Bavaria · Germany
Hochrhönstraße
St 2288Bischofsheim in der Rhön to Fladungen
Open high-plateau panorama road across the Lange Rhön from Bischofsheim to Fladungen.
The Hochrhönstraße crosses the treeless Lange Rhön plateau for about 25 km between Bischofsheim and Fladungen, topping out around 840 m with no houses lining the road and wide views over the Grabfeld. It is a flowing panoramic road of gentle rises and sweeping bends through a protected biosphere reserve rather than a technical pass. It is a favourite Rhön motorbike run in fair weather. Mind exposed crosswinds on the open plateau, drifting snow that closes the road in winter, and slow-moving sightseers and cyclists.
On the road
The road runs from Bischofsheim in der Rhön to Fladungen. Work began at the start of the Second World War, but it stayed a gravel track until the war ended. It finally opened to traffic on 19 October 1958. From Bischofsheim, at about 440 metres, the St 2288 climbs on to the plateau. It enters the Rhön biosphere reserve after about 4 miles (6 km).
Inside the reserve you may only park in marked car parks, and winter maintenance is limited, with no salt. The Holzberghof hunting lodge stands near that point. Around 11 miles (18 km) in comes the Schwarzes Moor, the largest raised bog in the Rhön. It lies close to where Bavaria, Hesse and Thuringia meet. A boardwalk of about 1.7 miles (2.7 km) leads across it to a 17 metre lookout tower. There is a kiosk and information point by the car park.
The boardwalk closes from November into spring. The road itself is often shut after heavy snow, when the wind drifts it over. It can also close for a day for organised hunts. Look out for the Wasserkuppe, which is visible from the road.
Hochrhönstraße on the map15.4 mi · point to point
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Character
Corners
busiest around mile 1Elevation
under 4%4 to 8%over 8%418 to 848 mFrom the road
Points of interest2 stops
- Einigkeit visitor mineLandmark2.5 mi in
- HuckelViewpoint9.2 mi in
Hazards
- Exposed crosswinds on the plateau
- Winter drifting-snow closures
- Slow sightseers and cyclists
See the typical season and live conditions for the high passes ›
Sources
“Landschaftlich ist die Hochrhönstraße sehr reizvoll, da man von ihr sehr schön ins Grabfeld schauen kann.”
Route traced from OpenStreetMap, with its stats measured from that line. How the roads are mapped
Routes for iPhone carries Hochrhönstraße offline, with live weather and a 7 day forecast.
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