Little Thuringian Forest

The Little Thuringian Forest (German: Kleiner Thüringer Wald)[1] is a region of mountains and hills that lies southwest of Suhl and northwest of Schleusingen, and extends as far as an imaginary line from Schmeheim via Bischofrod and Gethles to Rappelsdorf.

Also, the stratified dolomitic rocks (Plattendolomit) underlie a good farming soil, as does the finely grained lower Buntsandstein with interspersed clay layers.

[3] Iron ore, baryte, and fluorite were mined on Kuhberg hill near Gethles,[3] on Steinberg near Ahlstädt, and between Bischofrod and Eichenberg.

Maps and publications implying the contrary do not refer to the geological rock complex described above, but the wooded ridges that rise to the north and northwest of it, including peaks such as the Donnersberg, Schleusinger Berg, Schneeberg, Kesselberg, Galgenberg, Eichenberg , Ehrenberg etc.

Hikers following these maps, for example, from Bischofrod or Eichenberg across Schneeberg to the northwest will actually leave the Little Thuringian Forest, as defined in the geological sense.