Jöhstadt: Railway, Mining History and Hiking Trails

Jöhstadt brings three themes together: the Preßnitz Valley Railway, tangible evidence of mining history, and extensive hiking opportunities. The 750 mm narrow-gauge railway provides a clear route to follow when planning your visit; in Schmalzgrube, the blast furnace and manor house tell the story of iron smelting, while the Andreas-Gegentrum adit is associated with silver and cobalt mining. There are also opportunities for climbing and fishing, as well as St. Salvator Church with its historic Göthel organ. Depending on whether you are more interested in technology, history or outdoor activities, you can explore Jöhstadt with different priorities.

The Preßnitz Valley Railway as a guiding thread

The Preßnitz Valley Railway runs for around eight kilometres between Jöhstadt and Steinbach near Jöhstadt, passing through Schmalzgrube. From Steinbach to Schmalzgrube, the line follows the Preßnitz; from there to Jöhstadt, it follows the Jöhstädter Schwarzwasser. This divides the route into two river sections, which are easy to identify by their place names. Jöhstadt is the home station of the locomotives, the railway’s operating base, and also the highest station on the Preßnitz Valley Railway. The heritage railway is considered one of the main attractions in the town area. This makes a difference when choosing what to focus on: you can use the route itself as your guide or focus on Jöhstadt as the railway’s technical hub.

Mining history and historic landmarks

The town’s history is reflected in several distinct landmarks. Silver and cobalt were mined at the Andreas-Gegentrum adit in the 18th and 19th centuries; the visitor mine is considered one of the main attractions in the town area. In Schmalzgrube, an old blast furnace is part of the UNESCO World Heritage project Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Mining Region. The Schmalzgrube ironworks includes a blast furnace dating from 1659 and a manor house built in 1776. Together, the blast furnace and manor house are considered evidence of early industrial pig iron production. The dates clearly distinguish the two buildings: 1659 refers to the blast furnace, and 1776 to the manor house. Another cultural highlight is St. Salvator Church, which houses a historic Göthel organ.

Hiking and other activities

Jöhstadt offers extensive hiking opportunities, and local trails and routes are well signposted. There are rest stops along routes in the Jöhstadt area. An adventure hike leads from Jöhstadt to the Preßnitz reservoir. Climbing at Einsame Spitze is considered a sporting challenge. The Schwarzwasser-Preßnitz Valley nature experience area also offers the opportunity to fish at a private pond without a fishing licence. The options range from general hiking opportunities and a specific route to the reservoir to climbing or fishing. Suggested hikes in Jöhstadt list car and bus route T-430 as ways to get there. When planning a hike, you can consider this information alongside the route itself; rest stops and signposting also provide practical guidance along the way.

Trip ideas and finding accommodation

If you want to make the railway the focus of your trip, the route between Jöhstadt, Schmalzgrube and Steinbach offers a guiding thread for your plans; for time outdoors, consider the hiking options, the route to the reservoir or climbing. If you want to combine several themes, you can decide how much time to set aside for mining history, the railway and the trails.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Johanngeorgenstadt, Scheibenberg, Zwönitz, Schönheide, Wolkenstein, Gehringswalde, Hormersdorf, Thum

Go to the overview of the wider travel region: Erzgebirgskreis.