recommended route
Hiking Trail
· Dahner Felsenland
Bären-Steig
Dahner Felsenland Verified partner
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Jüngstbergkanzel - Photo: Klaus BurkhartPhoto: Foto: Klaus Burkhart, Dahner Felsenland
Dreamlike views, varied landscapes, great panorama, and attractive viewpoints characterize the premium hiking trail "Bären-Steig" near Bruchweiler-Bärenbach.
Dreamlike views, varied landscapes, and attractive viewpoints characterize the new premium hiking trail "Bären-Steig" near Bruchweiler-Bärenbach. From the parking lot at the forest cemetery, the route goes up to Schuhfelsen. After a break on the Jüngstberg plateau, a great panorama awaits at the Jüngstbergkanzel. Along the Jüngstberg ridge, a path leads down to the Bundenthal hunting lodge.
From there, at the foot of Heidenberg, it leads to the Drachenfelshütte of the Palatinate Forest Association. Refreshed, the ascent to the Drachenfels castle ruin is easy. An extensive exploration of the distinctive rock castle is worthwhile. After a passage through the idyllic side valley Staubborn, a path leads up to the geologically interesting Geierstein rock massif. From there, you descend again via the Lourdessteig back to the starting point.
UFFBASSE! - Campaign for considerate coexistence in nature
Always act in a forward-looking, friendly and considerate manner towards everyone you meet on the way.
Respect nature, do not destroy plants and always stay on the paths.
Remember a garbage bag for the way and take your waste back home.
Please keep your dog on a leash at all times. Other visitors and animals will thank you.
Observe all path closures for your own safety. Even on weekends.
Park only in designated parking spaces. Leave space for emergency routes and agricultural machinery.
Give priority to agricultural and forestry traffic.
Author’s recommendation
Places to eat:
Drachenfelshütte of PWV Busenberg, Tel. 06391/3877, www.pwv-busenberg.de
Wed, Sat, Sun and holidays 11:00 - 18:00, open year-round; except Christmas and New Year
Weisensteiner Hof, At B 427, Tel. 06391/3559, www.weissensteinerhof.de
Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat and Sun 11:00 - 18:00, closed: Monday and Tuesday
Renovation work will be carried out on the Drachenfels castle ruin from February/March 2025 until summer, which may lead to restrictions. However, the castle ruin remains open to visitors.
Attention souvenir hunters!
The marking signs of our premium hiking and walking trails are available for 1.00 euro at the Tourist Information Dahner Felsenland.
Dahner Felsenland Verified partner
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Rest stops
PWV DrachenfelshütteSafety information
Especially in autumn, be aware that fallen leaves on the ground can conceal unevenness, roots, stones or holes in the path. After thunderstorms or heavy rain, trees can still fall or branches can drop. Particularly in bad weather conditions, natural paths can have muddy and slippery passages. Not all rocks or edges are secured with ropes or railings. Surefootedness is required in some places. You must expect such path impairments when hiking. If you feel certain route sections are not passable for you, you should avoid them. Despite the "unavoidable" marking of the premium hiking trails, we always recommend carrying a suitable hiking map for safety reasons, so that for example in case of a thunderstorm or emergency, you can quickly find a safe area.
NOTE:
We strive to announce all closures caused by forestry work and hunting parties on this platform. Still, there are situations where trails are closed and we may not have been informed. If you encounter closures or detours on site, please observe the notices for your own safety.
Tips and suggestions
Tourist Information Dahner Felsenland
Schulstr. 29, 66994 Dahn
Tel. 06391 9196222
www.dahner-felsenland.de
Roadbook
The starting point of the premium hiking trail "Bären-Steig" is the parking lot at the forest cemetery, extended street "Im Wahrzeichen", 76891 Bruchweiler-Bärenbach.
From the start, the route leads along a forest road, past the elevated water tank to the "Schuhfelsen", from where hikers have a wonderful view over the local community of Bruchweiler-Bärenbach and its location in the landscape.
The route continues on a soft forest road to the western Jüngstberg plateau, where a seating area invites you to linger. From there, a narrow path leads up to the "Jüngstbergkanzel" with a magnificent panoramic view over the western Wasgau. A natural path leads along the Jüngstberg ridge down to the Bundenthal hunting lodge, offering changing views of the natural landscape of the legendary Dahner Felsenland.
