Finsterau: Moorland, cycling routes and winter sports

Finsterau combines nature experiences in the Finsterauer Filz with cycling routes, winter sports, and an open-air museum. When planning your trip, you can choose between a walk along the boardwalk, a bike ride, visits to the museum, and winter tours. Each trail and activity has its own character—from information about the moor and benches to a challenging cross-country ski trail near the border.

Moorland trails and orientation at Wistlberg

The Wistlberg Nature Experience Visitor Centre near Finsterau is designed for people with disabilities, wheelchair users, families with strollers, and visitors who have difficulty walking. From the accessible “Finsterauer Filz” bus stop, a wide, 250-metre-long sandy path leads to the boardwalk through the Finsterauer Filz. The boardwalk is 180 metres long in total. Information panels on a platform explain the moor habitat and the species that live there; benches invite you to take a rest.

The boardwalk and the access path are two separate sections: the sandy path starts at the bus stop, while the boardwalk leads through the Finsterauer Filz. This makes it easy to plan which sections you would like to include. Information about the moor and its species gives the trail a nature focus that sets it apart from Finsterau’s sporting activities.

Cycling and the open-air museum

The moderately difficult Finsterau Tour is a 12.6-kilometre circular cycling route. It starts and ends at the Finsterau Ski and Sports Centre, passes the Finsterauer Filz and the historic Hammerklause, and continues to Finsterau. The route alternates between paved sections, gravel paths, and unpaved forest roads. Some sections may be slippery in wet weather. The route’s length, difficulty rating, and trail surface are therefore different factors to consider when planning your ride.

The Finsterau Open-Air Museum can also be reached by various means of transport: by car via Freyung and Mauth, by on-demand bus from Freyung, on regional bus route 605, and by Igelbus. The museum is also located directly on the National Park Cycle Route between Haidmühle and Bayerisch Eisenstein. The farmhouses host permanent small exhibitions on selected themes. Festivals and markets featuring folk music, crafts, and children’s games complement the museum’s offerings.

Summer and winter tours

In summer, the Finsterau Ski and Sports Centre has a roller-ski track. In winter, you’ll find cross-country ski trails, skating tracks, and a biathlon facility. The challenging Buchwaldloipe trail runs for about nine kilometres from the centre to the German-Czech border at Bucina (Buchwald), where it connects to the Czech cross-country ski trail network.

Another winter option is the 9.8-kilometre “Siebensteinkopf – Fernblick ohne Grenzen” snowshoe loop. It starts at the Ski and Sports Centre and leads through the Finsterauer Filz. Check local conditions before setting out. The snowshoe loop and the challenging cross-country ski trail differ in length and activity, so you can choose the tour that suits your planned winter’s day.

Mauth and trails around the national park

The municipality of Mauth is located right next to the Bavarian Forest and Bohemian Forest national parks. The Bavarian Forest National Park stretches along the Bavarian-Czech border between Bayerisch Eisenstein in the district of Regen and Mauth in the district of Freyung-Grafenau.

The Eisvogel-Weg in Mauth is certified by the German Hiking Association. It follows the Steinbach upstream to the Steinbachklause, a historic timber rafting structure. One section of the trail is seasonally closed from 1 December to 31 March; a detour is signposted. If you plan to walk this trail, take the seasonal closure into account.

Choose Finsterau as your accommodation destination

If these activities are your main focus, consider Finsterau as your search destination. If you also want to include the Eisvogel-Weg, consider Mauth as a separate destination and note the seasonal closure there.

Go to the main travel overview: Mauth.