Am Schützenkreuz

Am Schützenkreuz is a paragliding site near the village of Löhrbach in Germany's Odenwald hills, set up for north, west and northwest wind. Unlike a free-flying hill, this is a supervision-only site: flying here, even for visiting pilots from other clubs, is only permitted under a flight school's instructor or supervisor, so it works best as a training and currency site rather than a spot for solo cross-country flying. Flight operations run from March through November, within a daily window from two hours after sunrise to two hours before sunset (and never later than 7 p.m.), which keeps activity concentrated in daylight hours with good visibility. Parking is restricted to the designated Schützenkreuz car park on the road between Löhrbach and Buchklingen — there's no informal roadside parking here. Because the site sits in a landscape the operators are careful to protect, pilots are asked to stay on marked paths and avoid disturbing the vegetation around the launch.

Launch & conditions

A supervised site — no independent flying without a flight-school instructor or supervisor present, including for visiting pilots; best suited to north through northwest wind.

Getting there & local rules

Park only at the Schützenkreuz car park on the road between Löhrbach and Buchklingen; there is no other approved parking near the site.

Local rules & hazards

Flying is limited to March through November, between two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset (never later than 19:00). Nobody may fly here without a flight-school instructor or supervisor present, and guest pilots need to coordinate with the local flight school before flying. Stay off the surrounding vegetation and stick to the designated parking area to keep the site available.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Am Schützenkreuz, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Am Schützenkreuz with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.