Geo-Trail Saale-Unstrut

Short Description

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

Description

The route connects the Arche Nebra with Burg Querfurt. Covering approximately 45 km, it includes a 1000 meters elevation gain. The trail consists of paths and tracks without any development. The Geo-Trail is divided into 11 stages, making it possible to plan 2-day tours. Group rides are limited to a maximum of 10 riders. There are 14 geological information boards along the route. Each board displays the route - a profile of the following stages, with locations of information boards (T) and milestones (x) marked.
Extended tour description:
Start - Stage 1 Wangener Grund - Bock
From Wangener Grund to the sandstone plateau "Bock".
Querfurter Mulde - Stage 2 - Layered landscape
Steep ascent from Zingst to Vitzenburg. The Geo-Trail goes from the sandstone of Ziegelrodaer Forst to the Muschelkalk plateau of Querfurter Platte. In between lies the Schmoner Talung.
Triassic Gate - Stage 3 - Sandstone Vitzenburg
Views of the Triassic Gate. From the Vitzenburg heights past the castle of the same name towards Pretitz to a plateau.
Saline - Stage 4 - Red sandstone; Chalk; Gypsum; Salt
Plateau north of Pretitz. Hollow path to Siedebach, then on to Weißenschirmbach. Through Stachelrodaer Grund to Birkenschäferei and Ziegelrodaer Forst.
Groundwater - Stage 5 - Stachelrodaer Grund
From Stachelrodaer on the plateau to Birkenschäferei.
Plateau - 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 to the source of Roten Born.
Quernetal - Stage 9 - Querne, Water
Along the stream to the castle park with summer stage and pond, then towards the quarry area Trümpelberg.
 
Lodersleben - Stage 10 - Sandstone, Quarrying, Handcraft
Around Trümpelberg to the quarries in Lodersleben. From Apfelweg towards L219 (Allstedt-Querfurt).
Sinkholes - Stage 11 - Subrosion, Sinkholes
Through the Muschelkalk passage of 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.
 
Goethe Cycle Path - Northern Bypass (100258737)
Cycling
Topfmarkt 6, 06618 Naumburg, Tel.: +49 3445 / 23379-0, E-Mail: [email protected]
The Goethe Cycle Path leads from Saale Cycle Path over the north shore of Geiseltalsee to Bad Sulza.

From the Goethe Cycle Path, you have good connections to the Geiseltalsee Circular Route, the Salt Roads Cycle Route in Mücheln, the Saale-Unstrut-Elster Cycling Path, the Unstrut Cycling Path from Weischütz, and the Ilmtal Cycling Path from Bad Sulza.

Route:

Saale Cycle Path Hohenweiden near Halle – Bad Lauchstädt – Geiseltalsee – Mücheln / Geiselquelle – Albersroda – Gleina – Müncheroda – Weischütz – Laucha – Unstrut Cycle Path 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 Wangener Grund, a former Unstrut course. Upon entering the forest on both sides, the Geo-Trail sharply turns right and ascends steeply to Bock, a sandstone plateau (120m steep ascent).

Querfurter Mulde - Stage 2 - Layered landscape

The 2nd stage leads back down to today's level of Unstrut (110m on 3.5km), to then ascend steeply in Zingst towards Vitzenburg (25m caution in town road use). In the northeast, you can see a dissected valley (Schmoner Talung, Vitzenburg) and beyond it a plateau (Querfurter Platte). The Geo-Trail goes from the sandstone of Ziegelrodaer Forst to the Muschelkalk plateau of Querfurter Platte. In between lies the Schmoner Talung cut into soft red sandstone tones and gypsum (Upper Buntsandstein).

