The Emerald Necklace is Boston's historic 1,100-acre chain of parks and waterways that stretches through the city. The entire system provides nearly 10 miles of dedicated, mostly off-road paths from the State House to Franklin Park, though typical runs cover about 7 miles from Boston Common to the Arnold Arboretum.

The Karras Loop extends between Coswig and Moritzburg. Along the way on wonderful single-trail and dirt roads you will pass beautiful small ponds with water lillies, the Moritzburg Castle, extended views over the rolling hills and down into the Elbe River Valley from the Hoher Stein (you can even see the Meissen Castle on a clear day!).

The starting point for the loop is the Spitzgrundteich which has ample free parking and follows the suggested direction on the website (see below).

Here is a translation from the website about the Knights of Karras:

English (German version below):

"Main hiking trail (HW) 2 (Schwäbische Alb-Südrand-Weg) is, alongside HW 1, the oldest main hiking trail of the Schwäbischer Albverein, with a history stretching back over 100 years. It runs from Donauwörth along the southern edge of the Swabian Alb to Tuttlingen. Although the southern edge of the Swabian Alb offers less elevation than the Albtrauf on the northern side, HW 2 offers numerous cultural and natural attractions along its length of almost 290 kilometers, providing hikers with interesting variety.

The Minuteman Bikeway is a rail trail formed from a historic railroad corridor, dedicated in the early 1990s, and named to honor those who fought at Lexington and Concord. Its path connects present-day recreation and commuting with the region’s revolutionary history.

Key Historical Facts: