Hikes in Heidenheim
Baden-Wurttemberg,Germany
In the district of Heidenheim, located in the south-east of Baden-Württemberg, hiking enthusiasts will find numerous opportunities to explore the region's breathtaking nature. The geographical location of the district is characterised by a varied landscape: To the east stretches the Härtsfeld with its gentle hills and wide fields, while to the west the Albuch impresses with forested mountain ranges. In between, the Brenz meanders as a picturesque river through green valleys.
Maps and trails
The 10 most beautiful hikes in Heidenheim
Hiking Trail
· Swabian Alb
Lonetal Hiking Trail Stage 3 Lindenau - Hermaringen
recommended route
Difficulty
moderate
15.1 km
3:55 h
112 m
192 m
Lonetal Hiking Trail:
In three days through 150 million years of earth history in the National Geotope Lonetal, part of the UNESCO Geopark Swabian Jura, and through 100,000 years of human history in the UNESCO World Heritage "Caves and Ice Age Art of the Swabian Jura".
As a circular route, 5 days
Hiking Trail
· Swabian Alb
Rodstein, Mariengrotto, Märzenbuckel, wind turbines, and a cave
recommended route
Difficulty
moderate
10 km
2:45 h
150 m
150 m
A varied circular hike to the scenic Rodstein and Märzenbuckel with detours to the Mariengrotto and the Griebigenstein Cave. Additionally, you pass wind turbines, forest huts, and small ponds.
Hiking Trail
· Swabian Alb
Brenz spring, Herwartstein castle ruin, and Itzelberger Lake
recommended route
Difficulty
moderate
10.6 km
3:15 h
240 m
240 m
Surprisingly varied circular hike.Starting at the Brenz spring over the Schmiedefelsen to the Herwartstein castle ruin with a beautiful view of Königsbronn. After circling the Itzelberger Lake and crossing the Brenz valley, the path climbs to the wonderful views from the quarry, Herrenstein, and Frauenstein into the upper Brenz valley. On the way back past the Pfeffer spring, Georg Elser memorial, and the monastery church.
Hiking Trail
· Swabian Alb
Lonetal - To the caves of the Neanderthals
recommended route
Difficulty
T1
easy
9.8 km
2:30 h
66 m
67 m
Humans have inhabited the Lonetal for more than 100,000 years. A hike through history.
Hiking Trail
· Swabian Alb
From Härtsfeldsee to Katzenstein Castle
recommended route
Difficulty
easy
7.7 km
2:04 h
165 m
167 m
Small, family-friendly circular route from Härtsfeldsee to Katzenstein Castle. Great playground at the lake shore as well as an exciting castle with a place to eat included.
Hiking Trail
· Swabian Alb
Through the Eselsburger Valley
recommended route
Difficulty
easy
11.4 km
3:00 h
72 m
72 m
Pleasure hike in a scenic section of a bend in the Brenz Valley with striking rocks and heath-like vegetation. Unfortunately very crowded on weekends.
Hiking Trail
· Swabian Alb
Alb-Donau district Ice Age trail - Neanderthal path
recommended route
Difficulty
moderate
11.9 km
3:05 h
100 m
100 m
Impressive hiking route to the Stone Age caves of the Lone Valley and the sites of the legendary Ice Age art.
Hiking Trail
· Swabian Alb
Albschäferweg - Weekend route in the Brenz and Lone valleys
recommended route
Difficulty
T1
difficult
28.2 km
7:25 h
322 m
322 m
Who doesn't know the teddy with the button in its ear? Giengen is its home, here our route starts. Along the way, you meet the shepherdess Ruth Häckh with her sheep and goats.
Hiking Trail
· Swabian Alb
Albschäferweg - weekend route on the Gerstetten Alb
recommended route
Difficulty
T1
difficult
39.8 km
10:15 h
483 m
484 m
Earth history live - geology to touch is offered by the Heldenfinger Cliff, it is part of the rock coast of the tertiary sea. Typical karst phenomena also await on the way, such as the Kießen or Hungerbrunnen valley. Nature live - large heathlands and colorful mixed forests please the eye.
Hiking Trail
· Swabian Alb
Albschäferweg - Weekend route on the Albuch
recommended route
Difficulty
T1
difficult
31.7 km
8:20 h
476 m
476 m
Admire the scenic highlights of the Albuch – the Steinheimer Basin, which formed about 15 million years ago due to a meteorite impact; the Wental, a dry valley with bizarre dolomite limestone rocks – also known as Felsenmeer, enjoy the vast forests and plateaus and a cozy rest at the Itzelberger See.
The district of Heidenheim offers a large number of sights relevant to hiking tourism. An absolute highlight is Katzenstein Castle in Dischingen. From here you have a fantastic view over the Filstal valley and at the same time can immerse yourself in times gone by. Herbrechtingen Castle also attracts visitors - a magnificent Renaissance building with extensive park grounds.
The best seasons for hiking in the district of Heidenheim are spring and autumn. During this time, nature shines in the most beautiful colours: Flowers bloom, trees turn colourful and mushrooms sprout from the ground. In addition, the temperatures are pleasantly mild and there are fewer tourist crowds than in summer.
There are numerous places in the district of Heidenheim where you can go for wonderful hikes. A recommended hiking route, for example, leads along the romantic Brenz valley from Heidenheim to Herbrechtingen. You will pass picturesque villages, idyllic forests and impressive rock formations. The nature reserve "Schwäbische Alb" also offers a variety of hiking trails for young and old. Here you can discover the unique flora and fauna of the region.
Hiking with children in the district of Heidenheim is particularly recommended. Numerous child-friendly routes offer exciting adventures and educational experiences in nature. One example is the "Bärenhöhle-Erlebnispfad" (Bear's Cave Adventure Trail) near Sontheim an der Brenz, where children can learn a lot about animals and plants through play.
Summarising, there are many beautiful hiking tours in the district of Heidenheim that impress both scenically and culturally. The best times for hiking are spring and autumn, when nature shows its full splendour. From the romantic banks of the Brenz to the majestic castles of the district - everyone will find their personal favourite hiking route here!
The best seasons for hiking in the district of Heidenheim are spring and autumn. During this time, nature shines in the most beautiful colours: Flowers bloom, trees turn colourful and mushrooms sprout from the ground. In addition, the temperatures are pleasantly mild and there are fewer tourist crowds than in summer.
There are numerous places in the district of Heidenheim where you can go for wonderful hikes. A recommended hiking route, for example, leads along the romantic Brenz valley from Heidenheim to Herbrechtingen. You will pass picturesque villages, idyllic forests and impressive rock formations. The nature reserve "Schwäbische Alb" also offers a variety of hiking trails for young and old. Here you can discover the unique flora and fauna of the region.
Hiking with children in the district of Heidenheim is particularly recommended. Numerous child-friendly routes offer exciting adventures and educational experiences in nature. One example is the "Bärenhöhle-Erlebnispfad" (Bear's Cave Adventure Trail) near Sontheim an der Brenz, where children can learn a lot about animals and plants through play.
Summarising, there are many beautiful hiking tours in the district of Heidenheim that impress both scenically and culturally. The best times for hiking are spring and autumn, when nature shows its full splendour. From the romantic banks of the Brenz to the majestic castles of the district - everyone will find their personal favourite hiking route here!
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Eselsburg - Views into the Brenz valley by Heike
July 23, 2025
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Parts of this content were created with the help of artificial intelligence.
Localization
Parts of this content were machine translated using German as the source language