Plesse Barbecue and Picnic Area – Elfengrund Waterfall loop from Wanfried

Hiking trails & Routes

Germany

Hesse

Regierungsbezirk Kassel

Werra-Meißner-Kreis

Wanfried

Plesse Barbecue and Picnic Area – Elfengrund Waterfall loop from Wanfried

Moderate

4.8

(296)

872

hikers

Plesse Barbecue and Picnic Area – Elfengrund Waterfall loop from Wanfried

03:33

12.1km

350m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 9, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Geo-Naturpark Frau-Holle-Land

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

1.48 km

Plesse Barbecue and Picnic Area

Highlight • Rest Area

As a starting and ending point of the tour highly recommended, as there is also a Wassertretstelle, which ensures wonderful cooling for the feet after the hike.

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1.87 km

View of Wanfried

Highlight • Viewpoint

Nice rest area with a view of the Werratal and Wanfried. Possibility to rest before the ascent or after the descent from the Plesse when hiking the P5.

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4.76 km

The Elfengrund waterfall in the southern part of the "Plesse-Konstein" nature reserve is unique to the region with some fossil limestone tufts. The very calcareous Gatterbach springs from nearby sources. …

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6.83 km

Hesse–Thuringia Border with Historic Boundary Stone

Highlight • Historical Site

State border Hessen Thuringia with historical boundary stone on the hiking trail

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6.86 km

NVA Border Troops Patrol Path

Highlight • Trail

Well, it's a Kolonnenweg - you can find it beautiful - but you don't have to.

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6.87 km

Green Belt – Former Kolonnenweg

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

The Kolonnenweg is part of the inner-German border fortifications on the side of the former GDR. In contrast to the rest of the border system, the Column Path has largely …

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9.66 km

Forest Trail with Prominent Roots on the Way to Plesseturm

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

This section of the path on the P5 is impressive: the mountain goes up steeply to the left and down to the right. The trees have formed huge above-ground roots to cling to...

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10.2 km

View of the Geo-Naturpark Frau-Holle-Land

Highlight • Viewpoint

12.1 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

10.2 km

663 m

607 m

537 m

Surfaces

6.61 km

4.39 km

482 m

350 m

166 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Monday 5 October

20°C

5°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 6.0 km/h

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Comments

April 27, 2025,P5 Plesse Wanfried

Once up, then almost always down. Great view from the Plesse Tower!

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July 30, 2024,P5 Plesse

A bit of a boring premium hiking trail. Viewpoints are rare, the route is mostly on paved paths and rather mixed. Up to exactly halfway, at the Plesse Tower, it is a gentle but steady climb, easy to walk. Then, who would have thought, it is back down again, sometimes a little steeper and sometimes on narrower paths, but still …

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August 30, 2023,P5 Plesse mit kleinem Abstecher

Too bad, too bad - it was a hope to look into the Plesse from below at close range; unfortunately not with the chosen detour

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June 12, 2022,Tour

P5. Plesse start at the Elfengund car park over the observation tower back to the car park!
Unfortunately, the tower cannot be used, it needs to be restored and there is a lack of money

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June 13, 2023,Premiumwanderweg P5 - Plesse

On the way with my hiking friend @Norbert Küch on the P5 - Plesse near Wanfried, which I can highly recommend. On narrow paths it goes through the forest to the highest point of the tour, the Plesseturm. The foresight from there was more than impressive today - just beautiful. There are a few well-kept rest areas along the way …

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May 26, 2024,Unterwegs im Frau Holle Land: Runde von Wanfried

Today we went on the premium trail P5 Plesse and switched back and forth between Hesse and Thuringia.
We started in Wanfried and first followed the sign to the barbecue area. We continued past cherry orchards to the private cemetery of the von Scharfenberg family, Consul's grave. Unfortunately, the park-like area was closed.
We continued hiking through the forest and …

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October 12, 2024,Premiumweg P 5

The Plesse Tower is open again. You have a wonderful view of Wanfried and the Werra Valley

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November 21, 2021,Premiumweg P5 - Plesse im Novemberblues 🌫️🌧️🍂

As the penultimate of the premium routes, we ran the P5 today. The aim is to complement the P paths before the end of the year. ✨
Our hike was very foggy, but that gave the tour a special feel. It went over forest paths and forest paths and we quickly decided that we would like to run this path …

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