Kickelhahn
The highest hill close to Ilmenau is the Kickelhahn (861m) and on this, our "Town Mountain", stands the 24m tall look-out tower which is one of the town's trademarks, offering a stunning view of the wooded heights and their northern approaches.
Goethe himself loved this hill and its beauty, visiting it often. In his time, of course, the tower had not yet been built.
To reach the summit of the Kickelhahn at its height of 861m takes a good hour's walking. The hill is thought to owe its name to one of the German terms for the capercaillies which used to be hunted in this area and of which there are, in the Jagdhaus Gabelbach Museum, examples prepared by the taxidermist. Jagdhaus means hunting lodge and this one is to be found a few hundred meters below the summit around which the capercaillie is now so rare.
It is also possible to park the car at the walkers' car park called Herzogröder Wiesen on the road leading to Frauenwald. From here it is only 2 km on foot to the summit plateau.
