Neubeurer Wolfsschlucht

Useful Information

Location:	Wolfsschlucht, 83115 Neubeuern. (47.777918, 12.137551)
Open:	no restrictions. [2022]
Fee:	free. [2022]
Classification:	Gorge
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	L=250 m, W=10 m, H=20 m, A=505 m asl.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Peter Hofmann (2005): Wege im Inntal Ein anthropospeläologischer Exkursionsführer zu den Höhlen des unteren Inntales zwischen Rosenheim und Kufstein. Kapitel Rund um Neubeuern - Von Mühlsteinen und Steinbrüchen. ISBN-13: 9783833428111. ISBN-10: 3833428112. online Wolfsschlucht Neubeuern Geotop-Nummer: 187G003 Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt (LfU), UmweltAtlas Bayern. pdf
Address:	Gäste-Information Neubeuern, Marktplatz 4, 83115 Neubeuern, Tel: +49-8035-2165, Fax: +49-8035-876200. E-mail: Chiemsee-Alpenland Tourismus, Felden 10, 83233 Bernau a.Chiemsee, Tel: +49-8051-96555-0. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Wolfsschlucht (Wolf Gorge) is actually a common name, and there are at least a dozen of them in the German-speaking countries of central Europe. This one is the Neubeurer Wolfsschlucht (Wolf Gorge at Neubeuern), because it is located in the village Neubeuern. And that's not a joke, it is actually located right in the middle of the village, in a forest north of the castle. The Wolfsschlucht of Neubeuern is an impressive natural sight, a geotope, and a popular destination for hikers, adventurous sportsmen as well as photographers.

And to make this clear: it is actually not a gorge, it is a former mine, where the local rocks Haberkörndlstein and Grünsandstein were mined. The Haberkörndlstein (Oat Grain Stone) owes its name to its specific appearance, in the cross-section there are casings of protozoa which resemble cereal grains. This stone was often used for stone buildings and was used for the castle tower of Neubeuer Castle. The Grünsandstein (Green Sandstone) was used for millstones and whetstones. The mining started on the surface with an open cast, in German called Pinge, but soon the quarry workers followed the millstone underground. However, the miners dug deeper and deeper and finally the ceiling of the mine collapsed. This rock slide created a gorge with a small tectonic through cave, which you can still see today. And it put an end to the quarrying for security reasons.

There are only a few signs of the time when the rocks were mined. The stonemason Johannes Auer, for example, immortalised himself with his signature on the north wall. The millstones and grindstones were quarried and transported in horse-drawn carts to the nearby Inn River, from where they were shipped.

In the northern part of the Schlossberg of Neubeuern, southern Helvetian is located in a syncline structure. The Wolfsschlucht lies on the northern wing of this trough. The Fackelgraben subformation, also named Schmalflözäquivalente, consists of green sandstones and Alveolinen-Schichten. The grindstones were extracted from the green sandstone of the Fackelgraben Subformation. On the north side of the gorge it can still be seen. On the south side, Alveolinen-Schichten are exposed, which were quarried as building stone.

The gorge may be accessed from the Parkplatz am Rathaus, follow the sign Philomenakapelle, turn left after the Dirtpark. For safety reasons, the gorge is closed over the winter months, but it is not gated.