The “Drachenberge” (Dragon Hills) area exemplifies glacial landscapes in the Muskau Arch. Around 10 smaller and larger-sized giesers can be found in this approx. 3 km2 forest area. A “gieser” is a drainage-free subsidence zone in an outcrop area of steeply sloping ice-age, and subsequently weathered, Miocene lignite seams. The subsidence zones can exhibit waterlogging effects with small-scale bog formation. The geomorphology of this glacial landscape can be explored along the “Geopfad Drachenberge” (Dragon Hills Geopath) hiking trail, which is close-to-nature and leads to the most prominent gieser. At station 2 of the tour, a distinctive (single) gieser can be found, and at station 3, there is a double gieser.
The single gieser (station 2) has a surface width of approx. 10 m and a maximum depression depth of 6 m. The double gieser has a width of up to approx. 100 m and the main depression has a depth of 15 m. Within this main depression there are 2 individual geisers that dip down an additional 2 to 4 m. These two giesers, like all the depression zones in the Dragon Hills area, extend roughly from east to west.
Within the giesers, birch and pine trees have primarily established themselves, as well as individual oaks and scrawny shrubs, some of which having grown to a considerable height. Cowberry has spread down from the herbaceous layer of the plateaus. Common heather and blueberry are typical vegetation on the sun-exposed south-facing slopes of the giesers.
The inn “Zur Linde” (with its parking lot) in Krauschwitz, at the intersection of the B156 / B115 federal roads, is the recommended starting point for a hike along the “Dragon Hills Geopath”. Walk approx. 800 m along the B156 road in the direction of Weißwasser and then follow the forest trail marked “Drachenberge”, to the left. On this south-bound forest lane you will encounter the geisers as well as the geopath stations.