The Trusetal Waterfall plunges 60 metres over a granite formation in three cascades. Beside the waterfall, you can climb a staircase with 228 steps. These distinctive features give a visit a clear focus on nature. If seeing the waterfall flowing is important to you, take the season into account: it is switched off in winter.
Waterfall, Tower and Mining History
The Wallenburg Tower on the outskirts of Trusetal is a monument to Romanesque architecture dating from the 13th century. It adds a historic building to the selection of local sights. The local history room in Trusetal also offers something different: it was established and is run by the Trusetal Local History and Mining Association. This way, you can encounter both architectural history and topics related to local and mining history in the town.
At the “Hühn” visitor mine, you can experience mining history that is believed to date back almost a thousand years. After the tour, you can pan for mineral stones at “Klonike am Hühn.” This combines an insight into mining history with a hands-on activity, while ensuring that the two offer different experiences: the tour focuses on the mine, while panning focuses on mineral stones. These attractions offer another way to shape your stay alongside the waterfall and architecture.
Routes and Places to Rest
The Rennsteig-Leiter Trusetal trail leads from the waterfall via Fünf Gärten, Laudenbach and the mining educational trail to the Rennsteig. If you would rather explore a tour featuring named sights, there is a signposted route covering 17.5 kilometres. It starts at Bad Vilbeler Platz and leads, among other places, to Wallenburg Tower, the “Hühn” visitor mine and the waterfall viewpoint. Another signposted adventure trail around Trusetal passes, among other places, the Teufelskanzel and the waterfall viewpoint.
For cyclists, the Inselsberg Cycle Route starts at the bus station in Brotterode and is about 17 kilometres long. The routes described here therefore differ in their stated focus: the sights tour highlights signposted waypoints, while the Inselsberg Cycle Route is a cycling route starting at the bus station. The Rennsteig-Leiter passes through several named places en route to the Rennsteig. There is also a hut where you can take a break on the Naturpark trail near Pfingstweide. This gives you a named rest stop in addition to the routes.
More Cultural Attractions in the Wider Schmalkalden-Meiningen Destination
If you are planning your stay beyond the local attractions, other themes in the wider Schmalkalden-Meiningen destination may also be of interest. In Schmalkalden, you can see how nougat is made at the Viba Nougat World’s glass-walled workshop. Practical confectionery courses offer the opportunity to pour chocolate, decorate nougat and create pralines. Course times and booking conditions may change; check them in advance.
The “Neue Hütte” blast furnace museum is also in Schmalkalden. The blast furnace dates from 1835; until 1924, local iron ores were smelted there into pig iron using charcoal. An exhibition explores the almost 1,300-year development of iron and steel goods production in the Schmalkalden region, including the “Schmalkalder Artikel.” A 45-minute guided tour focuses on the history and operation of the blast furnace. These attractions offer a different focus from the nature and mining sights in Brotterode-Trusetal: here, the focus is on nougat-making, crafts and industrial history.
Discover more destinations: Kleinschmalkalden, Vachdorf, Altersbach, Birx, Frankenheim/Rhön, Rohr / Thüringen, Unterschönau, Viernau
See the overview of the wider destination: Schmalkalden-Meiningen.
