Soisberg

The Soisberg is the highest peak in the Hessian Kegelspiel, a section of the Rhön range that stretches across Bavaria, Hesse and Thuringia. Rising to 629.9 metres, this extinct volcano sits on the border between Hersfeld-Rotenburg and Fulda districts. It lies within the Rhön Biosphere Reserve, surrounded by villages such as Schenklengsfeld, Hohenroda and Eiterfeld. The mountain’s basalt cone shelters softer rocks from erosion, leaving patches of Lower Keuper and Upper Muschelkalk beneath the summit. Designated a landscape protection area in 1973, it also contains parts of the larger Vorderrhön Natura 2000 site. The lower slopes form part of the Schwärzelsberg-Langeberg-Grasburg nature reserve, protecting habitats for local flora and fauna. At the top stands the Soisbergturm, a 25-metre steel-and-timber observation tower built in 2003 and opened the following year. The 111-step ascent rewards visitors with wide views across the Hohe Rhön, Vogelsberg and Knüll ranges. On clear days the Brocken in the Harz can be seen 123 kilometres away, while Kassel’s Herkules monument may appear 68 kilometres distant. The tower is maintained by a local club and offers a visitors’ book for hikers to sign.