To the landmark of the Saxon Switzerland National Park: the Lilienstein
- 2:20 h
- 5.44 km
- 378 m
- 378 m
- 114 m
- 409 m
- 295 m
- Start: Königstein train station
- Destination: Königstein train station
Königstein train station - Ferry to Halbestadt - Blue stripe marking towards Lilienstein - Ebenheit - Southern ascent - Summit plateau - Northern descent marked with yellow/blue stripes - Kirchweg towards Königstein - Ferry to Königstein - Königstein train station
Good to know
Pavements
- Unknown (3%)Asphalt (3%)Gravel (57%)Path (37%)
Best to visit
- suitableDepends on weather
Directions
- The hike begins in Königstein at the train station. From there, we take the ferry across to Halbestadt and follow the blue stripe marking towards Lilienstein. After the first ascent, we pass through Ebenheit, continue across a field, and then take the southern ascent through the forest to the plateau of the table mountain.
The Elbe almost completely loops around the 415.2 m high Lilienstein, the only table mountain on the right side of the Elbe. The summit plateau offers a phenomenal panorama of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. A four-meter-high obelisk on the east side commemorates the visit of Augustus the Strong. It was destroyed by a lightning strike in 1966 and replaced by a replica in 2008. On the rock walls of the Lilienstein, upon closer inspection, white spots can be seen: bird droppings from birds that nest on the rock ledges. Ravens, kestrels, or the rare peregrine falcon could be the culprits. Peregrine falcons were introduced at Lilienstein in 1998 after being extinct in the 1970s. Peregrine falcons hunt exclusively in the air. Before seizing their prey, they reach diving speeds of over 300 km/h!
On the way down, we follow the northern descent marked with yellow/blue stripes. Upon reaching the bottom, we turn right at a junction and continue on the Kirchweg, parallel to the Elbe, heading towards Königstein. Then we take the ferry back to the other side of the Elbe to the starting point of the hike.
[GPS updated 2026]
Tour information
Cultural Interesting
Loop Road
Stop at an Inn
Summit
Equipment
- Sturdy footwear - hiking boots are optimal
Directions & Parking facilities
- Getting thereOn the B172 from Pirna towards Bad Schandau, Königstein is on the way.ParkingSome smaller paid parking spaces are available in Königstein, but there are only a few parking spots.Public transportationS-Bahn S1 to Königstein, then ferry to Halbestadt
Additional information
- All rules in the national park
- Tips for safe hiking in Saxon Switzerland, created in cooperation with the mountain rescue service
- Information on dealing with deadwood especially for hikes through areas of dead spruce stands
Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author
- Tip for families: At the Sellnitz educational facility below the Lilienstein, the purely digital Family Trail Lilienstein begins.
Safety guidelines
- The tour is suitable for children, but only limitedly for dogs (stepladders in the northern descent, grating in the southern ascent).
Please note: The tour takes place almost entirely in the Saxon Switzerland National Park. Here, trails must not be left and dogs must always be kept on a leash. Violations may result in fines.
Further information about the national park, for example about the applicable rules and about the trail markings, can be found on the national park website.
Nearby
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