Caspar-David-Friedrich-Weg

15.08 km long

Round trip

Difficulty: medium

Condition: easy

Great panorama

Hiking

Rocky plateau with viewing platform, surrounded by fog, trees and vast landscape in the background. — © Sebastian Rose | CC-BY-SA

5:00 h
15.08 km
369 m
367 m
120 m
341 m
221 m
Start: Cribs
Destination: Cribs

Hiking in the footsteps of the master, pausing where he paused, drawing where he drew: The Caspar David Friedrich Trail invites you to do just that.

The 15 km long, mostly easy and scenically varied hiking trail leads from Krippen along the Mittelhangweg up to Schöna with the Kaiserkrone and then over the Wolfsberg and through Reinhardtsdorf back to the starting point. It is a route that the painter probably often used during his exile in Krippen between the spring and fall of 1813. His locations and motifs can still be found today based on the drawings he made at the time.

The Caspar David Friedrich Trail is "Germany's most beautiful hiking trail" of the year 2025 (in the day trip category). The title is awarded every year by the hiking magazine.

When Dresden became a theater of war in March 1813 and the French ruler Napoleon occupied the city with 10,000 men, Friedrich decided to flee - to his beloved Saxon Switzerland. He finds shelter in a friend's house in the tranquil fishing village of Krippen. He is familiar with the picturesque surroundings and the variety of motifs on offer here from previous visits.

A total of 12 information boards along the Caspar David Friedrich Trail show the drawings made by Caspar David Friedrich at the respective locations. Highlights along the route are the Mittelhangweg, the Kaiserkrone, the path to Wolfsberg, where you can enjoy a beautiful panorama with the Schrammsteine and the Zirkelstein, as well as the Caspar David Friedrich Stele in Krippen. There is a 13th information board on the Elbe cycle path in Krippen, a little way upstream from the brick barn on the Elbe cycle path with a view of Bad Schandau and the Lilienstein.

A particular highlight of the trail is the Kaiserkrone. At the foot of this table mountain, Friedrich made the delicate pencil drawing "Felsige Kuppe" on paper on June 3, 1813. Around five years later, he drew on this and other studies to create an oil painting in his studio. It would become his most famous work. The "Felsige Kuppe" is the rock on which the "Wanderer above the Sea of Fog" stands.

Pavements

Unknown

Street

Asphalt

Gravel

Trail

Path

Best to visit

suitable

Depends on weather

Directions

The Caspar David Friedrich Trail begins at a wooden information pavilion at the junction of Elbweg and Zum Mittelhangweg in Krippen. Information boards provide interesting facts about Caspar David Friedrich. From here, the trail continues to the right along the road "Zum Mittelhangweg". At the back of the road, things become rather unromantic, as you reach a Deutsche Bahn construction site in the immediate vicinity of the railroad tracks. Around 1813, when Friedrich himself was traveling in this area, he did not find his otherwise beloved silence here. At that time, sandstone was quarried here in the Krippen quarries. Information board no. 2, which is located on the right just before the path branches off, is also dedicated to this topic. It is entitled "The quarry motif" and shows, among other things, a watercolor by Friedrich of a quarry near Krippen from July 19, 1813. Directly next to this information board, the path now leads up the slope to the Mittelhangweg. At the top, follow the path to the left and after approx. 100 m you will reach the actual location of the quarry motif shown on information board 2. A signpost indicates the exact location. From here, the trail continues at a leisurely pace for approx. 3.5 km along the Mittelhangweg to Hirschgrund. Information boards 3-8 are located along this stretch. The highlights of this stretch are the numerous views of the Schrammsteine on the other side of the Elbe. Caspar David Friedrich was also inspired by these views. Shortly after information board 7, there is a picnic area on the left with another wonderful view of the Elbe valley.

After information board 8, leave the Mittelhangweg, cross the Hirschgrund on the left over a bridge and follow the path on the other side of the Grund to the left in the direction of Schöna Castle. From the adjoining Elbhangweg, you can always see Schmilka on the other side. After approx. 800m, the path meets the Malerweg. From here, the Caspar-David-Friedrich-Weg and the Malerweg continue parallel to each other on a single stretch as far as Reinhardtsdorf. A steep ascent must now be overcome here. It goes up the Aschersteig to Schöna. At the top, you are rewarded with a magnificent view of the Schrammsteine and as far as Bohemian Switzerland. The Zirkelstein and the Kaiserkrone also line up in front of you to the south. The latter is the next destination. The path continues straight ahead across a field to the first houses in Schöna. Once you reach the road in Schöna, look out for the turn-off to the Kaiserkrone on the right. The ascent branches off somewhat inconspicuously between two houses. The exposed rock at the Kaiserkrone, on which the "Wanderer above the sea of fog" stands, can be seen at the foot of the Kaiserkrone, but today the view is obscured by some trees. A climb up to the Kaiserkrone is well worthwhile. It is not too difficult and at the top of the plateau there are various viewpoints with unique 360-degree views of Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland.

