In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
Around 365 kilometres from the Elbe between rock needles and table mountains, over the ridge of the eastern Ore Mountains to the Fichtelberg, the highest point in Saxony: a route with climbs, narrow valley roads and plenty of walking time, on which the camper often stays parked so that you can go on by foot or by train.
The spirit of the route
In the Elbe Sandstone Mountains roads are only feeders: the real paths climb ladders and steps between rock towers. In the Saxon Switzerland National Park, driving and overnighting with motor vehicles are allowed only in designated areas; the motorhome stays at parking areas and campsites, and you reach the trailheads by bike, bus, ferry and Kirnitzschtalbahn. In the eastern Ore Mountains the landscape changes: plateaus at 700 to 900 metres, mining pits and villages where Schwibbogen candle arches and smoking men recall the craft that grew after ore mining ended. The stages are short, but the roads cost time: narrow village streets, double-digit gradients, early snow in winter. In high summer the Bastei and Kirnitzschtal are crowded; May, June, September and October are better. Details on parking areas and opening times are as of 2026-09 and were not checked on site.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Dresden to Pirna and Bastei (approx. 45 km)
- The drive
- Out of Dresden on the B172 up the Elbe via Heidenau to Pirna, then on country roads via Lohmen to the Bastei near Rathewalde. Wide roads as far as Pirna, then country road with climbs; the approach to the Bastei is at times congested. A good hour of pure driving time without stops.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Dresden's old town on foot: Frauenkirche, Zwinger, Semperoper and the Fürstenzug with around 23,000 Meissen porcelain tiles, and in the evening the Brühl Terrace above the Elbe.
- Pirna: market square with the Renaissance town hall and Canaletto view, the Sonnenstein fortress above it; plan a stop before setting off.
- The Bastei Bridge of 1851, about 194 m above the Elbe, with views of Kurort Rathen, the Lilienstein and the Neurathen rock castle; best in the early morning or late evening.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: On the southern edge of Dresden lies the Campingplatz Dresden-Mockritz (Boderitzer Straße 30, about 4 km from the old town) with a tram and bus stop at the entrance; according to listing portals open March to January, with a few motorhome pitches up to about 9 m long – check opening times, pitch sizes and prices beforehand. In Pirna-Copitz there is the Elbeparkplatz P7 (Hauptplatz 14, according to listing portals open all year, about €8 a night, at most 15 spaces, overnight stay only without camping behaviour) and the Stellplatz at Camping Prina (Äußere Pillnitzer Straße 19, according to portals April to October, two nights at most, no electricity); near the Bastei lies the Reisemobil- und Caravanpark Bastei in Hohnstein (An der Tankstelle 5, according to portals April to October, about 2.5 km from the bridge). Further parking areas and small campsites are found in Kurort Rathen, Stadt Wehlen and Lohmen; the sites on the Elbe bank lie in a flood zone and may have to clear when the water level rises – confirm current details and opening times with the operators.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Wild overnighting is not possible around the Bastei: the car park is a day car park, the area belongs to the Saxon Switzerland National Park, and field and forest tracks are closed to motor vehicles. In Dresden overnighting on streets and car parks is not intended; plan a proper site.
- Insider tip for campers
- To the Bastei: the main car park (P2) lies on the Basteistraße above Rathen, about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the bridge, charges a fee (according to one portal for 2025: cars €7 up to 4 hours and €12 a day, motorhomes and coaches €24) and is often full from mid-morning in summer and then closed; the overflow car park is P1 near Rathewalde (about 2 km, shuttle bus, for motorhomes according to portals €10 a day). Motorhomes can therefore park, but overnighting on the car parks is not allowed; check current tariffs and length restrictions beforehand. Alternatively climb from Rathen (Schwedenlöcher, check for closed sections) or take the bus from Pirna and Bad Schandau. The bridge gets tight at peak times; it is emptier early in the morning or in the late afternoon. In Dresden's old town leave the camper and take the tram.
2Stage 2: Bastei to Königstein (approx. 30 km)
- The drive
- From the Bastei via Hohnstein or Lohmen and Stadt Wehlen down to the Elbe, then on the Elbe bank road via Struppen and past the Lilienstein to Königstein. Country roads with short ramps and hairpins down to the Elbe, 30 km/h and narrow passages in the villages. Around an hour of pure driving time; plan half a day.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Königstein Fortress, a good 240 m above the Elbe on its table mountain: ramparts, a well about 150 m deep, exhibitions on fortress and prison history and the view over the Elbe valley.
