Hiking In Rhineland-Palatinate Makes A Perfect Summer Activity

If you love some nice hikes in Germany, you’ll find an ideal place to take to the trails in Rhineland-Palatinate. Enjoy history and nature combined into an incredible adventure.

There are so many trails, it’s hard to know where to begin. Probably one of my favorites is walking through the Hunsrück hills. In the summer you’ll find a flowered wonderland, and in autumn the woods are ablaze with color.

The Saar-Hunsrück Trail leads you into scenery beautiful enough that you won’t want to forget to bring your camera gear. Climb the high ridges, cross lovely valleys and be rewarded with some spectacular views. Begin at the Cloef observation point and hike down the hill to Mettlach. Follow streams and relax on benches to catch your breath and maybe a bite to eat.

When you reach Grimburg Castle, you can choose whichever path suits your fancy. You can continue on to Trier, or you can move on to Idar-Oberstein. If going to Idar-Oberstein, you will be heading into the beautiful Nahe Valley. But no matter the path you choose, you will love every minute of your hike.

Of course, the most famous hike in Rhineland-Palatinate is the Ausoniusweg. Named for a Roman poet, this trek is broken into sections so you can manage each one easily in a short amount of time. Otherwise you’d be on the road for a week or more!

Starting in Bingen am Rhein, you will find the joy of walking through amazing landscapes. But before you truly start on this Roman Road, you’ll want to stop to see the St. Martin basilica, the “Mouse Tower” as well as the Klopp Castle.

This road goes from its beginning in Bingen, the first section of the hike ending in Rheinböllen, a distance of 23 km. Then take off for Kirchberg, another 19 km. The next section is to Morbach-Gonzerath, then to the village of Gräfendhron. From there it is 18 km to Fell (Mosel). And the last leg of your journey is from Fell to Trier, a 12 km hike.

After a long trip such as that, you’ll want to take a break, and there is no better place than in Trier. Don’t miss visiting the oldest cathedral in Germany, and be sure to see the amphitheater in the Olewig district.

You can spend a lot of time around Trier on some exciting hikes, too. So your adventure isn’t over yet! You can find a trail map at Weißhausbrunnen, and take any one of the nine trails through the forest. At a length of about 38 km in total, you will enjoy the more than 6,000 acres of forestland and wildlife.

You see, Rhineland-Palatinate offers some great vacation adventures for the whole family. It’s a place of beauty and wonder, at any time of year.

—Marcus