There are breathtaking views that enchant hikers on the Southern Wine Route: dense forests, picturesque castles and idyllic villages, all framed by the clear beauty of the vineyards, plus plenty of huts with a view to stop at.
Palatinate Hut Tour
The Premiumweg Pfälzer Hüttentour is more for advanced hikers and hiking professionals. Because with a 18.5-kilometer route and a climb of 668 meters, it is quite a challenge for hikers. On the way, great vantage points await at five rustic Palatinate Forest huts.
If this tour seems too demanding, you can do the northern hut tour or southern hut tour. If you only visit three of the five huts, the length of each path is reduced to eleven to twelve kilometers. The starting point of the tours is at the hiking car park in Albersweiler, St. Johann district. Always pay attention to the yellow hut markings! The tour leads along the Schloßstraße through the vineyards in the direction of Frankweiler to the Ringelsberghütte, which has a great view from its terrace via the Southern Wine Route. Downhill into the Hainbach valley and uphill towards Gleisweiler, the path leads past the sanatorium to Luitpoldplatz and further up to the St. Anna chapel via Burrweiler. There, you’ll find the St. Anna Hut. Shortly thereafter, the Trifelsblick Hut is reached. From there, it continues via Dreimärker to the Landauer Hütte and to the target vantage point, Orensfels. There, hikers can enjoy a fantastic panoramic view from the Rebenmeer in the east, over the Queichtal, into the Palatinate Forest and via Annweiler to the Trifels, Anebos and Münz castles.
Skull Hut
Admittedly, the name Totenkopfhütte sounds strange at first, but you shouldn’t be put off by the name alone. The Totenkopfhütte, in Maikammer, offers specially designed hiking offers for families and seniors and can also be reached by bike, on foot, by car or by bus. If you drive to the “Römer Wachtstube” bus stop, you can walk to the hut in just 15 to 20 minutes and look forward to traditional Palatinate specialties such as liver dumplings.
And there is still more to discover! The highest mountain in the Palatinate Forest biosphere reserve, The Kalmit, inspires with a height of 673 meters and offers a breathtaking view of the Palatinate’s sea of vines and the Rhine plain at the top of the mountain. The same applies here: don’t want to or don’t have the time to climb the mountain on foot? From May to October, a hiking bus runs to the second highest peak in the Palatinate on Sundays and public holidays. The mountain is calling!
Cabin Hopping
It is best to plan two days to hike from hut to hut in the area around Edenkoben. Here, nature lovers can look forward to a hiking route with a total of seven stations during the hiking season from May 1st to October 31st. If you have a hut pass, you can get a stamp at every stop. Hikers who are not quite so good on foot but still don’t want to miss out on the wonderful route can use the hiking bus on line 506.
Young Palatinate and Climber Hut
Whether on the Rötzenfelsen, Kirschfelsen or Sommerfelsen: the views of the Trifels, Annweiler or the Wasgau are simply worth seeing. The Rehbergturm on the Richard-Löwenherz-Weg premium trail inspires with a panoramic view of the Reichsburg and the surrounding area. And a hike to the summer rock can be perfectly combined with a visit to the Jungpfalzhütte on the Kaiser-Friedrich-Weg and the Palatinate Wine Trail. Anyone who has made the path will not only enjoy the great view of the Palatinate Forest, but also a hearty snack.
The same applies here: If you don’t like making the way to your destination, but prefer to get to your destination quickly, you can take the bus to the Klettererhütte, which is located on the Richard Löwenherz-Weg premium trail, directly on the Asselstein.
