Malerweg, Stage 6: From Schmilka to Kurort Gohrisch (official version by TV Sächsische Schweiz)

18.00 km long
Difficulty: medium
Condition: medium
Great panorama
Hiking

7:00 h
18.00 km
667 m
448 m
118 m
442 m
324 m
Start: Schmilka
Destination: Gohrisch Spa Town

Moderately strenuous hike, with several places to stop for refreshments

Schmilka - Elbe Ferry - Schmilka-Hirschmühle S-Bahn Station - Aschersteig - Schöna - Caspar David Friedrich Trail - Wolfsberg - Reinhardtsdorf - Krippenberg - Püschelweg - Elysiumweg - Koppelbergsweg - Liethenmühle - Alter Schulweg - Papststein - Gohrisch (Stein) - Muselweg - Gohrisch

Pavements

Unknown (7%)

Street (2%)

Asphalt (33%)

Gravel (5%)

Trail (21%)

Path (32%)

Best to visit

suitable

Depends on weather

Directions

From Schmilka, the Elbe ferry will take you to the Schmilka-Hirschmühle S-Bahn station. After about a hundred meters upstream along the Elbe, the Aschersteig trail branches off to the right; here you’ll join the Caspar David Friedrich Loop Trail. It’s worth taking a detour to the Kaiserkrone and the Zirkelstein. Follow the trail through the village to Wolfsberg, with its panoramic view, and on to Reinhardtsdorf, where a little-known treasure awaits: a church elaborately decorated in the rural Baroque style. This is where the oldest artistic depictions of Saxon Switzerland can be found! In the summer, the church is partially open. The Malerweg Elbsandsteingebirge trail then leads to the Krippenberg, following the Püschelweg*, the Elysiumweg, and the Koppelsbergweg to the Liethenmühle. Then follow the Alter Schulweg to the end and climb the two table mountains, Papststein and Gohrisch (Stein), one after the other. You’ll reach the stage’s destination, the spa town of Gohrisch, via the Muselweg.

* Tip: Immediately after the Kanigstein viewpoint, you can continue along the Caspar-David-Friedrich-Weg and visit the Bad Schandau neighborhood of Krippen, where the painter spent time and captured his experiences of nature and the landscape on paper, later using them as inspiration for his paintings. You’ll pass the boulder that is a central feature of Friedrich’s painting “Two Men Contemplating the Moon.” Once you reach the village, follow Talstraße until the ascent to Kellerfels begins on the left. Follow the “Gelber Punkt” hiking trail to Liethenmühle. This does not extend the hiking route.

GPS data updated in 2021

Tour information

Cultural Interesting
Stop at an Inn
Summit

Equipment

Sturdy footwear required

Directions & Parking facilities

Getting there

Centrally located between Dresden and Prague (50 minutes from Dresden and 1.5 hours from Prague) via the A17, taking the Pirna or Decin exit (if traveling from Prague), then continuing on the B172 toward Bad Schandau until you reach Schmilka. Ample parking for cars is available.

Parking

Parking lot - "Lumber Yard" or "Ferry"

Public transportation

Directions:

Bus line 252 (Schmilka – Bad Schandau), stop: Schmilka Border Crossing
Schmilka Ferry
S-Bahn Line S1 (Meissen – Schöna) from Schmilka-Hirschmühle
Steamboat, sightseeing boat

Departure:

Bus routes 244a (Kleingießhübel – Königstein) and 244b (Kleinhennersdorf – Bad Schandau), stop: Gohrisch Parking Lot

Additional information

Gohrisch Tourist Information: +49 (0) 35021 66166

Reinhardtsdorf-Schöna Tourist Information: +49 (0) 35028 80737

Accommodations certified as “Hiker-Friendly on the Malerweg” along Stage 6

Hiking with a dog: The loop around Gohrisch can be hiked in either direction to avoid metal ladders.

Literature

Order now for free: "Malerweg in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains" (Published by: Tourismusverband Sächsische Schweiz e.V.)

Author

Yvonne Brückner

Organization

Tourismusverband Sächsische Schweiz

Website

License (master data)

Yvonne Brückner

Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author

The restaurant on Wolfsberg is a great place to refuel before continuing your hike along the Malerweg. You can enjoy wonderful regional cuisine amid Saxon hospitality or take a break for a drink while taking in the fantastic view of Saxon Switzerland.

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