Rinnthal: Hiking between rocks and forest

Rinnthal lies in the Queich Valley, surrounded by striking red sandstone formations and extensive forests. Marked hiking trails make outdoor activities a key focus in the area. When planning, you can choose between short walks, longer circular hikes and routes with different difficulty ratings. The cliffs, forest paths and viewpoints each add their own character; the routes differ not only in length, but also in their destinations and character.

Hikes between rocks and forest

The Herzelweg is a circular trail around the village. This easy route is 9.4 kilometres long and takes about three hours. The Maronenweg is shorter: this easy circular route, suitable for pushchairs, covers 3.5 kilometres and takes about an hour. It leads to sweet chestnut trees below Kostenfelsen. This makes it possible to compare two loops with different time requirements and distances.

The Hüttenweg runs from Rinnthal to the Jungpfalzhütte. It is 7.2 kilometres long, rated moderate and takes about two and a half hours. Its length and difficulty offer a different choice of route from the easy Herzelweg. Those interested in cliffs and views can visit Buchholzfelsen and Wackelstein along the Höhenweg. From the rocks along the trail, the view extends across the Palatinate Forest; the named viewpoints, rather than a stated walking time, are the focus of this route.

Routes with a focus of their own

On the Römerweg, broad forest paths in the Palatinate Forest meet cultural and historical features. The route is a circular tour and can be reached by train and bus. The Triftweg starts in the centre of Rinnthal, opposite the church, at the information and hiking board. Signs along the route explain timber rafting; there is a rest area opposite the Fischerhütte. These details offer different points of reference when choosing a route: the Römerweg’s path and access, and the Triftweg’s starting point and theme.

Beyond the hiking routes

The Tal der Generationen is open during the day. This leisure area includes a forest stage, a treehouse, a play meadow, a rope and climbing course, a sandstone atrium and a log cabin. Its various features make the area another way to spend time in Rinnthal without focusing your stay exclusively on a hiking route.

Rinnthal is also part of a cycling route: the Queichtal cycle path reaches the village from Hauenstein via Wilgartswiesen. In Rinnthal, it continues as a cycle path alongside the road towards Annweiler am Trifels. This means that, alongside the hiking trails described, information about a cycle path through the village is also available for planning.

Check before your hike

To protect nature and wildlife, individual hiking trails may be partially or fully closed seasonally. So check the official route page before setting out. This lets you plan according to trail conditions without assuming that a particular route is always available.

Discover more destinations: Wernersberg, Stein, Leinsweiler, Barbelroth, Sankt Martin, Ilbesheim Bei Landau, Maikammer, Billigheim-Ingenheim.

Back to the main travel overview: Southern Wine Route.