huckepack

Rennsteig

Length

Stated
169.3 km, the stated length (Regionalverbund Thüringer Wald (thueringer-wald.com, tourismus-thueringer-wald.de))
Map line
168.9 km, OpenStreetMap along the official track
Used for
The charts on this page, and comparing trails in the search

169.3km

Ascent · descent

This trail
2,690 m up, 2,439 m down
Source
The stated totals (Regionalverbund Thüringer Wald (thueringer-wald.com, tourismus-thueringer-wald.de))

2,690m ↑2,439m ↓

Difficulty

What
How hard the trail is, in three ways: the terrain, the climate in season and the length of the days
Scale
Easy to Hard, with the same thresholds for every trail; each takes its hardest measure
Keep in mind
It describes the trail, not how it will feel to you: that depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather you get
  • Terrain: ModerateClimbing: ≈ 27 m per km
  • Climate: Moderate in Sep–OctCold: 3 °C at night (October)
  • Effort: HardLongest day: ≈ 8 h 30 (stage 2)

All measures

Terrain: Moderate; Climate: Moderate in Sep–Oct; Effort: Hard
Suggested
5–10days

Per stage

How
The 8 main stages' totals over their number
Source
Regionalverbund Thüringer Wald (thueringer-wald.com, tourismus-thueringer-wald.de), so the averages come from one source
Ascent
The terrain model's estimate per stage (≈): the stages state no climbs

21.1km· about 580 m ↑
Season

Landscape

Source
ESA WorldCover satellite land cover, along the main route
  • Forest: 83%
  • Grassland and shrubs: 10%
  • Farmland and villages: 8%

Landscape along the route

Mostly Forest

Location

Country
Germany
Regions
Thuringia, Bavaria
Start
Hörschel
Finish
Blankenstein
Route type
Point to point
Travel hubs
  • Eisenach Hauptbahnhof9.6 km by road · 13 min
  • Frankfurt Airport (FRA)199.5 km by road · 123 min
Managed by
Regionalverbund Thüringer Wald e.V.Official website
Waymarking
A white R on trees, the historic signposts and wooden signs
  • Trail
  • Start
  • Stage start
  • Finish
  • Contour lines

Difficulty

Terrain

Rates
How hard is the ground to walk: the path, the climbing, the steep bits, the ground underfoot?
How
Rated over the whole main route.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Path grade
the trail's SAC grade, stated, converted or estimated
  1. EasyT1
  2. ModerateT2
  3. DemandingT3
  4. HardT4 to T6
Climbing
ascent of the main stages over their length
  1. Easyunder 15 m per km
  2. Moderate15–30 m
  3. Demanding30–50 m
  4. Hard50 m or more
Steep stretches
share of the route steeper than 15 %, up or down (terrain model)
  1. Easyunder 5 %
  2. Moderate5–15 %
  3. Demanding15–30 %
  4. Hard30 % or more
Natural ground
share on footpaths and trails (OpenStreetMap); never Hard on its own
  1. Easyunder a third
  2. Moderatea third to two thirds
  3. Demandingtwo thirds or more

Moderate

  • SAC hiking scale

    This trail
    T1 (our estimate)
    Basis
    A ridge path on forest roads, tracks and paths along the crest of the Thuringian Forest, the Thuringian Slate Mountains and the Frankenwald, well marked throughout; the Regionalverbund names the steep climb of over 550 m on stage 2 up the Großer Inselsberg, otherwise long gentle stretches, and open fields before Blankenstein. Hiking on good paths (T1).
    Scale
    The Swiss Alpine Club's hiking scale, from T1 (easy) to T6 (very hard)
    Why
    Trails rate difficulty in many local scales, or only in words; we translate each into this one so trails compare
    Keep in mind
    An estimate: how hard a trail feels depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather
    T1 · Hiking
    Well-made paths, mostly flat or gently sloping. No risk of falling; trainers are enough.
    T2 · Mountain hiking
    A continuous path, steep in places, where a fall can't be ruled out. Be sure-footed; wear hiking boots.
    T3 · Demanding mountain hiking
    The path is not always visible; exposed spots may have chains or ropes, and you may need your hands for balance.
    T4 · Alpine hiking
    Often no path. Hands are needed in places, terrain is exposed, and there can be easy snowfields.
    T5 · Demanding alpine hiking
    Mostly pathless, with easy climbing and exposed, demanding terrain. Needs alpine experience.
    T6 · Difficult alpine hiking
    Pathless, very exposed, with climbing and glaciers. For experienced mountaineers only.

    The scale at the Swiss Alpine Club

    estimated T1
  • Climbingestimated 27 m per km
  • Steep stretches2 % of the way
  • Natural ground40 %

Climate

Rates
How hot, cold, wet and windy does it get?
How
From 30 years of daily weather (ERA5), rated per month. Without months picked: the trail's best run of at least two season months, each measure at its hardest month. Pick months in the search to rate it for yours.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Heat
mean daily high at the lowest point
  1. Easyunder 22 °C
  2. Moderate22–27 °C
  3. Demanding27–32 °C
  4. Hard32 °C or more
Cold
mean nightly low at the highest point
  1. Easy8 °C or more
  2. Moderate3–8 °C
  3. Demanding−2 to 3 °C
  4. Hardbelow −2 °C
Wet days
days a month with 1 mm of rain or more, the wetter of both points
  1. Easyunder 10
  2. Moderate10–14
  3. Demanding14–18
  4. Hard18 or more
Snow
days a month with 1 cm of snow or more at the highest point
  1. Easyunder 1 day
  2. Moderate1–3 days
  3. Demanding3–6 days
  4. Hard6 days or more
Wind
mean of the day's strongest wind (hourly mean, 10 m above ground), the windier of both points
  1. Easyunder 15 km/h
  2. Moderate15–20 km/h
  3. Demanding20–25 km/h
  4. Hard25 km/h or more

Moderate in Sep–Oct

  • Heat · September19 °C by day
  • Cold · October3 °C at night
  • Wet days · October12 days
  • Snow · October1 day
  • Wind · October17 km/h

Effort

Rates
How long are the days?
How
Rated by the longest main stage; a time range counts its upper end.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Longest day
walking time of the longest main stage, stated or by DIN 33466
  1. Easyup to 4 h
  2. Moderate4–6 h
  3. Demanding6–8 h
  4. Hardmore than 8 h

Hard

  • Longest day · stage 2estimated 8 h 30

Climate

Days in season · lowest point
14–23°C
Nights in season · highest point
−0 to 10°C
Wet days a month
12–15
Daylight
10.6–16.5h
SeasonDay high and night low−10 °C0 °C10 °C20 °C30 °CWet days, at the highest point51015Daylight8.4 h9.9 h11.7 h13.7 h15.5 h16.5 h16.1 h14.5 h12.5 h10.6 h8.8 h8.0 hJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Climate by month, 1995–2024 average
MonthLowest point, day high / night low (°C)Highest point, day high / night low (°C)Wet daysSnow daysFrost nights at the highest pointDaylight (h)
January3.3 / -1.2-1.1 / -6.313.89.128.28.4
February5.2 / -0.60.6 / -5.811.57.525.49.9
March8.7 / 1.14.2 / -3.513.26.525.511.7
April13.5 / 4.28.9 / -0.111.92.414.813.7
May17.5 / 8.713 / 4.514.20.32.415.5
June21 / 12.216.5 / 813.80016.5
July22.8 / 14.218.2 / 9.914.50016.1
August22.9 / 14.218.3 / 1014.20014.5
September18.7 / 10.714.1 / 6.511.500.212.5
October13.7 / 7.39.5 / 3.2120.85.510.6
November7.8 / 3.13.5 / -1.3125.218.58.8
December4.1 / 0.2-0.3 / -4.613.78.426.68

Climate by month

Source
ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, averages for 1995–2024
Places
The trail's lowest and highest point, adjusted to their height
Bars
From the mean night low to the mean day high
Wet days
At least 1 mm of rain; snow days at least 1 cm of snow
Daylight
Sunrise to sunset in the middle of the month
Shading
The trail's season

Stages

RouteDistanceAscentDescentElevation
1Hörschel Ascherbrück19.0 km820 m ↑450 m ↓200 → 570 m
2Ascherbrück Ebertswiese25.0 km950 m ↑790 m ↓560 → 720 m
3Ebertswiese Grenzadler18.0 km450 m ↑340 m ↓730 → 840 m
4Grenzadler Allzunah20.0 km450 m ↑540 m ↓840 → 750 m
5Allzunah Friedrichshöhe24.0 km650 m ↑600 m ↓750 → 800 m
6Friedrichshöhe Spechtsbrunn23.0 km440 m ↑550 m ↓800 → 690 m
7Spechtsbrunn Brennersgrün19.0 km480 m ↑460 m ↓690 → 710 m
8Brennersgrün Blankenstein21.0 km390 m ↑680 m ↓700 → 420 m

Totals and averages count the main stages only. ≈ marks our estimates where the source gives no figure: ascent and descent and heights from the terrain model (Copernicus DEM, 30 m grid, sampled every 100 m), to the nearest 10 m.

Terrain

Highest · lowest point
976m high197m low

Gradient

Steepest climb
15 % (9°), 76 m up over 500 m, stage 3
Steepest descent
−18 % (10°), 91 m down over 500 m, stage 2
Gradient
Height per distance: 20 % is 20 m up per 100 m forward; 100 % is 45°, not 90°
Keep in mind
Averages over 500 m from a 30 m terrain model: steps and ladders within them are steeper
GradientAngleFeels like
10 %6°Noticeable on a road
20 %11°A steep path, slow going
30 %17°Very steep, often steps
100 %45°Scrambling

15% ↑−18% ↓

Steep stretches

This trail
2.4 km up, 1.4 km down: the darkest parts of the profile
Steep
15 % or more (9°, 15 m of height per 100 m), in 200 m stretches
Why it matters
Slow going uphill, hard on the knees downhill

3.8km

Surfaces

  • Natural ground: 40%, 66.7 km. Earth, grass, rock and roots: footpaths and forest trails. Can be muddy after rain.
  • Gravel: 48%, 80.2 km. Gravel, compacted and stony surfaces: mostly forest roads and farm tracks.
  • Paved: 12%, 20.8 km. Asphalt, concrete and cobbles: roads and village streets.

