Timber rafting experience trail Legelbachtal (large loop) 11.8 km

Some info beforehand. The route starts from the parking lot at information board 2. If you want to start at information board 1, you must cross the country road (L499) via a small path from the parking lot. Once there, you will see an old information board about the timber rafting experience. We cross the small bridge and turn left onto the path. There is information board 1. (approx. 150 m). After that, you return to the hiking parking lot and information board 2. 

We start the hike from the hiking parking lot "Alte Schmelz". From the parking lot, you can already see information board 3, then you go up a few sandstone steps, where the path leads us past the Altschmelz dam and information board 4. We continue along the "large Legelbach", past information boards 5 and 6. Under a Bollerplatz (shortly before information board 7), it goes slightly steep to the right upwards. We follow the path, which leads us along the upper side of the slope, down to the road. We go right, first on asphalt, along the small Legelbach, and at the fork in the path we turn left to the Trockentalklause (information board 11). At the hut (not staffed) the path leads left past the source and then somewhat rough uphill to a forest road. Here it goes briefly left and then immediately follow the right forest road further uphill. At the T-junction go right and at the fork left to the Nibelungenhaus. This house is in private ownership of the Ludwigshafen Nibelungen association. 

To reach Schwarzsohl, go right. Ignore departing paths until a fork. Follow this to the left to shortly before the road then take the path to the left. Cross the road and immediately take the first path on the left downhill again. At the end of this path you will already see an overview board on the other side of the road. Past it, shortly after information board 21, turn right along the path. After the seating area, the path leads below a former Christmas tree plantation. 

At the Legelbachtal hut (not staffed) cross the road again and follow the path. Next T-junction left to the Heinrichsklause (information board 18) with the interesting plunge pool. Cross the bridge and turn left onto the forest road above to information board 16.  (If you want to visit information board 17 and the stone extraction site, cross the road after approx. 50 m and follow the path uphill opposite until the information board. Then return to the road, cross it again and continue following the marking downstream). 

Continue downstream. Back near the road, a forestry path first leads right then immediately in the curve left uphill. The small effort is more than rewarded with a view of the Gandertklause (information board 13). This is located somewhat above the charcoal burner’s hut (tipi). A rest area with tables and benches invites you to linger.

Behind the facility is a small path opposite that leads mystically back into the valley and past information board 15. When you see the road again, a small path to the right leads to the Johannisquelle (information board 14), a sensitive spring biotope, and further until you have to cross the road diagonally downhill again to get to the Nibelungen rock. Here, too, a rest is recommended. Around the rock, the path leads back to the starting point. On this 1 km section, the road must be crossed downhill again to then follow the entrance path, where information board 8 is located, back to the Altschmelz dam.