Bischofsgrün: Winter Sports, Fairy-Tale Trails and Hiking

In the Fichtel Mountains, Bischofsgrün is the only spa town in northern Bavaria with a therapeutic climate. The town combines winter sports with hiking and cycling opportunities, as well as trails with their own themes and a traditional festival in the town centre. If you are looking for accommodation, your preferred activities can help you decide: in winter, cross-country ski trails, winter hiking trails and a ski run take centre stage, while hiking and cycling options are available on other days.

Winter Sports and the Ochsenkopf

The Bischofsgrün winter sports centre includes a network of cross-country ski trails and a network of winter hiking trails, which are connected. Winter sports enthusiasts can also use a 2,300-metre-long, technically snow-covered ski run at the Nord cable car. It is described as the longest ski run in northern Bavaria. The Nord aerial cableway offers another connection to the Ochsenkopf: its double chairlift with a plastic bubble takes you from Bischofsgrün to the summit. The cross-country ski trails, winter hiking trails, ski run and connection to the summit offer different ways to enjoy a stay focused on winter activities.

Hiking Trails for Different Discoveries

There are hundreds of kilometres of marked hiking trails around Bischofsgrün, including full- and half-day routes. The Bischofsgrün Fairy-Tale Hiking Trail has a character of its own: it starts at the town hall and is signposted from there. The trail is about two kilometres long and features 14 signs depicting fairy-tale characters. From the town centre, it passes streams, rocks and fountains on its way up to Hügelfelsen. It is also an enjoyable walk for young children. This makes it easy to distinguish a themed trail with a clearly named starting point and destination from the longer hiking routes in the surrounding area.

The Bischofsgrün Panorama Trail offers a different perspective on the town. It forms a loop around Bischofsgrün, with panoramic views of the town from various vantage points. This gives you a choice of trails with different focuses: the Fairy-Tale Hiking Trail, with its characters and stations; the Panorama Trail, which forms a loop; and the extensive network of marked trails around Bischofsgrün.

Cycling and Local Traditions

The varied terrain in Bischofsgrün also offers many opportunities for cycling and mountain biking. The town is also the starting point of the Euregio Süd cycling tour and a hub for various long-distance cycling routes. These roles as a starting point and a hub provide different kinds of orientation: the Euregio Süd begins in Bischofsgrün, while various long-distance cycling routes converge here.

The traditional Snowman Festival is a cultural highlight of the year. It takes place on Rose Monday in the centre of Bischofsgrün. The festival adds a recurring local tradition to the nature and sports activities on offer.

Bischofsgrün in the Wider Bayreuth Destination

The wider Bayreuth destination also offers a variety of landscapes. Franconian Switzerland characterises the western and southern parts of Bayreuth district, while the Fichtel Mountains define the north, where dark forests and granite boulder fields form part of the landscape. The district has a well-maintained network of around 1,400 kilometres of cross-country ski trails, hiking trails and cycling routes. Long-distance and themed cycling routes explore different natural areas and their distinctive features, while local circular routes allow for more localised route planning. These regional connections provide a broader context for planning a trip to Bayreuth; they are not additional features of Bischofsgrün itself.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Glashütten, Weidenberg, Pegnitz, Mistelgau, Bindlach, Gefrees, Betzenstein and Creußen.

Go to the main travel guide: Bayreuth.