Großer Zschirnstein is the highest peak in the German part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains — a flat-topped sandstone mesa rising to 560 metres above the forested landscapes of Saxon Switzerland. Don't let the modest elevation fool you: the views from the southern tip are sweeping, and the wild character of this plateau makes it one of the most rewarding summits in the region.

The broad summit plateau has a personality all its own. Ancient circular rock hollows known as 'Rabenbad' (Ravens' Bath) were carved by an unusual form of sandstone weathering, and a small former basalt quarry hints at the volcanic intrusion beneath the sandstone cap. On clear days, the panorama stretches from the Schrammsteine rocks and the Great Winterberg to the Zirkelstein, and further into Bohemia — taking in peaks like the Milleschauer and the Jeschken — with Dresden visible to the north. In autumn the surrounding beech forests turn golden, making the hike especially atmospheric.

Getting to the summit

• Kleingießhübel (village parking) — forest trail heading east then up to the plateau, approx. 1–1.5 hrs, moderate difficulty
• From the east — new access path used by the Forststeig long-distance trail (opened 2018), descending via the traditional northern route

Practical information

• The summit lies within the Saxon Switzerland Landscape Protection Area and two Natura 2000 zones — nature protection rules apply throughout.
• The Forststeig, a long-distance forest hiking trail opened in 2018, passes directly over the Großer Zschirnstein — a great option for multi-day walkers.
• At the southern tip, two climbing towers — Großer and Kleiner Zschirnsteinturm — and the 'Südwand' route (grade IV) offer one of only three exceptions to the general ban on climbing sandstone massifs in Saxon Switzerland.
• The Czech border runs approximately 700 m south-southeast of the summit.

A replica of the 19th-century surveying pillar known as the 'Nagelscher Säule' stands at the southern viewpoint — a tribute to August Nagel, who led the triangulation survey of Saxony. The original was lost around 1900; the replica was unveiled in May 2011.