So many different shades of green.
Our forest is the largest contiguous forest area in Germany and is part of the first cross-border biosphere reserve in Europe - the "Pfälzerwald-Nordvogesen" Biosphere Reserve.
The Palatinate Forest is considered a low mountain range, the highest elevation being the Kalmit near Neustadt an der Weinstraße at 672 meters. But you don't need high peaks to play in the big league - the hut culture in the Palatinate Forest can easily compete with what the Alps have to offer. Dozens of places to stop for refreshments line the hiking trails through the dense greenery and won't let anyone go home hungry or thirsty.
The Palatinate Forest is ideal for hiking. The Palatinate Forest is ideal for hiking. From certified trails such as the Palatinate Forest Trail or the Wine Trail to the locally signposted forest walk, there is something for every type of hiker. A dense network of hiking parking lots crisscrosses the entire region and ensures an optimal connection to the wine route.
Of course, we have also thought of the cyclists. The "Mountain Bike Park Pfälzerwald" offers a route network of approx. 900 kms on 21 circular tours of varying degrees of difficulty.
But it is also possible to travel more slowly through the forest. The museum train "Kuckucksbähnel" starts in Neustadt or Lambrecht and comfortably chugs under steam towards Elmstein.
Along the route and especially at the edge of the forest stand witnesses of earlier times - castles or their ruins - which are also typical of the once so embattled Palatinate. Among them is the most famous medieval prison - Trifels Castle near Annweiler, where Richard the Lionheart was held hostage - or Wachtenburg Castle near Wachenheim, which, with its location on the edge of the Haardt, offers such an impressive view of the Rhine Plain.
Add to this the bizarre sandstone rock formations that can be marveled at, especially in the southwest Palatinate, the complete darkness at night at the sites selected for the "Pfälzerwald Star Park" project, and the biodiversity that has been further enhanced by the reintroduction of the lynx a few years ago - the Palatinate Forest is nothing less than a natural wonder to be experienced, but also to be protected. We invite you to do the one and to help with the second.
