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HikingAufstieg zur Josephshöhe
deutschland 06536 Südharz
The Josephshöhe, the largest elevation of the Großer Auerberg near Stolberg, is best reached from the large hiking car park at the Auerberg guest house (the guest house was closed in 2018). The largest iron double cross in the world was erected on this highest elevation in the southern Harz Mountains in 1896. 100,000 rivets hold a 123-ton steel structure together. Over 200 steps you reach a viewing platform at a height of 38 meters. From here you have a wonderful view over the treetops of the southern Harz to the Brocken and south across the Thuringian Basin to the Großer Inselsberg in the Thuringian Forest. To the east, the view extends to the Petersberg near Halle and even the towers of Magdeburg Cathedral can sometimes be seen. You can reach the tower via two hiking options, which are combined in the recorded route as a circular route. The western route begins on the side of the road opposite the west gable of the Auerberg inn and leads not too steeply for 1600 meters along the Alte Auerbergstraße in the direction of Stolberg. From this path, after about 350 meters, the narrow asphalted access road to the Josephskreuz branches off to the left, which you follow upwards. The road is closed to general traffic. Only severely disabled people are allowed to use the path after registering with the vehicle. The eastern route starts behind the small souvenir shop (wooden cottage) just across from the parking lot. The hiking trail, which is only one meter wide in places, is only 1000 meters long, but leads up quite steeply in some places. Climbing the tower is chargeable,