Location
The Nibelungensteig is a 130 kilometer linear trail which passes through three states in southwestern Germany: Hesse (Hessen), Bavaria (Bayern) and Baden-Württemberg. The trail has a total elevation change of 4,000 meters and, for the most part, it follows natural (non-paved) paths.
The traditional start of the Nibelungensteig is in the west on the Hessen Bergstrasse, in the town of Zwingenberg. It ends in Freudenberg, a town in Baden-Württemberg on the Main river. There is a feeder path from the city of Worms, the capital city of the Burgundian Kingdom in the 5th century, which leads to Zwingenberg. There is also an alternative route which leads through the scenic town of Erbach on the Mümling River.
The German word‘ “steig” means “steep track”, and the trail lives up to its name, taking you over the hills and low-lying mountains of the of the Hessen Bergstrasse and the Odenwald Nature Park (officially The Geo-Naturpark Odenwald-Bergstrasse).
The nature park covers an area of approximately 2,500 square kilometers in southern Hesse and the Baden region of Baden-Württemberg, with a small portion lying in southern Franconia in Bavaria. The Odenwald is a popular tourist area known for its clean air and beautiful scenery, providing easy access from the urban areas of Frankfurt, Darmstadt and Mannheim.
TRAIL SPECIFICATIONS
Name:
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The Nibelungen Climb (der Nibelungensteig)
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Length:
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130 Kilometers
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Location:
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Odenwald Nature Park and Hessen Bergstrasse, Hessen, Germany
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Type:
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Linear
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Start:
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Zwingenberg 49° 43` 23" Nord | 08° 36` 45" Ost
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Finish:
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Freudenberg a. M. 49° 44` 31" Nord | 09° 19` 24" Ost
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Highest Point:
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575.7 meters at Seidenbuch ; Bergstrasse District, Hessen
49 ° 41 '3 " N , 8 ° 43' 50" O
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Total Elevation Changes:
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4,000 meters
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Level:
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Middle
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Season:
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Spring to Autumn
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Marking:
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Red “N” on a white background.
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