On the XTERRA TRAIL, mountain bikers will experience the whole variety of the Zittau Mountains, including swimming lakes, peaks, forests and sandstone rocks.
On the XTERRA TRAIL mountain bikers will experience the whole variety of the Zittau Mountains, including swimming lakes, peaks, forests and sandstone rocks . Once a year, the trail serves as a track for the O-SEE CHALLENGE competition. XTERRA is the brand name for cross, respectively offroad triathlon, comparably to the IRONMAN brand. However, the real attraction of this trail lies in its routing: It starts at Olbersdorf Lake, once the site of brown coal opencast mining, now a successful example of how to regenerate a former industrial area. Cycling around the lake, you’ll get to Olbersdorf. From there, it is a steady climb up towards the ridge of the mountains. The climb up to the “Hochwald“ mountain is partly in the Czech Republic. The mountain’s peak on 749 metres is the highest point of the route. After a small loop here, the trail continues downhill. This stretch is quite something; fun when dry but quite a challenge in wet weather conditions. After having passed the “Kammbaude“ inn, the trail makes a sharp left turn and continues up the "Johannisstein“ mountain. After a fast descent the next small trail leads round the “Jonsberg“ mountain and then continues towards the “Kleiner Stern“ (little star) wayside cross. Here, the trail makes a sharp left and continues downhill, followed by a short ascent which will be rewarded by a further singletrail stretch. A fast drive downhilll will take you to “Armesünderweg“ way at the train station in Niederoybin. Now, at the latest, it will turn out who has paced themselves well. Gradients of up to 20 % require stamina, followed by an almost complete circuit of the “Ameisenberg“ mountain. The next stretch will take you down to the Oybintal valley. The most challenging bits of the tour will be behind you by then and it continues on flat land and partly downhill towards Olbersdorf. Weather permitting, you could stop at Olbersdorf lake for a quick dip. By the way, even professional athletes respect the challenges of this trail and take their hats off to anyone who has mastered it.
Length: 35,5 km
Elevation gain: 1059 metres
Terrain: hiking trails, agricultural roads and meadow trails
Level of difficulty: difficult trail
Signposts/GPS: bright red dots on trees; GPS data is available
Further tours:
- approximately 20 tours ranging from easy to difficult throughout the Zittau Mountains
- for approximately 20 tours GPS data is available
- Examples:
Round the Oybin Basin, 27 km with 623 metres elevation gain
On the traces of the border fortification, 31 km with 700 metres elevation gain
Leisurely tour up the Jeschken mountain (challenging descent), 55,6 km with 1288 metres elevation gain
Nature park Zittau Mountains (easy family tour) 21,6 km with 534 metres elevation gain