • Monument

The Joseph Cross is a must in the south-eastern Harz. It stands on Josephshöhe and is, so to speak, a piece of Paris in the Harz Mountains. The Joseph Cross …

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1.54 km

Bergstüb'l Josephskreuz (Josephskreuz Mountain Inn)

Highlight • Restaurant

Nice family-run restaurant for in-between refreshments. Located right next to the Josephskreuz. Don't forget to stamp for the HWN!

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1.60 km

Josephskreuz Observation Tower

Highlight • Monument

Wonderful view of the Harz. The HWN stamping point is also located here.

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2.30 km

View of the Brocken

Highlight • Viewpoint

This is a great rest area.

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3.09 km

Auerberg Trailhead Parking

Highlight • Parking

There is a spacious and above all free hiking car park here, which is the starting point for the ascent to Josephshöhe with the Josephskreuz.

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3.15 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

3.09 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

2.88 km

246 m

Elevation

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

Highest point (580 m)

Lowest point (500 m)

Weather

Saturday 10 October

11°C

6°C

56 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 25.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

May 29, 2022,Harz: Wanderung zur Josephshöhe (HWN 215)

From the car park to the Joseph's Cross. Short tour on an asphalt path with an impressive rest area. An entrance fee is required to access the tower.

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November 16, 2021,Wanderung Auf zum Joseph's Kreuz

Today we went to the Joseph Cross. In various places, signs invited people to sing 🤣. I only knew a song about it. Once at the top, the Joseph Cross was wrapped in fog. Still high and looked at the view in the fog 🙃.

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June 21, 2022,Wanderung

Hike to the Josephskreuz near Stolberg am Auerberg

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June 29, 2022,Zum Josephskreuz (HWN 215)

I finally have the stamp collection booklet for the Harzer Wandernadel. Starting today, my arm will no longer be stamped and I can take a shower again 🥳

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March 16, 2025,HWN 215

After a delicious breakfast in the holiday apartment, I set off on a tour with my daughter and her dog. We completed a total of seven "hikes" to check out all the stamping points in a specific area.
This was my second tour, and most of the stamping points were nothing new to me, as I'm working on my second …

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October 25, 2024,🍁Josefs🏯höhe🍂

Getting to Auerberg and parking without any problems. A tough path up to the Josefskreuz. My first impression - is that from Eiffel? And indeed, the Eiffel Tower was the model. I didn't feel like climbing up, the ticket costs €4. Especially as the weather was hazy and there were plenty of views from the road on the way back. …

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April 2, 2024,Harzer Wandernadel Josephskreuz

A little bit of this, a little bit of that. A small holiday with the family, combined with geocaching, tower climbing and wind-defying. There was enough parking at the starting point, the restaurant at the top of the cross was closed, but the tower was open. For a small fee we could see the Kyffhäuser in the south and the …

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