The Rhön Mountains are a group of low mountains in central Germany, located in the state of Hesse, close to its borders with Bavaria and Thuringia. They are the product of ancient volcanic activity and are separated from the Vogelsberg Mountains by the Fulda River and its valley.

These mountains are a popular tourist destination. Hikers come for the nearly 6,000 km (3,750 miles) of tracks through the picturesque scenery, and gliding enthusiasts have been drawn to the area since the early Twentieth century. More recently, farmstays are flourishing in the region.

Since 1991, UNESCO has declared the Rhön a Biosphere Reserve on account of its unique high-altitude ecosystem.

The peaks of the Rhön include:

• Wasserkuppe 950 m (3,110 ft),
• Kreuzberg (mountain) 928 m (3,040 ft)
• Schwabenhimmel 926 m (3,040 ft)
• Heidelstein 913 m (3,000 ft)
• Milseburg 835 m (2,740 ft)
• Feuerberg 832 m (2,730 ft)
• Ellenbogen 814 m (2,670 ft)

External links

• Rhön tourism portal (http://www.rhoen.de/eng/)
• The Rhön hiking club (in German) (http://www.rhoenklub.de)
• white pages and websites of Fulda and the hessian Rhön (in German) (http://www.fulda-osthessen.de)
• 360 degree virtual tour through the hessian rhoen (in German) (http://www.360-rhoen.de)