Geo-Trail Saale-Unstrut

Short Description

The Geo-Trail is designed for nature-based, terrain-related cycling.

Description

The route connects the Arche Nebra with the Burg Querfurt. Covering approximately 45 km, it ascends 1000 meters in altitude. The trail follows paths and bridges without any development.
11 stages divide the Geo-Trail, making it possible to plan 2-day tours. For group rides, a maximum of 10 cyclists is recommended. 14 geological information boards are placed along the route. Each board shows the route - a profile of the following stages, indicating board locations (T) and milestones (x).
Extended Tour Description:
Start - Stage 1 Wangener Grund - Bock
From Wangener Grund to the Buntsandstein highlands “Bock”.
Querfurter Mulde - Stage 2 - Layered Landscape
Steep climb from Zingst to Vitzenburg. The Geo-Trail leads from the Buntsandstein of Ziegelrodaer Forst to the Muschelkalk highlands of Querfurter Platte. In between lies the Schmoner Talung valley.
Triassic Gate - Stage 3 - Buntsandstein Vitzenburg
View of the Triassic Gate. From the Vitzenburg ridge past the castle of the same name towards Pretitz to a plateau.
Saline - Stage 4 - Röt: Limestone: Gypsum: Salt
Plateau north of Pretitz. Hollow path to Siedebach, then to Weißenschirmbach. Through Stachelrodaer Grund to Birkenschäferei and Ziegelrodaer Forst.
Groundwater - Stage 5 - Stachelrodaer Grund
From Stachelrodaer on the highlands to Birkenschäferei.
Highlands - Stage 6 - Tertiary Land Surface, Ice Age
From Ziegelrodaer Forst towards Schmon (Pumpenhaus). Through the holiday village to the small reservoir. Towards Querfurter Platte through Ober- and Niederschmon to the Schmoner Hängen.
Querfurter Platte - Stage 7 - Muschelkalk, Fossils
From Schmoner Hängen to B 250, then to Leimbacher Talung. Through Leimbach to L 172, then to Ziegelrodaer Forst.
Ziegelrodaer Forst - Stage 8 - Relief, Usage
Towards Lautersburg. In the area of the ponds to Lodersleben and the source of Roter Born.
Quernetal - Stage 9 - Querne, Water
Along the stream to the castle park with summer stage and pond, then towards the Trümpelberg quarry area.
 
Lodersleben - Stage 10 - Buntsandstein, Quarry, Craft
Around Trümpelberg to the quarries in Lodersleben. From Apfelweg towards L219 (Allstedt-Querfurt).
Sinkholes - Stage 11 - Subrosion, Sinkholes
Through the Muschelkalk breakthrough of the Querne to Burg Querfurt. Through the monastery complex (Mareinzell) to the transformer tower. Through Aug.-Bebel-Str. to the western castle tower. Through the outer bailey down to the entrance gate to the Geo-Nature Park - the northeast bastion. 
 
Goetheradweg - Northern bypass (100258737)
Cycling
Topfmarkt 6, 06618 Naumburg, Tel.: +49 3445 / 23379-0, Email: [email protected]
The Goetheradweg takes you from Saaleradweg along the northern shore of Geiseltalsee to Bad Sulza.

From Goetheradweg, you have good connections to Geiseltalsee Circular Route, Salt Road Cycling Path in Mücheln, Saale-Unstrut-Elster Radacht, Unstrut Cycling Path from Weischütz, and Ilmtal Cycling Path from Bad Sulza.

Route Overview:

Saaleradweg Hohenweiden near Halle - Bad Lauchstädt - Geiseltalsee - Mücheln / Geiselquelle - Albersroda - Gleina - Müncheroda - Weischütz - Laucha - Unstrutradweg to Burgscheidungen - Bad Bibra - Eckartsberga - Auerstedt - Bad Sulza
Well-maintained cycling and agricultural paths, partly low-traffic roads.

