Morgenleithe

The Morgenleithe is a double-peaked mountain in the Saxon Ore Mountains, rising to 811.6 metres. It stands on the edge of Lauter-Bernsbach, where its slopes meet the borders of Schwarzenberg and Bockau. The mountain lies directly beside the European long-distance path E3 and the Eisenach–Budapest mountain trail. Its eastern flank drops away steeply, giving the peak its name, which refers to the old word for a steep slope facing the morning sun.

The mountain has drawn walkers for a century. In 1922 a wooden tower was built and dedicated by the local dialect poet and mayor Bruno Herrmann. Thirteen years later a mountain inn opened beside it. The tower was raised to 18 metres in 1955, but today dense forest blocks most of the view from the top. The path network still leads walkers through quiet woods and open stretches of the Ore Mountains.

Visitors follow forest tracks and clearings to the two summits. The lower peak keeps a modest lookout platform, while the higher one holds the taller tower. The inn serves simple meals and offers a place to rest after the climb. From the car park at the foot of the slope, the way is well marked and gentle enough for families. The mountain’s slopes form part of the wider Erzgebirge upland, where the air is cool and the trees are mainly spruce and pine.