Dahner Circular Hiking Trail - Grand Rock Loop – between Altdahn and Neudahn, Dahner Hütte, and Römerfelsen

​ ▶ From the Büttelwoog Campground in Dahn 01, we walk past the Hotel Felsenland and turn left up Hasenbergstraße toward the striking rock towers known as the “Bride and Groom” 02. In front of them, we turn right onto Am Wachtfelsen, but immediately turn right across the youth hostel parking lot and follow the ascending forest trail up to the Wachtfelsen 03. We climb metal ladders up to the railing-secured viewing platform. After the rocks, we pass through sparse forest, then turn right and descend in switchbacks to a wide farm road. After a few meters, we turn left, hike across meadows, and keep to the left again before a small stream. We come to a small paved road, follow it to the left, cross the railroad tracks, and continue on to the Wieslauter/Im Kaltenbächel marker. Cross a bridge and pass through the SBK grounds to the roundabout, then enter the spa park. Passing the Haus des Gastes 04, we turn right and head uphill along the Elwetritsche nature trail (information signs). We leave the nature trail to the right and hike toward striking rocks. At the edge of the forest, the trail climbs, winding in switchbacks up to the military cemetery, and in a left-hand curve we reach the junction that takes us right up to the spectacular Soldiers’ Hut 05.Returning to the fork, we head downhill along the forest slope beneath massive rocks until we reach the end of the road below the Altdahn castle complex 06. We hike up a paved path to the three castles—Altdahn, Grafendahn, and Tannstein. Passing the Burgschänke and the last castle, we keep to the left and follow the circular hiking trail. The gravel path leads downhill to the edge of the forest, where we head right and descend to the road. We hike uphill along the small road, back into the forest, and keep to the right. At the “Schwalbenhalde 07” marker, we turn left, climb uphill along the forest slope, cross a wide forest road; the path becomes flatter and more winding, and keeping to the left, we reach the striking “Römerfelsen 08,” which we climb via a very narrow ladder.We leave the Römerfelsen to the left and hike slightly downhill along the slope to the Burgenblick 09 viewpoint, which features a beautiful sandstone table. Walking leisurely downhill, passing wonderful rock formations along the way, we reach a clearing, keep to the right, and climb more steeply up the forested slope again to the Lachberg viewpoint. Steep switchbacks take us up to the ridgeline and to the Lachberg Viewpoint 10. The trail descends gently again, passing magnificent rock faces (with bolted climbing routes) to a ridge, offering views down to the right and left. The trail winds downhill to a small paved road, which we leave at a curve and follow a winding path up to massive rocks. At the top of the ridge trail, we reach the Jungfernsprung 11. We then descend via steps and wide switchbacks to Pirmasenser Straße, turn left briefly, then cross the street, cross the railroad tracks, and turn right. On a narrow trail, we turn left, cross the Wieslauter River, and follow Schillerstraße a few meters to the right. On a narrow forest trail, initially via steps, we climb in switchbacks up into the forest, passing the Sängerfelsen 12 viewpoint. Before the rocks, the trail leads up to the right toward the ridge, winding its way up and finally down again to the Großtaler Hals viewpoint. Heading uphill again and past the Satansbrocken, Hexenpilz 13, and Kauertfelsen rocks, the route continues along the wooded ridge to the Neudahn 14 ruins. A rocky, root-strewn trail leads down to the striking Felsentor 15 and the small paved road. We walk along the left side of the railroad tracks to the campground and the Neudahner Weiher in the Moosbachtal Nature Reserve.The flat, unspoiled trail takes us past the Elwetrischefelsen to the Dahner Hütte 16 and the Steinhohl 17 landmark. Turning left, we reach the Büttelwoog campground in Dahn 01 in just a few minutes.