On foot through the Ore Mountains: region becomes a mecca for hikers

The Ore Mountains will be the destination for thousands of hikers from Germany and abroad this fall. Oberwiesenthal is hosting the 123rd German Hiking Day from September 24 to 27 under the motto "Connected on the Move - Together through the Ore Mountains". According to the organizers, more than 35 guided and individual hikes are planned through the UNESCO World Heritage region Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří as well as cultural events and a parade. Up to 20,000 guests from Germany and many European countries are expected to attend.

Hiking brings people together, opens people's eyes to nature and culture and creates lasting encounters, explained the President of the German Hiking Association, Michael Ermrich. As the highest town in Germany, Oberwiesenthal offers a special stage for this. The landscape has been shaped by mining for centuries and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. "Anyone who hikes here will experience expansive views, tranquil forests and paths that tell stories," says Ermrich. "Paths that have been used by generations of miners, traders and travelers."

Hiking as an economic factor

The local tourism industry is hoping that the hiking festival will attract more national attention to the region as a hiking destination. It is a unique opportunity to make the region visible both nationally and internationally, explained Ines Hanisch-Lupaschko, Managing Director of the Erzgebirge Tourism Association. The aim is to showcase the region's strengths as an attractive hiking and year-round destination.

According to the German Hiking Association, hiking is an important economic factor. "Hikers spend billions on travel, accommodation and gastronomy in Germany every year," explained Ermrich. "Many jobs in tourism depend on this." Events such as the German Hiking Day show how sustainable nature tourism can work. According to the association, it has around 70 member organizations in which around 450,000 people are active.

The German Hiking Day originated in Fulda in 1883 and is now regarded as the largest hiking event in Europe. It was last held in Eichsfeld in 2024.