Niedernhausen: Trails Through Forest and History

Niedernhausen combines the Taunus landscape with a history that can be seen along hiking trails, at churches, and at distinctive sites. Hohe Kanzel, geological discovery trails, and historical landmarks each offer a different focus. You can tailor your trip to what interests you most: longer walks through the forest, geological history, or local culture.

Forest Trails, Ridge, and Geological History

Hohe Kanzel is Niedernhausen’s local mountain and, at 591 meters, the highest point in the municipality. The trails also reveal different aspects of the landscape: Eichhornweg is a medium-length forest hiking trail with relatively few climbs. It follows wide, comfortable gravel, meadow, and forest-floor paths, passing through the districts of Oberjosbach, Niedernhausen, and Oberseelbach.

At the Oberjosbach Forest Discovery Trail, more than 30 stations offer insights into the forest ecosystem. The circular route is about 3.5 kilometers long and is estimated to take approximately 1 to 1.5 hours. The Geo Discovery Trail between Oberjosbach and Oberseelbach explores a different subject: the hike covers nearly five kilometers and takes you through 460 million years of geological history. The two trails therefore differ both in length and in their subject matter.

Other routes add to the selection. The fifth stage of the Hessian Long-Distance Cycle Route R6 passes partly through the municipality; the Bembelweg is also one of the hiking trails that cross Niedernhausen. A cross-border hiking trail runs between Niedernhausen-Niederseelbach and Idstein-Dasbach and was developed with both municipalities. Overall, the trails connect the districts and link up with long-distance hiking routes.

The layout can also play a role in planning: the Historical Walk through Niedernhausen consists of several sections that do not have to be completed together or in a set order. This makes it possible to focus a stay on individual stops or on a hike, without having to combine both into a single circular walk.

Local History at Churches and Special Sites

The former Catholic parish church of the Nativity of Mary was built as a chapel from 1881 to 1885 and has been the seat of its own parish since 1921. In the district of Niederseelbach, the Protestant St. John’s Church dates from the 16th century. The spa quarter also recalls an earlier era: its villas from the late 19th and early 20th centuries attest to Niedernhausen’s importance at the time as a health resort. For many years, the Grotto of Mary was a stop on Niedernhausen’s Corpus Christi procession; this connection is part of local history.

Above the railway tracks at Niedernhausen station stands the Schiller Temple, a rustic wooden pavilion with seating and a view. Niedernhausen’s Local History and Tourism Association built it in 1905 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Friedrich Schiller’s death. Another historical landmark is the Felsenkeller, also known as the Ice Cellar: it was once used to store ice and served as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War.

In Oberseelbach, the village fountain is worth a brief stop. Its cast-iron basin has a shape typical of the Taunus and Westerwald regions. The Backes (communal bakehouse) there houses a working, municipally owned oven, which was extensively restored in 2023 with funding from the Rheingau-Taunus district. The Alte Kirche Niedernhausen e.V. association maintains the former church as the Alte Kirche Center (ZAK) and organizes cultural events there.

The Limes is also part of the region’s history: at the present-day border between Niedernhausen and Idstein, the Romans marked their northern frontier. The Upper German-Raetian Limes was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. If you would like to combine culture and activity on your trip, the hiking trails, sections of the historical walk, and sites in town offer different ways to explore. When choosing accommodation, you can consider whether you would prefer to plan your days around hiking trails, nature, or historical sites.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Lorch, Eltville Am Rhein, Schlangenbad, Rüdesheim Am Rhein, Walluf, Idstein, Oestrich-Winkel, Bad Schwalbach.

Go to the main travel overview: Rheingau-Taunus district.