Winter tour to the Siebensteinkopf

Stages:
Wistlberg – Alte Klause – Reschbachklause – Siebensteinkopf –Finsterauer Filz – Wistlberg


Tour description:
We start the tour at the parking lot Wistlberg (1062 meters above sea level) heading west on the circular trail ‘Birkhuhn’ (Black grouse) towards Alte Klause (1020 meters above sea level). Alte Klause was used for timber drifting in the 19th century, but doesn’t exist anymore due to decay after the Reschbachklause was built which was located above.
We change the marking and now follow the Hauptwanderweg ‘Baumgruppe’ (Main hiking path) uphill in the direction of Reschbachklause. Along the river Reschbach you can see wooden structures in the streambed and at the shores which indicate the canal-like construction of the stream during times of timer drift and facilitated the transport of the logs.

After about one kilometer we reach the branch of the swell (Schwellgraben) from the Reschbach where a small bridge is located. Here, water from Reschbach was diverted to the eastern located Teufelsbachklause to be able to fill it with water faster. But we stay straight on the Hauptwanderweg ‘Baumgruppe’ (Main hiking path) and can recognize many tracks of beavers on the right hand side. The beaver creates landscapes by building dams in the river. In the snow, we often see tracks from the beaver sliding into the water.
After a few minutes, we reach the Reschbachklause, an artificial water reservoir which was built in 1860 for timber drifting (1130 meters above sea level). We can take a rest and enjoy the Nordic-like landscape before we head uphill to Siebensteinkopf.

We choose the marking ‘Sperlingskauz’ (Pygmy owl) and walk about 800 meters steadily uphill in direction to Siebensteinkopf (1263 meters above sea level). The path to the summit branches off to the right and we climb the last 400 meters to the summit cross. At nice weather we can see the Alps and the landscape of Šumava National Park.

After taking a rest at the summit, we still follow the marking ‚Sperlingskauz‘ (Pygmy owl) downhill in southeastern direction. First, the trail I relatively steep und covered with rocks and boulders. At a crossroads we go right towards Schwellgraben. The path is almost flat now because it is leading on a so called “Begangsteig“, which was built from stones in earlier times to make forestry works easier.

After about 1200 meters we reach a road that is a cross country track in winter and follow it downhill towards Finsterau. Attention: Please do not step in the tracks but walk next to it!
After another 900 meters we turn left into a forest path with the marking ‚Birkhuhn‘ (Black grouse) which leads to Finsterauer Filz. We reach another crossroads on a smaller trail after few meters on the right hand side. Finsterauer Filz is a renaturalized peak bog which is part of the Bavarian Forest National Park since 2022. In this year, the national park was extended by 600 hectares. We follow the marking ‚Birkhuhn‘ (Black grouse) through the bog until we reach the road/cross country track again. We turn left on the broad road and walk the last meters of our winter tour along the slope up to Wistlberg.

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, good stamina required.
Path surface: 6,7 kilometers without snow cleaning, 1,3 km compacted snow
No refreshment points along the tour. Refreshment points in Finsterau and Mauth

Parking area Wistlberg
94151 Mauth

Parking area Wistlberg
94151 Mauth

Igelbus stop Ski- und Sportstadion Finsterau
Winterigelbus Line 604 A
For timetables see: www.bayerwald-ticket.com
Travel planner: www.bayern-fahrplan.de 

• Birkhuhn (Black grouse)
• Hauptwanderweg 'Baumgruppe' (Main hiking path)
• Sperlingskauz (Pygmy owl)

Did you know it?

The Siebensteinkopf is named after a larger groups of rocks spread over its ridge. As on 27./28.  October 1870, a storm caused huge damage within the mountain spruce forest, the rocks were visible even from a great distance. Until the year 1960, reforestation measures were taken. Since the mass multiplication of the bark beetle in the 1980s, the summit offers a view over the Bohemian Forest to the foothills of the Bavarian Forest - and even to the Alps in good weather.

For Holztrift (timber transport in the water) people needed straight streams with high flow velocity. For this reason, many streams were straightened in the Bavarian Forest National Park and small dams were built in the upper areas (Klausen or Schwellen). Today, the straightening is removed in several places, so that the streams can flow naturally again (renaturation). This has positive impact on biodiversity in and around this streams and serves as flood protection too. The beaver also participates near Reschbachklause.

The Jugendsteig is a theme-hiking trail with focus on granite rock, which is typical of the Bavarian Forest. Several information panels along the way provide interesting facts about the rocks origin, mining and the use as building material. The trail also leads past numerous works of art, which are made of granite and other materials.

Parking area Ski- und Sportstadion Finsterau, Filzweg 13, 94151 Mauth