40% natural48% gravel12% paved
400 m800 m976 mStage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 80 km167.7 km

Terrain along the route

Heights
Copernicus terrain model, 30 m grid, every 100 m along the main route; in forests it reads the treetops
Colours
Each 200 m by its gradient in walking direction: climbs warm, descents violet, darker when steeper (to ±30 %)
Ground
The strip below, from OpenStreetMap; the 5% without a surface tag is read from the way type (footpaths natural, tracks gravel)

Landscape

Forest83%Grassland and shrubs10%Farmland and villages8%Stage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 80 km167.7 km

Landscape along the route

Source
ESA WorldCover 2021, a 10 m satellite map
Points
Every 100 m along the main route; each takes the most common class within 30 m, so the path itself doesn't count as bare ground
Groups
Its eleven classes, folded into the six shown
Keep in mind
What the landscape looks like, not which plants grow there

Sleeping

14.4 km without a bedCamping4Huts13Hostels4Rooms59Stage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 80 km167.7 km

Places to sleep along the route

Ticks
One per place to sleep: 4 campsites, 13 huts, 4 hostels, 59 guest houses
Counted
Within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail); no hotels or day shelters
Shaded
The longest stretch without any, km 150.8–165.2
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list closed ones, so book or check locally

Water & Supply

Clean water

This trail
16.4 km without clean water, km 150.8–167.2, stage 8
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Within 500 m: 12 taps, fountains and drinking springs, 34 refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites
Refills
Guests come first and many close out of season: ask, and carry a little extra. Places marked without drinking water are left out
Source
OpenStreetMap; the counts include the approach and variant, the chart shows the main route

16.4kmRegular

Any water

This trail
13.9 km without any water, km 153.3–167.2
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Clean water, plus the 36 springs within 500 m
Keep in mind
Spring water's quality is unknown: filter, boil or treat it, and expect some springs to run dry in late summer

13.9kmRegular

Shops

This trail
44.2 km without a shop, km 18.8–63
Counted
14 supermarkets, convenience and general stores and petrol station shops, within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
Keep in mind
Small village shops are often missing in OpenStreetMap, and opening hours vary: check before relying on one

44.2km
Water · 13.9 km withoutPublic drinking water · 57.2 km withoutSprings (treat before drinking) · 15.7 km withoutRefills at places to sleep · 18.7 km withoutShops · 44.2 km withoutSupermarkets · 44.4 km withoutConvenience and general stores · 69.6 km withoutPetrol station shops · 89.2 km withoutStage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 80 km167.7 km

Water and shops along the route

Ticks
One per place along the main route
Counted
Drinking water and springs within 500 m; refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m; shops within 1 km, or 3 km of a stage's end
Shaded
Each lane's longest stretch without. "Water" counts every kind and opens into one lane per kind, each with its own
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list ones that have closed or run dry, so check locally

Wildlife

Wildlife

Shows
Animals that can be dangerous to hikers on this trail: large animals, venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, ticks, and plants that harm on touch
Level
Ours, read from the official source
High
A bite of a species it calls common can be life-threatening within hours
Moderate
It warns of attacks or serious harm, or places the trail in a risk area for tick-borne encephalitis
Low
The harm is mostly minor or treatable, or avoidable by how you behave
What to do
From the official source: Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (infektionsschutz.de)
Pictures
Silhouettes from PhyloPic, not to scale, each maker named with its advice; the landscape is the trail's own, drawn by us

TicksModerate

Ticks (Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis)

Moderate danger

Ticks that carry Lyme disease live all over Germany, in forests and meadows; the Robert Koch Institute lists most districts along the Rennsteig, from Schmalkalden-Meiningen and Suhl to the Saale-Orla district and Kronach, as risk areas for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), against which a vaccine protects.

If you meet one

  • Wear closed shoes, long sleeves and long trousers, the socks pulled over the trouser legs; light clothes show ticks
  • Use a tick repellent as its maker directs; it protects only for a while, and not fully
  • After the walk, search your body: the hollows of the knees, the groin, the armpits, behind the ears, the head and the hairline
  • Remove a tick as soon as you can: grip it by its head close to the skin with tweezers or a tick card, pull it slowly and straight out, then disinfect the bite
  • See a doctor if a red ring at least 5 cm across spreads around the bite within 3 to 30 days, or fever and aching follow a bite
  • Ask a doctor about the TBE vaccination well before you go: Germany's vaccination committee (STIKO) recommends it for people exposed to ticks in TBE risk areas

Don't

  • Treat the tick with oil or cream, or squeeze it: it may release more germs

Advice: Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (infektionsschutz.de). Level: ours. Silhouette: Guillaume Dera (Ixodes ricinus), PhyloPic, public domain.