Trusetal Waterfall

A waterfall with an on/off switch: the Trusetal Waterfall in Brotterode-Trusetal is not purely natural but was created in 1865. Inspired by the rock scenery, the building officer Specht had the River Truse diverted along an artificial channel, so that it now plunges in several steps over a granite outcrop into the valley. With a drop given as 45 to 60 metres depending on the source, it is regarded as the highest waterfall in the Thuringian Forest and is the village's landmark.

How the waterfall works

Below Brotterode the Truse is dammed and led into the roughly 2.2 km long waterfall channel, which runs gently downhill along the hillside. At about 440 m it reaches the edge: after a triple cascade the water flows through a raised trough, falls a good ten metres onto the granite and then fans out as a veil before running over a boulder field into a collecting pool and back into the Truse. Local miners built the system. Because frost would crack the rock, the supply is turned off in winter, and the Truse then flows in its natural bed again.

What to see

• The fall from below: From the path by the collecting pool you see the whole cascade; the way there is wide and manageable with a pushchair or wheelchair.
• The 228 steps: A steep stone stairway climbs right beside the water to the top of the fall, where you can see the trough and the end of the channel.
• The circular trail: From the steps a short loop leads through the grounds, for example on the "Trusetal Landmark Tour".
• Dwarf Park: The Trusetal Zwergenpark next door is popular with families.

Season, admission and parking (as of October 2026)

• Season: The waterfall runs only from Easter to the end of October; the season traditionally opens with the "waterfall is running again" day. In winter it is turned off, but the grounds stay open, and at the end of November there is a Christmas event at the waterfall.
• Admission: free, and the grounds are open around the clock.
• Parking: The car park is right on the L1024 road between Trusetal and Brotterode (satnav: Brotteroder Straße 55, 98596 Brotterode-Trusetal). It charges a fee, most recently quoted as €3 for four hours and €5 for the day; the income helps maintain the waterfall. There is a toilet at the car park.
• Café Wintersport: While the waterfall is running, Thursday to Tuesday from 12:00 to about 17:00, closed on Wednesdays.

Tripto tip

The waterfall and the steps take just under an hour, or about two with the trail and the café. Make sure you come between Easter and the end of October, otherwise you will only see wet rock. The steps are steep and slippery with spray, so sturdy shoes help. The fall looks best in spring after rain, when the Truse carries plenty of water. The Großer Inselsberg mountain and the town of Schmalkalden are not far away.