The starting point of the hike is the Zeschnig Hocksteinschänke bus stop. From there, the trail follows the Malerweg past the Hocksteinschänke and the parking lot onto the Hocksteinweg. Follow this to the Teufelsbrücke, a stone bridge that was built in 1821 and is therefore older than the famous Bastei bridge.
After crossing the bridge, you reach the Hockstein, where a refuge and several viewpoints with views of the Polenztal valley and Hohnstein Castle await. There is also a medieval mill carved into a rock. From the Hockstein viewpoint, you can see the different geological valley shapes (V-shaped in the granite on the left, U-shaped in the sandstone on the right).
The trail then descends through the steep Wolfsschlucht gorge and circles the Hockstein until you reach the Polenztal valley. A detour to the Polenztal inn is a good idea. The ascent through Kohlichtgrund follows the green line or Hohnstein nature trail, keeping to the left and crossing Wartenbergstraße twice. Finally, you reach the Hocksteinweg again and return to the starting point at the bus stop.