In a ground working machine (1) for milling soils (2) or traffic areas, it is provided that a controller (18) for terminating the milling process controls the milling depth of the milling device (8) along a specified trajectory (24) in conjunction with simultaneous forward and reverse travel (5,7), thus enabling the milling device (8) to be raised into the upper position (9) disengaged from the ground without a depression (22) resulting from raising the milling device (8) remaining in the worked ground surface (3).