Hikes in Eppenbrunn

Eppenbrunn is located in Germany's largest contiguous forest area, the Palatinate Forest. The region promises eventful hikes in a romantic forest landscape. There is no shortage of hiking destinations in the Palatinate Forest, as several castle ruins and impressive rock formations made of red sandstone criss-cross the countryside.

Above all, the sometimes bizarrely shaped rocks exert a fascination that is hard to resist. Sometimes the reddish sandstone rocks seem to glow in the evening sun. Especially in autumn, you can enjoy a breathtaking spectacle of colours here, when autumn leaves and sandstone shine in unison.

The Altschloßfelsen (Old Castle Rocks) are undoubtedly one of the most popular excursion destinations in Eppenbrunn. The largest rock reef in the Palatinate extends over a length of 1.5 kilometres and is up to 35 metres high. Caves, windows and passages in the rock make your hiking tours along the Altschloßfelsen a real experience.

The Altschloßpfad (Old Castle Trail) is an excellent way to hike this geological highlight. The 10-kilometre circular trail offers easy paths and is also suitable for beginners, as no special skills are required. You start your hike at the car park of the Hotel-Restaurant Kupper. From there, you first walk a few hundred metres along the "Bach ohne Grenzen" (stream without borders) before turning left into the Märtelbach valley to follow the stream through the forest.

After about three kilometres you will reach the French border. If you want, you can take a short detour to the right here to visit the Diana image on the French side. This rock relief from Gallo-Roman times shows Diana, the goddess of the hunt. She is flanked by two male deities - probably Mars and Silvanus.

Back on the Old Castle Trail, we continue to follow the corresponding markings (stylised Old Castle Rock with stream) and reach the rock reef a little later. You should not miss the vantage point on the Altschloßfelsen. From up there, you can enjoy a wonderful view over the Palatinate Forest and the Northern Vosges Mountains before the circular walk leads you back to the starting point.

Tip: Near the Hotel-Restaurant Kupper there is another natural monument to marvel at: the Teufelstisch, a mushroom rock made of sandstone. With a height of 11 metres, the Eppenbrunn specimen is somewhat smaller than the much better-known Teufelstisch in Hinterweidenthal (14 metres high), but it is no less worth seeing for that.

Those who love peace and seclusion will feel at home on the Eulenfelstour. Here, far from the well-frequented hiking trails, you walk along rather lonely paths through the Wasgau.

From the park in Eppenbrunn, you first walk through the village and along a narrow path to the small Teufelstisch. Soon you reach the vantage point on the Eulenfelsen (Owl Rock), which offers you a fantastic view over the Palatinate Forest.

About halfway along the 14-kilometre hike, you will reach the hiking lodge Hohe List of the Palatinate Forest Association. Located in the middle of the forest and only accessible on foot, it invites you to take a break at the weekends. Refreshed, the route takes you further over Christkindl and Krappenfelsen before you arrive back at the starting point.

The 11-kilometre-long border trail is also one of the most popular hikes in Eppenbrunn. From the hikers' car park at the Spießweiher, the trail leads through a beautiful valley landscape with numerous ponds that create a wild and romantic atmosphere.

Once you have reached the Zollstock hut, you then walk directly along the German-French border with its old border stones. Shortly afterwards, a narrow path leads you to the gigantic Altschloßfelsen (Old Castle Rocks) before the hiking trails take you back to the Spießweiher.