- Lilienstein (415 m), a table mountain opposite the fortress: ascent from the Elbe side in about 45 minutes, a wide panorama at the top.
- Stadt Wehlen with its Elbe bank and ferry, and the Elbe bank road with views of rock walls and the paddle steamers of the Sächsische Dampfschifffahrt.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Königstein the Camping Königstein lies directly on the Elbe (Am Alten Sägewerk 1, views of the fortress and the Lilienstein; according to listing portals open all year, noise from the Dresden–Prague railway possible); portals also list the Campingplatz am Treidlerweg (Am alten Sägewerk 4, according to portals 55 motorhome pitches up to 8 m). Further parking areas and campsites lie along the Elbe (not checked continuously; note the flood risk). Fortress and town are easy to reach on foot or by bus. Check the sites' autumn opening times; in winter most parking areas are closed or without water.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Overnighting on the fortress and viewpoint car parks is not intended; the car parks at the Lilienstein and at trailheads are day car parks for walkers. Wild camping is forbidden in the national park and the neighbouring protected areas.
- Insider tip for campers
- The fortress has its own large car park reached from the town (fee, motorhomes generally possible) and a lift to the fortress plateau; according to the operator it is open daily 9 am to 6 pm from late March to 1 November 2026 (last entry one hour before closing) and daily 9 am to 5 pm from 2 November to 19 March 2027; adult admission is €17 in the summer and €15 in the winter half-year – check times and prices on the fortress website before the trip. Allow 2 to 3 hours. The Elbe bank road is sometimes closed by flooding or roadworks; check the situation with the road authority or in the navigation app before setting off.
3Stage 3: Königstein to Bad Schandau and Kirnitzschtal (approx. 20 km)
- The drive
- Elbe bank road (B172) from Königstein to Bad Schandau, there onto the Kirnitzschtalstraße into the valley: narrow from Ostrau, with oncoming traffic, bicycles and walkers. A short stage, but time for a valley that is really experienced on foot and by tram.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Kirnitzschtalbahn: the historic tram from Bad Schandau about 8 km through the Kirnitzsch valley to the Lichtenhainer Wasserfall – check timetable and operating status before visiting.
- Kuhstall: a large rock-arch cave with a view, walk from the Lichtenhainer Wasserfall; the area lies in the national park and leaving the paths is forbidden.
- Bad Schandau: the Ostrauer Scheibe passenger lift (Art Nouveau, 1905) and the old town on the Elbe; from here also access to the Schrammsteine, the Affensteine and the spa with brine.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In the Kirnitzsch valley at Ostrau lies the Campingplatz Ostrauer Mühle (camping and guesthouse, since 1953, on the Kirnitzsch along the Malerweg; according to the tourist board no dogs on the site; tel. +49 35022 42742); check opening times and space for large vehicles beforehand. On the edge of Bad Schandau (Prossen) there is a parking area with Elbe views (Talstraße 13a, according to portals open all year, about €8 a night at the machine, no water, electricity or disposal); confirm location and fee with the town or in a Stellplatz app. Overnighting on the car park at the Lichtenhainer Wasserfall is not intended.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): National park law applies in the Kirnitzsch valley: park only in designated areas, no overnighting in the vehicle outside the site areas, no fires or barbecues. “Boofen” (sleeping under rock overhangs) is allowed only at the roughly 58 officially designated Boofen sites and only for climbers (no permit needed, but with closure periods – a permanent closure from 1 February to 15 June is planned from 2026) and is not for motorhome travellers; check the current rules with the national park authority.
- Insider tip for campers
- After the 2022 forest fire and storm damage, paths in the national park were temporarily closed; check current closures and the tram operation beforehand with the national park authority and the operator. In high fire danger paths and barbecue areas are closed. Park the motorhome in Ostrau or Bad Schandau and take the tram rather than driving the camper to the waterfall: the car park there is small and the road long and narrow. The visitor tax (Gästetaxe) in Bad Schandau was €3 per person and night under the 2022 by-law (children aged 7 to 15 half price), of which €1 funds the guest card with local transport use – check the current rate with your host.
4Stage 4: Bad Schandau to Altenberg (approx. 65 km)
- The drive
- Back on the B172 to Pirna, then through the Müglitz valley via Dohna, Glashütte and Geising to Altenberg. A winding valley road with village streets, from Lauenstein a climb onto the heights of the eastern Ore Mountains. About two hours of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Glashütte: the watchmaking town with the German Watch Museum; workshops can only partly be visited.
- Lauenstein Castle above the Müglitz valley, with a museum and views.
