The Lichte is a right tributary of the Schwarza in Thuringia, Germany, and is 17 kilometres (11 mi) long.

The Lichte flows north through the Thuringian Forest Nature Park, first through the Finsterer Grund (Dark Valley), where a now closed section of the Sonneberg – Probstzella single-track railway line passes over it on a viaduct.

It then reaches the municipality of Lichte, which extends for approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) along its banks.

The Lichte and Piesau both have unusually steep and deep gorges, the difference between hill tops and valley bottoms often exceeding 200 metres (660 ft).

Recreational placer miners continue to find occasional gold nuggets.