Editing Thuringian Forest (section)

== Natural regions ==
=== Northwest Thuringian Forest ===

The Northwest Thuringian Forest comprises an area of about 70&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> reaching heights up to {{convert|470|m|abbr=on}}, hardly exceeding those of the adjacent [[Buntsandstein]] forelands to the southwest, but exhibiting a much more pronounced relief. It stretches until ''Moosbach'' stream, a tributary or Erbstrom river, in the north east, and to [[Bundesstraße]] 19 in the east and south, which follows the upper reaches of Elte river between the villages of Wilhelmsthal and Etterwinden. The predominant rock species is ''Eisenacher [[Rotliegend]]'', namely [[Conglomerate (geology)|conglomerates]] and [[sandstone]]s. The area is known for the so-called ''Drachenschlucht'', a narrow gorge near Eisenach, and the [[Wartburg]] castle. The northern part of the area is drained by several streams into the [[Hörsel]], the southern part into the Elte. Hence, the ridge of the Northwestern Thuringian Forest only forms the [[Drainage divide|watershed]] between Hörsel and the middle course of the [[Werra]].

Notable summits include:
* Großer Drachenstein (470 m)
* Wartberg (about 390 m, north of the main ridge), site of [[Wartburg]] castle

The much larger natural region of Central Thuringian Forest with an area of about 850&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, whose ridge rises mostly above {{convert|600|m|abbr=on}}, is subdivided into several parts described below in their sequence from the north-west to the south-east.

=== Ruhla Thuringian Forest ===

This part, situated around the town of [[Ruhla]] north of the ''Rennsteig'', is geologically formed by the [[Basement (geology)|basement]] rocks of the ''Ruhlaer Kristallin'', consisting of [[granite]]s, [[gneiss]], and [[schist]]. There is no pronounced ridge, summits on both sides of the watershed reach heights of {{convert|700|m|abbr=on}} or more. Its northeastern parts drain towards the Hörsel, the southwestern parts towards the middle course of the Werra. The area is limited towards the south-east by state road 1027 between Schwarzhausen and Bad Liebenstein.

Notable summits include:
* Birkenheide (717 m, immediately south of Rennsteig)
* Glöckner (702 m)
* Windsberg (671 m), foothill of Birkenheide and site of Altenstein castle
* Ringberg (639 m) with ''Alexanderturm'' (observation tower)

=== Brotterode Thuringian Forest ===

Reaching until [[Tambach-Dietharz]], the part of Thuringian forest around the town of [[Brotterode]] is geologically more heterogeneous than the region around Ruhla. State road 1026 between [[Friedrichroda]] and [[Floh-Seligenthal]] which follows the valleys of the rivers Schilfwasser and Schmalkalde and passes through [[Kleinschmalkalden]] and state road 1028 between Georgenthal and Floh-Seligenthal which follows the valleys of the rivers Apfelstädt and Flohbach divide the area into segments. In this area the mountain ridge becomes more pronounced. The summit of [[Großer Inselsberg]] of volcanic origin causes a marked shift of the ridge towards the north. South of Georgenthal, the mountain range becomes the watershed between Elbe and Weser.

Notable summits include:

* [[Großer Inselsberg]] (916.5 m) between Brotterode and Tabarz, popular tourist destination
* Großer Weißenberg (747 m), location of a [[tripoint]] between the former countries of [[Saxe-Meiningen]], [[Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]], and [[Electorate of Hesse|Kurhessen]] and of today's districts [[Gotha (district)|Gotha]], [[Schmalkalden-Meiningen]], and [[Wartburgkreis]].
* Gerberstein (728 m) with an outlook platform