Route Description

Start - Stage 1 (Wangener Grund - Bock

-is rather short (3km) and leads north into the Wangener Grund, a former Unstrut course. Upon reaching the forest on both sides, the Geo-Trail sharply turns right and ascends steeply to Bock, a Buntsandstein highland (120m steep ascent).

Querfurter Mulde - Stage 2 - Layered Landscape

The 2nd stage descends more evenly to the current level of Unstrut (110m over 3.5km), to then climb steeply to Vitzenburg from Zingst (25m caution within town road use). In the northeast, you can see a dissected valley (Schmoner Talung, Vitzenburg) and behind it a plateau (Querfurter Platte). The Geo-Trail leads from the Buntsandstein of Ziegelrodaer Forst to the Muschelkalk highlands of Querfurter Platte, with the Schmoner Talung cut into soft Röt clays and gypsum (Upper Buntsandstein).

Triassic Gate - Stage 3 - Buntsandstein Vitzenburg

The third stage starts with a view of the Triassic Gate, the Unstrut breakthrough near Nebra. The Geo-Trail ascends the west side of the Vitzenburg ridge and passes the castle of the same name, through the town, heading north. It descends steeply (caution!) into the valley towards Pretitz, to ascend to another plateau at the opposite end of the village.

Saline - Stage 4 - Röt: Limestone: Gypsum: Salt

The fourth stage (2.5km) starts on a plateau north of Pretitz, offering a panoramic view of the steep slopes ascending to Querfurter Platte. With good visibility, the characteristic red colors of Röt in the steep locations can be seen. Due to the substrate (claystone) and slope, even specialized plants struggle to create a continuous vegetation cover there. Northwards, the Geo-Trail turns into a hollow path (west), reaching Siedebach, then Weißenschirmbach. Heading west, it crosses the village and exits through Stachelrodaer Grund (Gobitz) towards Birkenschäferei and Ziegelrodaer Forst. The flat profile of the stage has been formed by Siedebach from the basal Röt sediments. From Ziegelrodaer Forst, the fields slope uniformly eastward, marking the boundary of Middle Buntsandstein. By Weißenschirmbach, the soft Röt rocks have already eroded away. The village itself still sits on the hard sandstone benches of Middle Buntsandstein.

Groundwater - Stage 5 - Stachelrodaer Grund

The 5th stage is short but consistently uphill over 1.5 km, with a 60-meter ascent. At the well site in Stachelrodaer Grund, the Geo-Trail heads west into a narrow valley, then ascends to the high plateau towards Birkenschäferei. The water abundance in these valleys is evident in the first forested area. Groundwater naturally emerges here practically all year round. After a few hundred meters, the slopes diverge. A pronounced area of standing water forms in the valley bottom. In contrast, the valley flanks are extremely dry, covered with a lean, siliceous substrate. The centuries-old use as orchards, pastures, and grazing lands has created a diverse contrast of habitats rich in fauna and flora, resulting from the juxtaposition of water scarcity and abundance. These valleys are nature reserves for good reason. Cycling through them is a privilege!

Highlands - Stage 6 - Tertiary Land Surface, Ice Age

The long 6th stage (12km) starts on the high plateau. You can see how flat and leveled the landscape is. There are no peaks, only flat highlands, roughly at the same level. The significant profile with around 160 meters of ascents and descents has been carved by rivers and streams into a continuous plain only recently. The Geo-Trail first heads west into Ziegelrodaer Forst, then roughly north into the next parallel valley towards Schmon (Pumpenhaus). Passing below Herrmannseck on the southern valley side, it goes through the holiday village to a small reservoir. Further downstream towards Querfurter Platte through Ober- and Niederschmon (federal road). Behind the arch bridge, the ascent through the Schmoner Hänge begins, a particularly protected area that should be traversed swiftly and appropriately. Overall, you pass through Middle Buntsandstein to Lower Muschelkalk in chronological order.

