Mehlmeisel: Winter Sports, Hiking Trails and Wildlife Park

Hiking with Different Planning Considerations

The Fichtelseesteig is 16 kilometres long, takes about 4.5 hours and requires a certain level of stamina. You can therefore set aside a longer block of time for this hike; the duration is an estimate. The Echowald circular hiking trail starts and ends at Rathausplatz in Mehlmeisel. These two trail details help with different planning questions: the Fichtelseesteig is primarily a matter of time and stamina, while the Echowald circular hiking trail has a named starting and ending point. When planning the Fichtelseesteig, also allow time in Mehlmeisel town centre.

Wildlife Park and Views

At the Waldhaus Mehlmeisel Wildlife Park, a circular trail leads through the open-air animal habitat. A three-metre-high raised walkway runs over the lynx and wild boar enclosures. The circular trail and raised walkway offer different experiences: the trail passes through the open-air habitat, while the elevated walkway crosses over the named enclosures. After the climb, Klausenturm offers views of the forests around Mehlmeisel. Wildlife and forest panoramas are therefore different interests to consider when planning your day.

Rathausplatz and Local History

St. John’s Fountain is located at Rathausplatz. It is carved from Kösseine granite, which is more than 250 million years old. The square is also the starting and ending point of the Echowald circular hiking trail. When visiting the town, you can therefore see a point of cultural and historical interest and orient yourself for the circular trail at the same named location.

The Wider Region: Bayreuth

The wider Bayreuth destination broadens the focus to include other winter and landscape attractions in the district. With its dark forests and granite boulder fields, the Fichtelgebirge shapes the northern part of Bayreuth District. The district has a well-maintained network of around 1,400 kilometres of cross-country ski trails, hiking paths and cycle routes. This figure describes the regional network; it is not the length of a single route. For comparison, the Fichtelseesteig is a specific 16-kilometre hike with an estimated duration of 4.5 hours.

At the Ochsenkopf in the wider Bayreuth destination, there is a 1,900-metre-long south-facing ski run and four groomed alpine ski runs; some have snowmaking facilities and floodlighting until 10 p.m. The details about Ochsenkopf refer to a separate regional winter sports destination, while the facilities mentioned at Klausenhang are specific to Mehlmeisel.

Choosing Mehlmeisel as a Place to Stay

If you are looking for a ski hotel in Mehlmeisel, first decide what you want to focus on: should winter sports at Klausenhang shape your plans, or would you rather set aside more time for hikes and visits to the town? Take Klausenhang’s weather-dependent seasonal operations into account. The estimated duration of the Fichtelseesteig, the circular trail in the wildlife park and the views from Klausenturm offer further specific ways to tailor your stay to your preferred pace.

Discover more destinations: Goldkronach, Betzenstein, Schnabelwaid, Bad Berneck im Fichtelgebirge, Warmensteinach, Hollfeld, Weidenberg, Waischenfeld.

Back to the wider travel overview: Bayreuth.