The Großer Beerberg is a mountain, 982.9 m above sea level (NHN),[1] whose summit is the highest point in the Thuringian Forest and the state of Thuringia.The mountain is made of rhyolite (quartz porphry) that was formed through volcanic processes in the Rotliegendes rock of the Oberhof Formation, about 280 million years ago,[2] and which was uplifted over the surrounding sediments to form a butte.Between the summit of the Beerberg and that of its eastern neighbour, the Schneekopf (978 m), the second highest mountain of Thuringia, is a 60-metre-deep col. To the west is the Sommerbachskopf (941 m).A few years ago, a small platform was again established below the summit at Plänckners Aussicht, which offers an outstanding view to the south and southwest.The section of the Rennsteig long-distance path between Oberhof and Schmücke runs across the mountain.
The three highest mountains of the Thuringian Forest: View from
Finsterberg
(third-highest, 944 m) of Großer Beerberg (left, 982 m) and
Schneekopf
(second highest, right); (note tower on Schneekopf)