The Goethe Path is one of the most graceful Carlsbad paths. Not only because of J. W. Goethe bust, but also because of the beautiful scenery on the right bank of the Teplá River as well as of many thank you boards, placed directly on the rock mass above the road. At the beginning of the path, about 100 m from the southern edge of the grounds of the famous Hotel Pupp, you can refresh with water from the Jelení (“Deer”) spring. Although this source does not belong to the family of Carlsbad thermal healing springs, the water flowing from the mouth of the 200 m long horizontal well is considered to be the highest quality drinking water throughout the spa.
Above the road can be seen the rocky defile formed by coarse-grained biotite granite of the Karlovy Vary massif. This granite, belonging younger intrusive complex (“erzgebirgsgranite” type, variety “Jelení skok”), is often strongly hydrothermal altered.
On the opposite river bank is worth noting the Lion Rock. Here is porphyric biotite granite penetrated by younger dykes of fine-grained granite, pointing from north to south. Close contacts of both granites can be sometimes pegmatite veins observed.
The path passes Art Gallery and continues to the area of alluvial plains of Teplá up the Poštovní Dvůr. Not far from the path, behind the road to Březová, in front of the Sanatorium Richmond is easily accessible the Pavilion of the Štěpánka Spring, high gaseous and mineralized water. The water and gas springs are known from this area since the 18th century. Together with the nearby Dorothy Spring in a separate pavilion on the right bank, both springs represent southernmost spa manifestations in Karlovy Vary.: