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Limes-Trails

Handkääs-Trails Frankfurt

The Steinkopf transmission tower near Frankfurt is the starting point for the Handkääs Trail, among other routes. This trail can be easily incorporated into a loop hike along the historic Limes fortifications.

Description

The route begins at Saalburg Station, which has excellent rail connections to Frankfurt am Main via the Schnellbahn. Right from the start, your calves will warm up as you head uphill until you reach the restricted-access area of the German Armed Forces. A winding singletrack runs parallel to the small road along this area. Later, the route returns to a gravel road, which takes you up the Steinkopf. At times, you’ll be on the “Handkääs Trail,” where you should consistently expect oncoming mountain bikers.

The Steinkopf, recognizable by its distinctive transmission antenna, serves as the starting point for two mountain bike routes. First up is the “Ebbelwoi Trail” to the north. This playfully designed path features numerous jumps, all of which can, however, be easily bypassed. After the trail ends, you climb back up to the Steinkopf to tackle the southern “Handkääs Trail.” Compared to the first, this one is significantly faster and smoother in its course. Following the descent, you ride north of the Bundeswehr grounds back toward Saalburg before the second section of the route begins.

For this, the route leads to Wehrheim and on to Obernhain, then ascends from the north side over nearly 400 meters of elevation gain to the Klingenkopf. From the summit, an impressive panorama toward Frankfurt am Main unfolds, and this point also marks the start of a first-class single-track descent. The trail, rated difficulty level two, is agile and varied in design and leads down the south side to the immediate vicinity of the Homburger Hütte. The route concludes with the transfer back to Saalburg, characterized by a mix of smooth, flat single-track trails and gravel roads.

Note: Along the route, there are numerous well-preserved structures from the Roman era. The most famous site is the Saalburg Roman Fort. During the Roman Empire, the Upper Germanic-Raetian Limes marked the northeastern border. The fascination with this ancient border fortification continues to this day, emanating from the impressive remains of the watchtowers and forts, which were built at strategically important points and are still clearly visible in many places. The 550-kilometer-long border wall is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Map & GPX-Track

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45 km

1040 m

1040 m

295 above sea level

692 above sea level

1 day

Frankfurt Saalburg

Frankfurt Saalburg

3131

well suited

Thomas Giger
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Portrait Thomas Giger

About the author: Thomas Giger

Thomas Giger has been the editor of Ride MTB since 2002 and is a regular online and print author. Over the years, he has specialized in tourism topics and is particularly well known for his blog-style columns. He is also one of Ride MTB's active tour authors.

Thomas Giger has been the editor of Ride MTB since 2002 and has had a significant influence on the tour database. His focus is on single trail tours. There are few who know the trails in Switzerland as well as he does. However, his areas of expertise also include Aosta, the French Western Alps, and the whole of South Tyrol.

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Note: This content has been automatically translated from German. Please report any incorrect translations.