After about 400 meters of forest path, the trail leads at the foot of the Heidenberg to the "Drachenfelshütte" of the Palatinate Forest Association local group Busenberg (opening hours see under author tip). Refreshed after a break with specialties of the local cuisine and a "Pälzer Schoppen", the path leads up to the "Drachenfels" castle ruin, which is one of the most striking rock castles in the Dahner Felsenland with a magnificent view and beautiful rock caves and sandstone chambers.
After an extensive castle visit (please allow time for the tour) with magnificent views and impressions, the path finally leads down into the valley to the paved cycle path. About 350 meters along the cycle path, past orchard meadows and cattle pastures, a forgotten path now leads into the side valley "Staubborn". This valley is followed for about 1 km and then leads to the "Vierländereck", a point where the borders of 4 local communities meet. On a soft springy path, you reach the rock massif "Geierstein", where you can find bizarre honeycomb formations and washouts in the soft Buntsandstein, which are unique. On its south side, a natural path leads up. If lucky, hikers can admire "rock climbers" performing dizzying acrobatics!
At the washing place of the Elwetritsche, the "Elwetritsche Steckdose", a seating area invites you to linger again before the descent leads over the "Lourdessteig" back to the starting point of the premium hiking trail "Bären-Steig".
Bahnhof/Bahnhaltepunkt Bundenthal
Bushaltestelle Bundenthal Bahnhof
Bushaltestelle Bruchweiler Bärenbach, Otto-Muck-Str.
Schuhfelsen
Jüngstbergkanzel
Bushaltestelle Erlenbach
Buchkammerfels
Waldsofa
Wanderparkplatz Busenberg Drachenfelshütte
PWV Drachenfelshütte
E-Bike-Ladestation Drachenfelshütte Busenberg (während Öffnungszeiten)
Drachenfels Castle ruins
Bushaltestelle Busenberg Ortsmitte
Bushaltestelle Busenberg Ortseingang
Geiersteine
Bahnhaltepunkt Busenberg-Schindhard
Bahnhaltepunkt Dahn Süd
Bahnhof Dahn
Bushaltestelle Bruchweiler-Bärenbach, Alter Friedhof
Bahnhaltepunkt Bruchweiler-Bärenbach
Public transport
Public-transport-friendly
By train to Bad Bergzabern or Hinterweidenthal, then by bus to Dahn and onward to Bruchweiler-Bärenbach. From May to October, excursion trains "Bundenthaler" and "Felsenland-Express" run on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from Mannheim/Karlsruhe up to Bruchweiler stop. From there, on foot to the parking lot at Fabrikstraße 18.
Info: www.der-takt.de , www.bahn.de (door-to-door travel planning).
Get Timetable to destination
Directions
B 10 to Hinterweidenthal, continue on B427 via Dahn, Dahn-Reichenbach and turn left onto L489 to Bruchweiler-Bärenbach.
Forest cemetery, extended street "Im Wahrzeichen". Or B 48 to Bad Bergzabern via B427 to Erlenbach, then via Niederschlettenbach the L490 to Bruchweiler-Bärenbach at Fabrikstraße 18.
Parking
Parking lot at the forest cemetery in 76891 Bruchweiler-Bärenbach, extended street "Im Wahrzeichen"
Coordinates
Book recommendation by the author
Premium hiking book "Pfälzerwald" with 17 premium circular routes and linear routes.
Publisher: idemedia GmbH, ISBN 978 - 3 - 942779 - 54 - 8
Authors: Ulrike Poller and Wolfgang Todt
Castle brochure trilingual (German, English, French) Boundless castle experience in Dahner Felsenland and adjacent Northern Alsace/F
The brochure describes 13 castles/castle ruins on 64 pages (trilingual) and presents them with inspiring pictures. Shipping of this item is exclusively by prepayment: Castle brochure 3.70 euros plus postage 1.60 euros!
Author’s map recommendations
Hiking and cycle map Dahner Felsenland 1:25,000, 9.90 euros plus postage costs of 1.60 euros, 7th edition: hiking and cycling in the Dahner Felsenland with the premium hiking trails, main and circular hiking trails, cycle routes as well as the rescue point system; with app support, www.topstern.app in scale 1:25,000, ISBN 978-3-945138-12-0
Equipment
Sturdy footwear, weather-appropriate clothing, sun and rain protection, as well as sufficient supplies of food and drink should be carried in case no opportunities to stop or shop are available or open. Although the path is very well marked throughout, you should always carry a suitable hiking map for safety reasons.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.