ACCESS FROM JURASTEIG MAIN TRAIL: Branching off in the Blaugrund, about 2,5 km north of  Schmidmühlen. (Please follow the sign at the town hall of Schmidmühlen in the direction of Winbuch-Adertshausen-Hohenburg.) 

If you come on the main route of the Jurasteig from the direction of Schmidmühlen, you will find the trail to the Hirschwald loop in the so-called Blaugrund ("blue ground"). After a soft ascent of only half a kilometer, you reach the nature park Hirschwald which was awarded its diploma only in 2007. After one and a half hours on crushed stone forest paths, you reach the East Bavarian Equestrian Sports Center at Kreuth which is located in the northeast of the Hirschwald, and which is the largest and most advanced Center for Horse Sports in Europe. Before or after a recommended guided tour of the institution the manor inn allows one to rest. Further on through the grounds of the riding center you enter a field path which offers a marvellous view over the Vils valley and Rieden after a short ascent. From now on the trail leads downhill in the direction of Rieden wich is only one kilometer away in the Vils valley.

Through Rieden, the Hirschwald loop passes the town hall on the market square and the parish church Mariä Himmelfahrt ("Assumption of Mary"). Then you climb up the hill to the Schlossbergkapelle past several Stations of the Cross. Again the hiker is rewarded with a wonderful view of Rieden and the Vils valley. From the Schlossberg the route goes on over the hills of the Vils slopes until you reach the Pilgrimage Church of the 14 Holy Helpers ("Wallfahrtskirche der 14 Nothelfer"). On fortified forest trails, the route leads to the "Drei Linden" (three linden trees) and further on in the direction of Küchenschlag. At this point, the hiker again meets the junction where the route branched off in the direction of Kreuth at the beginning of the tour. After another one and a half kilometers through dense forest, you again reach the junction at the Blaugrund, from where you go back to Schmidmühlen on the main route of the Jurasteig.

Apart from the manor inn at Kreuth, you can find places for overnight stays at Rieden and Schmidmühlen. Next to the camping ground at Rieden there is a heated swimming pool for guests.