=== Tambach-Oberhof Thuringian Forest ===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-09641-0005, Oberhof, II. Wintersportmeisterschaften, Vorbereitungen zum Bobfahren.jpg|thumb|East German winter sport championships in [[Oberhof, Germany|Oberhof]], February 1951.]]
The [[Bundesstraße 247|B 247]] from [[Luisenthal]] via Oberhof and [[Zella-Mehlis]] to [[Suhl]], which follows the [[Ohra]] to the north, a section along the [[Lichtenau (river)|Lichtenau]] to the south and finally the lower reaches of the [[Hasel (Werra)#Nebenflüsse|Mühlwasser]], together with the slightly more than 10&nbsp;km long L 1028 road that runs parallel to it to the northwest separates this natural sub-division of the Thuringian Forest from the rest. Apart from the south, this region is traversed by very few public roads and is only populated in the south – in the villages of [[Schnellbach (Floh-Seligenthal)|Schnellbach]] and [[Struth-Helmershof]] in the municipality of [[Floh-Seligenthal]], the [[Rotterode]], [[Unterschönau]] and [[Oberschönau]] suburbs of [[Steinbach-Hallenberg]] and the town of Zella-Mehlis.

The [[Elbe-Weser watershed]], accompanied by the ''Rennsteig'', reaches heights of around 900&nbsp;m at several places southwest to west of Oberhof, but does not really form any individual mountains and has very much the character of a mountain crest. By contrast, the [[Großer Hermannsberg]] and Ruppberg (see below) that rise to the southwest of the ridge are better known and popular tourist destinations. To the northeast, where the terrain gradually flattens out, are two of the 3 largest reservoirs in the Thuringian Forest (see below). The best known rock formation in the mountain range, the [[Falkenstein (Thuringia)|Falkenstein]], is also found in this area.

[[File:Gebrannterstein1.jpg|thumb|left|The main crags on Gebrannter Stein (897&nbsp;m)]]
[[Image:ruppberg gipfel bank.jpg|thumb|View from the Ruppberg near [[Zella-Mehlis]]]]
Notable summits include:

* Schützenberg (904&nbsp;m, main crest southwest of Oberhof)
* Greifenberg (901&nbsp;m, main crest west of Oberhof)
* [[Gebrannter Stein]] (897&nbsp;m, south of the Rennsteig, north of Zella-Mehlis) with remarkable [[cliff]]s
* [[Großer Hermannsberg]] (867&nbsp;m, southwest flank) - local mountain for [[Steinbach-Hallenberg]], with observation tower
* [[Ruppberg]] (866&nbsp;m, southwest flank) - local mountain (northwest) for [[Zella-Mehlis]], with observation tower

==== Rivers and lakes ====
[[File:Ohra-Talsperre Dam from south.jpg|thumb|The [[Ohra Dam]]]]
The northeastern flank of the mountains is drained by right tributaries of the [[Apfelstädt (river)|Apfelstädt]], especially the [[Schmalwasser (Apfelstädt)|Schmalwasser]], and left tributaries of the [[Ohra]], notably the Kernwasser, via the (Apfelstädt,) [[Gera (river)|Gera]] and [[Unstrut]] into the [[Saale]]. The Apfelstädt is impounded by the Tambach-Dietharz Dam into a small lake and the Schmalwasser and Ohra by the [[Schmalwasser Dam|Schmalwasser]] and [[Ohra Dam]]s into larger reservoirs.

The south is drained by the Asbach which flows via the [[Stille (river)|Stille]] into the [[Schmalkalde]] and by rivers and streams belonging to the fan-like system of tributaries of [[Hasel (Werra)]], in particular the [[Schwarza (Hasel)|Schwarza]],<ref>The Schwarza is called the ''Haselbach'' in its upper reaches and the ''Schönau'' in its middle course</ref> ''Häselbach'',<ref>The Häselbach is, especially in its source region, also called the ''Dürre Hasel''</ref> [[Lichtenau (river)|Lichtenau]] and a stream from Albrechts, feeding into the [[Werra]].

=== Gehlberg Thuringian Forest ===
[[Image:Stuetzerbach-081.JPG|thumb|View at a part of [[Stützerbach]]]]
This region between federal roads [[Bundesstraße 4|B 4]] between [[Ilmenau]] and [[Stützerbach]], following the rivers [[Ilm (Thuringia)|Ilm]], Lengwitz, and Nahe, and B 247 between Luisenthal and Suhl contains the three highest summits as well as the fifth highest summit of the whole range. The only settlements wholly within this region are Gehlberg north of Rennsteig and Vesser south of it. Parts of [[Schmiedefeld am Rennsteig|Schmiedefeld]] and Goldlauter-Heidersbach (part of Suhl) also extend into this part of the Forest. The highest summits crowning the mountain ridge are of volcanic origin. The terrain dips rapidly down to heights below 800 m towards the north-east, while heights remain above this altitude south-west of Rennsteig for some distance in the horseshoe-shaped Adlersberg massif.