Triassic Gate - Stage 3 - Sandstone Vitzenburg

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

Saline - Stage 4 - Red sandstone; Chalk; Gypsum; Salt

The fourth stage (2.5km) starts on a plateau north of Pretitz, with a panoramic view of the steep slopes rising to the Querfurter Platte. With good visibility, the red colors of the Röt in the steep locations can be seen. Due to the substrate (claystone) and the slope inclination, even specialized plants struggle to create a cohesive vegetation cover there. To the north, the Geo-Trail turns into a hollow path (west) to Siedebach, then continues to Weißenschirmbach. Heading west, you cross the village and leave it through the Stachelrodaer Grund (Gobitz) towards Birkenschäferei and Ziegelrodaer Forst. The flat profile of the stage has been shaped by the Siedebach from the basal Röt sediments. From Ziegelrodaer Forst, the fields slope evenly towards the east, marking the boundary of Middle Buntsandstein. By the time you reach Weißenschirmbach, the soft rocks of Röt have already been eroded. The village itself still stands 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. It involves overcoming 60 meters in elevation. In the area of the well in Stachelrodaer Grund, the Geo-Trail heads west into a narrow valley and ascends to the plateau towards Birkenschäferei. The richness of water in these valleys is evident right from the start in the first forest section. Groundwater naturally emerges here practically all year round. After a few hundred meters, the slopes diverge. A pronounced area is formed in the valley bottom, due to waterlogging. In contrast, the valley flanks are extremely dry, covered with a lean, siliceous substrate. The centuries-long use as orchards, for grazing, and pasture has turned the juxtaposition of water scarcity and excess into a diverse contrast of habitats, exceptionally rich in fauna and flora. These valleys are nature reserves for a reason. Cycling through them is a privilege!

Plateau - Stage 6 - Tertiary land surface, Ice age

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

Querfurter Platte - Stage 7 - Muschelkalk, Fossils

The seventh stage starts on the plateau of the Schmoner Hänge and runs along the edge of Querfurter Platte northwards to B 250. After crossing it, you reach the steep edge above Leimbacher Talung. One of these parallel valleys, extending in southwest direction, descends into it and follows the old path coming from Querfurt. Passing through Leimbach, at the western village exit, you pass under another railway bridge. Built of sandstone, it crosses the valley leading out to Hermannseck. The Geo-Trail meets 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 right by the well facility. In a tight loop, it descends steeply towards Lautersburg. In the valley bottom, you'll encounter the Querne, whose course accompanies the Geo-Trail further. In the area of the ponds, you head northeast towards Lodersleben. At the bottleneck where the forest road crosses the stream, the route turns right onto a small path and remains on the southern valley side. Just before the end of the forest, the stage stops at the spring capture of Roten Born.

Quernetal - Stage 9 - Querne, Water

The ninth stage is very short, 2km, and follows almost exclusively the level of the Querne. Along the stream bed, you reach a small alder forest, another spring area extending to the bridge. Continuing straight ahead, along the stream, you reach the former castle park with a summer stage and pond. Uphill to the western end of the park, directly below the castle, the route leads back to the Querne. Here, the park is enclosed by a massive sandstone wall. Along this wall, the Geo-Trail leads away from the stream and ascends steeply towards the former quarry area Trümpelberg to the south (25 meters elevation).

Lodersleben - Stage 10 - Sandstone, Quarrying, Handcraft

The tenth stage is also short (2km) and descends 50 meters into the Aue of Querne, directly below the steep slope of Querfurter Platte. Around Trümpelberg, you pass the now overbuilt quarries of Lodersleben heading west (Kacheltor). A short section descends downhill in the town road of Leimbacher Straße towards the north. (Caution!) The Geo-Trail sharply turns west into Apfelweg, leading to "Sudel" up to L219 (Allstedt-Querfurt). Before reaching the main road, the route follows below the steep northern side of the valley to cross the former railway road. The abundance of cut stone is visible everywhere in Lodersleben. The Querne divides the village into two halves. On both sides of the valley, the exposed sandstone protrudes, with several buildings directly founded on these rocks (castle, forester's lodge).

Sinkholes - Stage 11 - Subrosion, Sinkholes

The final, eleventh stage leads from the wide valley eastwards into the narrow Muschelkalk passage of Querne towards Burg Querfurt. Spanning 3.5 km, there are short inclines totaling 50 meters in ascents and descents.

Following the former railway line up to the city vineyard, the Geo-Trail switches over the ruined monastery complex (Mareinzell) via Querne to the other side of the valley. After the railway tracks, under the spruces, the route sharply turns east again and follows the valley. Beyond the barrier, the accompanying coniferous forest on the northern slope recedes. The path forks, and the Geo-Trail takes the ascending path up to the transformer tower. Thereafter, straight into Aug.-Bebel-Str., leading to the western castle tower. Passing through the outer bailey, the route descends left towards the destination, the entrance gate to the Geo-Nature Park - the Northeast bastion.

Travel Information

Coming from Naumburg or Querfurt on the 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) to Großwangen.

Parking Information

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

Safety Information

The trail is not passable at Zingst.