Querfurter Platte - Stage 7 - Muschelkalk, Fossils

The seventh stage starts on the high plateau of Schmoner Hänge and follows the edge of Querfurter Platte northwards to B 250. After crossing the road, you reach the steep cliff above Leimbacher Talung. One of these parallel, west-east oriented valleys. Heading southwest, you descend into it and follow the old road coming from Querfurt. Passing through Leimbach at the western village exit, you pass under another railway bridge. Built of Buntsandstein, it crosses the valley leading to Hermannseck. The Geo-Trail encounters L 172 in a traffic-calmed zone. This road must be used for 500m - Caution! At the old forest, the route turns north into Ziegelrodaer Forst.

Ziegelrodaer Forst - Stage 8 - Relief, Usage

The eighth stage continues northward, passing the well site. Making a steep descent towards Lautersburg, the route meets the Querne in the valley bottom, which further accompanies the Geo-Trail. Approaching the ponds, you head northeast towards Lodersleben. At the narrowest point where the forest road crosses the stream, the route turns right onto a small trail and remains on the southern valley side. Just before the edge of the forest, the stage stops at the source of Roter Born.

Quernetal - Stage 9 - Querne, Water

The ninth stage, at 2km, almost entirely runs on the level of Querne. Following the stream, you reach a small alder forest, another spring area extending to the bridge. Continuing straight along the stream, you enter the former castle park with a summer stage and pond. Behind the clubhouse on the right, the route leads to the western end of the park, directly below the castle. Back at Querne, the park is enclosed here by a massive sandstone wall. Along this wall, the Geo-Trail moves away from the stream and ascends steeply towards the former quarry area of Trümpelberg to the south (25 meters ascent).

Lodersleben - Stage 10 - Buntsandstein, Quarry, Craft

The tenth stage, also short (2km), descends 50 meters into the floodplain of Querne, directly below the steep slope of Querfurter Platte. Passing around Trümpelberg, you proceed past the now-built-over quarries of Lodersleben towards the west (Kacheltor). A short stretch follows the Leimbacher Straße downhill northwards through the town. (Caution!) The Geo-Trail sharply turns west onto Apfelweg, leading to “Sudel” up to L219 (Allstedt-Querfurt). Before the highway, the route follows the northernmost side of the valley below the steep slopes up to the crossing of the former railway track. The wealth of quarry stone can be seen throughout Lodersleben. The Querne divides the village into two halves. Sandstone outcrops on both sides of the valley, several buildings directly founded on these rocks (castle, foresters lodge).

Sinkholes - Stage 11 - Subrosion, Sinkholes

The final, eleventh stage leads from the expansive valley eastwards into the narrow Muschelkalk breakthrough of the Querne towards Burg Querfurt. At a length of 3.5 km, there are short ascents with a total of 50 meters of ascents and descents.

Following the former railway track to the urban vineyard, the Geo-Trail crosses over the ruined monastery complex (Mareinzell) via the Querne to the other side of the valley. Behind the tracks, below the spruces, the route sharply turns eastward and follows the valley. Beyond the barrier, the accompanying coniferous forest recedes on the northern slope. The path forks, and the Geo-Trail takes the upward path to the transformer tower. Continuing straight into Aug.-Bebel-Str., you reach the western castle tower. Passing through the outer bailey, the route descends to the target, the entrance gate to the Geo-Nature Park - the northeast bastion. 

Travel Information

Coming from Naumburg or Querfurt, take B180 to Steigra. Then turn onto L177 towards Karsdorf. Before Karsdorf, turn onto L213 towards Reinsdorf. After Reinsdorf, turn onto B250 towards Nebra. From Nebra, continue on Nebraer Str. (K2646) towards Großwangen.

Parking Information

Public parking at Arche Nebra. (120 m)
Coordinates:Geographical51.272890, 11.539690UTM32U 677149 5683235

Safety Information

The trail is not passable at Zingst.