- Altenberg: the mining pit (collapse of 1620), the Geisingberg (824 m) with its tower, plus the bobsleigh track in Altenberg; in Kipsdorf, about 3 km away, the Weißeritztalbahn to Freital-Hainsberg begins, a narrow-gauge steam train.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Altenberg lies the Campingplatz Altenberg at the Kleiner Galgenteich (at around 800 m, easily reached via the B170; tel. +49 35056 31995); further parking areas and campsites are found in the surroundings (Geising, Kipsdorf, Zinnwald). Check location, opening times and prices beforehand in a Stellplatz app. In winter many sites are closed, and on the ridge snow often comes early.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The eastern Ore Mountains are a landscape and nature conservation area with many forestry areas; forest tracks are closed to motor vehicles. Walkers' car parks at the Geisingberg and in Zinnwald are often snow-covered or fitted with barriers. Overnighting once on car parks without a ban is possible, but at this altitude (around 750 m) risky in winter.
- Insider tip for campers
- The eastern Ore Mountains lie between 700 and 900 metres: fog, ice and snow occur from October; in autumn carry tyres with the Alpine symbol and snow chains. The Weißeritztalbahn (Freital-Hainsberg–Kipsdorf, narrow gauge, timetable valid until 12 December 2026) runs as a steam railway to timetable; the Müglitztalbahn is a standard-gauge regional line to Altenberg – check season and times beforehand. Anyone crossing into the Czech Republic via Zinnwald needs an electronic vignette for motorways and expressways, not on country roads; carry ID.
5Stage 5: Altenberg to Seiffen (approx. 50 km)
- The drive
- Via Holzhau and Rechenberg-Bienenmühle through the eastern Ore Mountains and along the edge of the uplands via Neuhausen to Seiffen. Country roads with climbs, in places cleared areas after bark beetle infestation, narrow village streets and 30 km/h zones. About two hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Seiffen: the toy village with the Bergkirche (octagonal central-plan church, 1779), the Toy Museum and the open-air museum with hoop turning, plus workshops with demonstrations.
- Neuhausen: Purschenstein Castle and the Nutcracker Museum, on the route.
- Olbernhau (if you take the way through the Flöha valley): the Saigerhütte Grünthal, a technical monument of the 16th century.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Seiffen lies the Wohnmobil-Stellplatz am Ferienpark Seiffen (Deutschneudorfer Straße 57a, according to listing portals open all year, about 60 pitches, about €16 per vehicle and night, with a campsite next door); further parking areas and campsites are found in Rechenberg-Bienenmühle and Olbernhau. Check opening times and facilities beforehand in a Stellplatz app or with the tourist board. In the Ore Mountains the winter season is a season of its own; many parking areas close from November to April.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Even on the mountain roads around Seiffen nights at viewpoint car parks are not welcome; forest tracks are closed. When snow lies, the winter service clears the main roads first; parking on side routes is then risky.
- Insider tip for campers
- At Advent Seiffen and the neighbouring villages are overcrowded; secure a parking area or campsite early. Demonstrations in the open-air museum run only at certain times – check the times. Best buy crafts directly in the workshops. German gas cylinders are exchanged at petrol stations and DIY stores; Seiffen has discount supermarkets but only few petrol stations – fill up beforehand.
6Stage 6: Seiffen to Annaberg-Buchholz (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- Via Olbernhau and Marienberg to Wolkenstein and Annaberg-Buchholz on the B101. A flowing main road with village streets, only a few climbs after Marienberg. A good hour of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- St. Annenkirche in Annaberg: the largest late Gothic hall church in Saxony with a miners' altar, pulpit and star vault, centre of the mining town.
- Frohnauer Hammer, a hammer mill of 1436 in the district of Frohnau, today a museum with demonstrations; check opening and dates.
- Marienberg: a planned Renaissance town with a square market place, about 20 km from Annaberg.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Annaberg-Buchholz there is the municipal motorhome parking area at Parkstraße 19 (according to listing portals open all year, 8 spaces with electricity, fresh water and disposal, about €9.60 a night plus visitor tax, next to the municipal depot, which starts work at 6 am); Annaberg-Buchholz and the surroundings also have further parking areas and campsites; the municipal sites lie partly on the town edge, partly in spa towns such as Oberwiesenthal; confirm opening, electricity and prices beforehand. At the Pöhlberg and in the Sehma valley there are further options for longer stays.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the mining town itself parking, not camping, applies. On the car parks at the Pöhlberg and the Frohnauer Hammer overnighting is permitted only once and without camping behaviour where no ban is signposted; forest and field tracks are closed.
