From Teufelsloch and Himmelsleiter to Lusen summit

Stages: Fredenbrücke – Martinsklause – Teufelsloch – Lusen – Waldhausreibe – Waldhäuser Ausblick – Fredenbrücke

You can  shorten the tour by using the Igelbus from Waldhausreibe or  Waldhäuser Ausblick back to Fredenbrücke.


Tour description:
From the parking area Fredenbrücke (850 meters above sea level), we cross the Kleine Ohe on a wooden bridge und and continue along the stream, following the signpost ‘Ranne‘ to Martinsklause (974 meters above sea level). After a short break, the path continues uphill on rocky ground. The way becomes pretty steep, until we reach a t-crossroads. We follow the ‘Ranne’ to the right hand side and reach the Teufelsloch after a while. Then the path continues steadily uphill, through a wild, varied mixed mountain forest, until we come to a small platform. An information board shows how quickly the forest recovers and regrows after a bark beetle infestation. We walk over to the Glasarche (1176 meters above sea level) on a boardwalk. There we walk past the information pavilion and with the marking ‘Ranne’ towards Lusen summit. The path leads us straightly uphill and soon offers a great view towards the boulder-covered Lusen. Now we cross the steep rock steps of the so-called Himmelsleiter, which brings us to the summit (1373 meters above sea level).

After a rest by the summit, we follow the marking ‘Luchs’ (Lynx) in southeastern direction. There we can see the Lusenschutzhaus (restaurant, seasonally opened). Let us continue our descent on a gravel road, until Waldhauseibe (1111 meters above sea level – toilets available).  We cross the road and follow the marking ‘Grünes Dreieck’ (green triangle) to the left on the opposite side of the information board. On a boardwalk, we continue slightly uphill over Waldhäuserriegel and through rocks and boulders, until we cross the road again. After about 100 meters parallel to the road, we see the signpost 'Zaunkönig' (Wren). A short detour to the Igelbus stop and parking area Waldhäuser Ausblick (about 100 meters, 1040 meters above sea level - toilets available) is worthwhile. There you can have a great view over the mountain village Waldhäuser and a panoramic view over the forests of the national park.

Coming from the original path, we turn right with the 'Zaunkönig' (Wren) towards Martinsklause. We hike slightly down the road, until we come to the reservoir again. Past the dam crown, we keep left and hike with the well-known marking 'Ranne' along Kleine Ohe and back to the starting point Fredenbrücke.

Correct on the go – all the time:

• Beware of falling trees and deadwood! The use of the path is at your own risk. At strong wind please leave the forest for safety reasons!
• Path regulations in order to protect endangered plants and animals in certain areas of the national park
• Please do not leave any trash! Dog poop bags or handkerchiefs do not belong in nature either. Please help to keep our wild forest clean. Thank you!

Always ensure to have good equipment: card, sturdy shoes, something to drink, first aid kit, bad weather clothing

Tour of medium difficulty. Long and partly steep passages and big difference in altitude. Sturdy footwear absolutely necessary.
Refreshment point at Lusenschutzhaus (Please inform about the opening hours).

Parking area Fredenbrücke (not cleared in winter)
Waldhäuser
94556 Neuschönau
GPS 48.93773,13.454396

Parking area Fredenbrücke

Limited capacity, the parking lot is quickly occupied. Alternatively, you can use the parking lot Graupsäge (about 2 kilometers distance at the crossing from Nationalparkstraße towards Waldhäuser) or use the parking lots in Waldhäuser.
The parking lot is not cleared from snow im winter.

Igelbus stop Fredenbrücke
(Lusen-Bus, line 602)
For timetables see: www.bayerwald-ticket.com

• Ranne
• Luchs (Lynx)
• Grünes Dreieck (green triangle)
• Zaunkönig (Wren)
• Ranne

Did you know it?

Schwelle or Klause are artificial reservoirs that were built especially in the 19th century for timber drift. With their water, the tree trunks thrown into the mountain streams could be washed out of the forest. The streams below the Klausen were often straightened and attached. Some of the Klausen, like the Martinsklause, are now under protection order.

Since they could not explain the noise deep in the underground, that could be heard sometimes, people used to think that they could hear the devil. Today we know, that Teufelsloch is a valley filled with granite boulders. The Kleine Ohe flows through it deeply below those stones.
 
With 1373 meters in altitude, the Lusen is none of the highest mountains in the Bavarian Forest, but a great viewpoint, due to its summit free of trees and plants and its location. The typical boulder block field in the summit area was created by physical weathering processes in which water infiltrates into small rock crevices and freezes. The volume expansion leads to the fragmentation of the rocks (frost blasting).

Igelbus stop and parking lot Fredenbrücke, close to Waldhäuser, 94556 Neuschönau

Igelbus stop and parking lot Fredenbrücke, close to Waldhäuser, 94556 Neuschönau