Motorway [[Bundesautobahn 71|A 71]] and the [[Neudietendorf–Ritschenhausen railway]] pass under the Brandleite Massif between Gehlberg and Oberhof in Rennsteig road tunnel and [[Brandleite Tunnel]].

The area is drained towards the north by the river [[Lütsche]] which feeds the Lütsche reservoir and by [[Wilde Gera]] and [[Zahme Gera]] towards [[Gera (river)|Gera]] river and [[Unstrut]], and by Freibach stream, a tributary of Ilm river, and towards the south by [[Lauter (Hasel)|Lauter]], a tributary of Hasel, and mainly by [[Erle (river)|Erle]], feeding the Erle reservoir, Breitenbach, Vesser, and Nahe into [[Schleuse (river)|Schleuse]].

Notable summits include:
* [[Großer Beerberg]] (984&nbsp;m, main crest 3,4&nbsp;km east of Zella-Mehlis, highest elevation in the Thuringian Forest)
* Schneekopf (978 m), transmitter site and observation tower
* Großer Finsterberg (944 m), with observation tower
* Großer Eisenberg (907 m), whose name bears witness to ore mining activities in the past
* Adlersberg massive (up to 892 m) with Ringberghaus hotel on Ringberg (746 m), a northwestern foothill

=== Frauenwald-Neustadt Thuringian Forest ===

[[File:Kickelhahn von PöHö aus.JPG|thumb|Kickelhahn with Ilmenau in the foreground]]
The region around Frauenwald and Neustadt forms the most south-eastern part of the Thuringian forest proper. It is limited by state road B 4 in the northwest, and by a line along the rivers Talwasser (with Ilmsenbach), Neubrunn, and Schleuse. The adjacent Thuringian Slate Mountains form a geographically and geologically separate natural region, although they are often popularly referred to as a continuation of the former range. Populated places wholly within the region are [[Frauenwald]], Allzunah, [[Neustadt am Rennsteig]], and Oehrenstock. Parts of Stützerbach also reach into this area. Roads follow the ''Rennsteig'', the mountain crests, or the valleys of the rivers.

The main ridge of the mountain range exceeds altitudes of 800 m in several places. The highest and best known summit is [[Kickelhahn]] (861 metres above sea level) southwest of [[Ilmenau]]. As seen from there, all secondary crests towards the northeast and the southwest clearly originate from the main one and show even and gentle slopes, not counting the steep descent into the foreland. The southwestern crests reach altitudes of about 800 m. The dividing valleys are often narrow gorges.

The zone drains:
*Northeast by [[dendritic drainage|the fan]] of the Ilm's tributaries, towards the [[Saale]]
*Southwest by the Nahe, Trenkbach, Schleuse, Gabel, Tanne, and tributaries of the Neubrunn towards the Werra.

The Schleuse, Gabel and Tanne feed the Schönbrunn reservoir.

Notable summits include:
* Kickelhahn (861 m) with observation tower, "backyard mountain" of Ilmenau
* Großer Dreiherrnstein (838 m), 500 m from the tripoint of the former countries [[Schwarzburg-Sondershausen|Schwarzburg-Arnstadt]], [[Saxe-Eisenach]], and [[County of Henneberg|Henneberg]]
* Großer Hundskopf (824 m) with a transmitter site on its foothill Kalter Staudenkopf (768 m)

{{panorama
|image = Image:Ruppberg Sonnenaufgang.jpg
|fullwidth = 3761
|fullheight = 1024
|height = 330
|caption = Sunrise on the mountain Ruppberg near Zella-Mehlis (Thuringian Forest, Germany)
}}