Back at the bottom, you follow the Malerweg trail through the district of Schöna and head towards Wolfsberg. After leaving the village of Schöna, the trail leads across a field past a small idyllic pond up to Wolfsberg. Here, next to a rest area, you will find information board no. 10, which also offers a wonderful panoramic view of the Schrammsteine, the Zirkelstein and the Kaiserkrone as well as Bohemian Switzerland. From here, the trail leads down to Reinhardtsdorf and past the church back up to the Krippenberg. There are two more information boards on the last section of the trail.

Once in Krippen, the hike ends at the Caspar David Friedrich Stele, which was only inaugurated in November 2023. The stele, created by stonemason Jan Lorenz, commemorates the painter's time in Krippen. It marks the end of the hike in the style of historical signpost pillars, which once provided orientation for Romantic artists.

Tour information

Cultural Interesting
Loop Road
Stop at an Inn

Equipment

Onion-skin clothing and winter hiking boots
Backpack with hiking map, snacks, thermos flask with a warm drink, smartphone, flashlight, first aid kit
Hiking poles, ice goggles

This equipment can be purchased at the Tourist Service in Bad Schandau.

Directions & Parking facilities

Take the A17 to the Pirna exit, then continue on the B 172 towards Königstein/ Bad Schandau. Shortly before the Elbe bridge in Bad Schandau, turn right towards Krippen.

Small parking lot near the railroad underpass, other small parking lots in the village:

Parking lot at Umgebinde 1657

Parking lot Am Mittelhang

Parking lot behind the Gasthaus Zum Echtner (Elbweg 6A, 01814 Bad Schandau OT Krippen).

There is also a large parking lot in Reinhardtsdorf-Schöna (Waldbadstraße, opposite the tourist office). However, the route must then be hiked differently.

Arrival/ Departure:

S-Bahn S1 (Meißen - Schöna) to Krippen station

Bus route 252 (Schöna - Bad Schandau - Schmilka), bus stop: Krippen - Alte Schule

Ferry F4, hiking boat

Additional information

Bad Schandau Tourist Service: 035022 90030

Here you can find more information about the work of Caspar David Friedrich in Saxon Switzerland

Literature

Order now: Hiking guide

Order your free information package "Caspar David Friedrich in Saxon Switzerland" here.

Author

Nicole Hesse / Tourismusverband Sächsische Schweiz e.V.

Organization

Tourismusverband Sächsische Schweiz

Website

License (master data)

Nicole Hesse / Tourismusverband Sächsische Schweiz e.V.

Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author

If the entire Caspar David Friedrich Trail is too long for you, you can also hike it in 2 individual stages.

Option 1: Start in Krippen and hike along the route of the Caspar David Friedrich Trail to Schöna to the Kaiserkrone (via the Mittelhangweg, Elbhangweg & Aschersteig). From there, bus 252 leaves from the village square in Schöna back to Krippen or Bad Schandau. Most of the information boards (no. 1-9) are located along this route. Duration: approx. 3.5 h

Option 2: Take bus 252 to the village square in Schöna. Start the hike at the village square and follow the signs to Wolfsberg. If you have not yet been to the Kaiserkrone (information board 9 - Felsige Kuppe), then you should first make a detour there (approx. 10 minutes' walk) and then follow the path to Wolfsberg from there. The end of this variant is at the Caspar-David-Friedrich-Stele in Krippen. There are 3 information boards on this section of the route. Duration: approx. 2 h

Visit to the media exhibition "CDFriedrich inspires" in the Haus des Gastes in Bad Schandau!

Safety guidelines

This is a red route (medium-difficulty tour, with slight inclines, possibly difficult in deep snow).

The hiking trails are not cleared of ice and snow. Please refrain from the hike in icy conditions.

Map

Winter hiking map of Saxon Switzerland

Event