- Insider tip for campers
- Annaberg lies in a valley basin with steep lanes: leave the camper on the town edge and walk to the Annenkirche. The Fichtelbergbahn runs from Cranzahl (on the B95, car park at the station) – anyone leaving the camper there saves the hairpins to Oberwiesenthal. Ore Mountain specialities such as Buttermilchgetzen and Neunerlei are found mainly in the Christmas season.
7Stage 7: Annaberg-Buchholz to Oberwiesenthal and Fichtelberg (approx. 25 km)
- The drive
- On the B95 through the Sehma valley via Cranzahl to Oberwiesenthal, then to the Fichtelberg valley station. A well-built main road, longer climbs from Cranzahl; Oberwiesenthal lies at about 900 m and is the highest town in Germany. Half an hour of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Fichtelberg (1,215 m), the highest mountain in Saxony: ascent by the Fichtelberg cable car (since 1924) or on foot, at the top a weather station, a lookout tower and a view as far as the Bohemian ridge.
- Fichtelbergbahn: a narrow-gauge steam train between Cranzahl and Oberwiesenthal, about 17 km, times depending on season.
- Keilberg (Klínovec) across the border, 1,244 m, the highest mountain of the Ore Mountains; the cable car to the summit runs from Jáchymov (Sankt Joachimsthal), not from Oberwiesenthal – check access and times beforehand; carry ID for the border crossing.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Oberwiesenthal lies the motorhome parking area Basislager Fichtelberg at the Sportbaude Waldeck (Emil-Riedel-Straße 52, at the forest edge outside the town centre, according to listing portals open all year, 8 spaces, about €10 per vehicle plus €10 per person including electricity, water and sanitary facilities); further parking areas and campsites are found in the town. Check opening, winter season and prices beforehand. In winter (ski season) sites are full and expensive; in autumn quieter, but water connections may be switched off.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Overnighting on the car parks at the Fichtelbergbahn and the cable car is not intended; a tourist tax is levied in Oberwiesenthal, for overnight stays usually a few euros per person and night. On the Fichtelberg itself nature conservation rules apply, do not leave the paths.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Fichtelberg cable car (Germany's oldest aerial cableway, top station at about 1,209 m) ran daily 9 am to 5 pm according to 2025 information, but has maintenance periods in spring (2025: 31 March to 17 April) and autumn (2025: 3 to 18 November) when it does not run – check the 2026 dates and operating times on the operator's website. In winter roads on the ridge are often icy; when snow lies, driving up in a camper without winter equipment is not advisable. Fog and wind are frequent at the summit; pack a jacket and a hat.
8Stage 8: Oberwiesenthal to Zwickau (approx. 75 km)
- The drive
- Downhill via Bärenstein and Scheibenberg to Schwarzenberg, then via Aue and Schneeberg on the B93 to Zwickau. First a winding mountain road, flat from Schwarzenberg; about two hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Schneeberg: mining town with the St. Wolfgang church and the old town; a detour on the way.
- Zwickau: the August Horch Museum (Audi, Horch, Trabant) on the site of the former car factory, plus the Priesterhäuser, the St. Marien cathedral and the Robert Schumann House.
- Schwarzenberg: castle and old town on the Schwarzwasser, a short stop on the way.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Zwickau lies the Stellplatz at the Ubineum (Uhdestraße 25, according to listing portals open all year, 5 spaces with electricity, free of charge, no water or disposal); there are also further parking areas and campsites in the surroundings; check current location, fees and opening times beforehand. Anyone ending the trip in Zwickau has good rail and motorway connections (A72).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Zwickau is a city: parking yes, camping no; checks take place. Plan a parking area or campsite firmly.
- Insider tip for campers
- The August Horch Museum (Audistraße 7, in the Cainsdorf district, not in the centre; Tuesday to Sunday 9:30 am to 5 pm, closed Mondays) can be reached by bus or tram – check the journey and times beforehand. The old town's multi-storey car parks have height limits; leave the camper outside. Low-emission zones: according to the city Dresden currently has none, and we know of none for Zwickau (as of 2026-09).
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- In Germany a motorhome on public roads and car parks counts as a parked vehicle if it stands only to “restore fitness to drive” – in practice one night, without camping behaviour (no chairs, tables, awning, levelling jacks or wedges, no grey water on the ground). Anyone who stays several nights or sets up is camping – and that is not allowed outside campsites and parking areas.
