Hickelhöhle, Cave entrance in Saxon Switzerland, Germany

Hickelhöhle is a broad half-cave in the Thorwalder Wände, above the Großer Zschand south of the Zeughaus. It is a layer-joint cave 45 m wide and only 12 to 14 m deep, formed where water seeps along impermeable clay layers in the sandstone.

The Hickelhöhle is a broad bedding-joint half-cave, 12 to 14 metres deep and 45 metres wide, formed by rainwater seeping from above along impermeable clay layers. These layers date from the Cretaceous Sea, when clayey material was deposited in bands within the sand. The thick-bedded sandstone of the Thorwalder Wände allowed the cavity to reach its width.

The cave's name is not explained in the sources; it shares its root with the Hickelkopf, the overhanging climbing rock directly above it. Together with the Kuhstall, it counts among the best-known caves of Saxon Switzerland, and hikers on the Großer Zschand use its wide, shallow floor as a landmark and rest stop.

The route to the cave follows a marked forest path that requires walking on natural ground with some uneven sections. Sturdy hiking boots are helpful for the walk through the wooded landscape.

The Hickelkopf above the cave is a climbing rock that overhangs on almost every side and rests on only three small base feet. It is not part of the cave itself but a separate sandstone formation in the Thorwalder Wände.