- In the Saxon Switzerland National Park a duty to keep to the paths applies: in the core zone only marked paths may be used. Tents and overnighting in the vehicle outside designated sites are forbidden, open fires and barbecues are banned. Traditional “Boofen” is allowed only at the roughly 58 officially designated sites and only for climbers, without a permit but with closure periods (most recently 1 February to 15 June each year, planned to become permanent from 2026) – not for motorhome travellers. Read the national park authority's rules beforehand.
- Fire danger and storm damage lead to path closures in the national park and the Ore Mountains; check closures and fire danger levels before the tour with the national park or the forestry office. “No overnighting” signs take precedence.
- Parking areas exist on the Elbe, in the spa towns and in the Ore Mountains; the tourist boards keep lists. Useful aids: park4night, Campercontact and printed German Stellplatz guides; user information on fees and facilities is often out of date – check on site. Many sites in the Ore Mountains close in winter.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Fill-and-empty stations stand at many municipal parking areas and campsites; some work with coins or card, some with tokens. Fresh water usually comes in 100-litre portions for a fee. In winter the water supply at sites in the Ore Mountains is often switched off.
- Release grey water only at the station, chemical toilet only into the marked inlets – not into drains or public toilets. Sanitary additives based on formaldehyde are unwelcome at many stations.
- Tap water in Germany is drinking water throughout; note “not drinking water” signs at cemeteries and fountains.
- Gas: grey 11 kg and 5 kg exchange cylinders are available at many petrol stations, DIY stores and campsites; tank cylinders and gas tanks are filled at autogas (LPG) stations, which in Germany have ACME connections – bring a suitable adapter from countries with a different system. Foreign exchange cylinders are not exchanged. In winter use propane rather than butane.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: motorhomes up to 3.5 t drive like cars – 50 km/h in built-up areas, 100 km/h outside, no general limit on the Autobahn (recommended speed 130 km/h). Motorhomes over 3.5 t up to 7.5 t: 80 km/h outside built-up areas, 100 km/h on the Autobahn; over 7.5 t: 60 km/h outside, 80 km/h on the Autobahn. Caravan combinations: 80 km/h, 100 km/h on the Autobahn only with a 100 km/h approval.
- Environmental sticker: in designated low-emission zones all motor vehicles need the green sticker, foreign ones too. According to the city, Dresden currently has no low-emission zone (as of 2026-09; introducing one in connection with the Euro 7 standard is only under discussion). We know of no low-emission zone on the rest of the route.
- Toll: there is no vignette for cars and motorhomes. The lorry toll concerns goods vehicles over 3.5 t; motorhomes are, according to the operator Toll Collect, generally not liable. For very heavy vehicles over 7.5 t, especially with lorry registration, clarify the classification before the trip. Anyone driving to the Czech Republic needs an electronic vignette for motorways and expressways (vehicles up to 3.5 t; as of January 2026 for example 10 days 300 CZK, 30 days 480 CZK, one year 2,570 CZK, bought online or at sales points), and a distance-based electronic toll for vehicles over 3.5 t.
- The Sunday and public holiday driving ban and the holiday-travel ban on Saturdays in July and August apply to lorries over 7.5 t; motorhomes registered as motorhomes are generally not affected, those with lorry registration are – check the vehicle registration document.
- Winter tyres apply situationally: in black ice, snow, slush or frost, tyres with the Alpine symbol (mountain pictogram with snowflake) are mandatory, plain M+S tyres are no longer enough. On the Ore Mountains ridge snow can lie as early as October; carry snow chains and frost protection for the water system.
- Rear carriers: a warning plate as in Italy or Spain is not required, but the number plate and rear lights must remain visible (otherwise a light bar with number plate). Alcohol: 0.5 per mille, 0.0 for novice drivers and under-21s. Mobile phone at the wheel only hands-free – fine and a point in Flensburg.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Hiking or trail shoes with tread for stairs, ladders and wet sandstone steps; poles help on the descent.
- A bike or e-bike to take you from the parking area to the trailhead on the Elbe and in the Kirnitzsch valley; trains and ferries save the search for a space.
- A supply of euro coins: many machines for electricity, water and parking fee in the Ore Mountains and on the Elbe do not take cards.
- Winter equipment from October: tyres with the Alpine symbol, snow chains, frost protection, checked heater, propane gas.
- A rain and wind jacket and a warm hat: on the Fichtelberg and in the eastern Ore Mountains it is markedly colder than in the Elbe valley even in summer.
- Offline-saved maps and timetables for the Kirnitzschtalbahn, Weißeritztalbahn and Fichtelbergbahn; check closures and fire danger levels beforehand.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
