Ehrbachklamm Hike – Waterfalls & Fairytale Trails

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Hiking Route Between the Rhine and Mosel Rivers in Dreamy Germany

If you’re looking for a detailed guide on how to hike Ehrbachklamm in Germany, I’ve got you covered.

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hidden waterfall

Don’t go chasing waterfalls is definitely NOT my motto!  While on the hunt for a perfect waterfall photography spot, I found the Traumschleife Ehrbachklamm near the famous Burg Eltz castle in Rhineland Palatinate, Germany.

Morgan’s Video Ehrbachklamm

TL;DR: Fairytale waterfall hike best enjoyed near sunset to finish on the high Hünsruck plateau. Pair this hike with a crossing over the famous Geierlay Bridge or history trip to Burg Eltz Castle or Burg Rheinfels Castle both only 30-40 minutes away by car.

If there was such a thing as an enchanted German forest, the Hünsruck forest is it!

This delightful and dreamy area sits between the Rhine and Mosel Rivers and offers some solitude and waterfall chasing.

It’s nicknamed a “slice of a dream” (Traumschleife in German) hike, and you can tell why. 

In a short and fairly easy 2.5 hour loop, it includes gorgeous wooded singletrack, gushing waterfalls and streams, spacious plateaus with views for miles and adorable half timbered houses and old grain mills in the middle of nowhere.

Watch my Super Quick Ehrbachklamm Webstories to see how many times I have to recall Shadow my Alaskan husky.  Warning.  It’s a lot. 

Read until the end where we explore how you can stay at a restored Castle HOTEL nearby and even try your aim when launching a trebuchet.

Ehrbachklamm Dream Hike Map

Google map – Like a Hiking Guide in your pocket. The blue line is 7.4 km and the yellow line is 12.8 km alternative Longer Loop.

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GPS APP Komoot

Shorter Variant: Komoot Ehrbachklamm Short

Longer Variant: Komoot Ehrbachklamm Long

map ehrbachklamm

How to use this map: Use your computer mouse or fingers to zoom in and out. Click on the icons to get more information. Click the arrow on the top left corner for the written index. Click the star next to the title of the map to add this map to your google maps account. To view the saved map on your smartphone or PC, open google maps, click the menu button, and go to “your places”/ “maps.”

Ehrbachklamm Trail Report

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This off-the-beaten path hike is perfect for people wanting a little solitude and an authentic German forest waterfall experience. 

Ehrbachklamm Loop Hike Report

Location: Saar-Hünsruck Forest, Boppard Germany

Trail Guide: Ehrbachklamm Dream Hike

Type of Hike: Loop

Distance: 4.62 miles, 7.4 km

Elevation: 625 ft up, 575 ft down

Duration: Approx. 2-2.5 hours

Difficulty: Easy, some places for a husky to fall off a cliff.

Stroller Friendly: nope

Dog Friendly: yes

Long Distance Network: Saar-Hunsrueck Steig 410 km long trail network

Parking:  Wanderparkplatz Ehrbachklamm

Nearby Points of Interest:  Burg Eltz (40 min), Cochem (25 min)

Where to Stay: Best Eco-Friendly Luxury – Schloss Lieser, Best Budget Hotel – Hotel Weinhaus Stettler,  Best for Families – BurgHotel Auf Schönburg

This hike starts off at the free parking lot and basically descends down significantly into the stream bed in the Ehrbach valley.

You’ll see the Daubisberger grist mill across the stream which is a great stop to play with the water chute and turn the giant grist wheel and they’ve got snacks and beer for sale.

You’ll cross back over the stream and follow a nice flat path along the stream and view the Rachucenmühle and run across some cute cows.  

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Then you’ll finally enter the single track path that has serious fairy tale vibes.  When you get to the actual Ehrbachklamm, aka the Ehrbach waterfall the terrain becomes pretty rugged.  My husky kept running around and while the cliffs aren’t steep, they are pretty dramatic. 

The stream is really cute and the bridges are quaint.

ehrbachklamm bridge

At the waterfall, after you’ve taken a million photos, you’ll actually walk up and over the waterfall along a different stream to get to the edge of the village of Mermuth.  This little valley gorge is quite steep and beautiful.

This past year an April snowstorm caused a lot of damage to the health of the trees.  They had already bloomed with spring, so you’ll notice quite a few fallen trees, even the big ones.  It makes for dramatic scenery.  Here is where I encountered the most mud, so bring a change of shoes with you to not ruin your car mats.

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Once you’ve climbed up to Mermuth, you’ll be on the Hunsrück plateau.  I loved doing this near sunset because the lights from the Frankfurt Hahn airport were visible, about 20 miles away. The fog rises out of the Ehrbach gorge in really cool dramatic ways and the sunset over the farm fields was stunning.

The village is so peaceful and quiet and you can just let stress melt away wandering around the edge of this village.  You’ll return back to the parkplatz with views over the plateau almost the entire return.

dog

If you want a longer experience, the longer variant is 5-6 hours, 8.93 miles and a total of 1200 ft up and 1200 ft down.

I likely wouldn’t bring trekking poles for this unless you’ve got some knee pain.  They act as a bit of shock absorption on the steep parts, which aren’t a lot but when it’s steep it’s really steep.  Here’s a guide written by a physical therapist on how to use trekking poles to help with knee pain if you need it. 

alternatives

Who is This Guide NOT for and What are the Alternatives?

For this hike, I would not take kids with me that have a tendency to run off cliffs.  Think rambunctious toddlers and you don’t want to put them on a leash.  For an interactive, flat and uber safe hike try the Kafer Safari walk in Bruchmuhlbach-Miesau.

But if your kids love to splash and cross streams on wooden bridges, hike up some hills and wander around like they are in a fairy tale, this is a great hike.  You’ll tend to get muddy in parts so definitely bring extra shoes and if you accidentally put your backpack down in the mud like me, here’s how to wash your backpack without ruining the weather sealing layer.

It’s a pretty mellow hike, so if you’re looking for more adventure I’d recommend the Calmont Klettersteig Hike that’s overlooking the Mosel River on the steepest vineyard in Europe.

If you’re a history buff, I’d recommend the Kirner Dolomiten hike in the nearby Soonwald forest because they have a free app connected to all the history sites around town and the multitude of castle ruins. 

Another great history hike is the Adlerbogen hike near Kaiserslautern.

Getting to the Hike

Closest Airport

Frankfurt international or Frankfurt hahn are your best bets for a flight to explore the Mosel and Rhine River area.  Luxembourg airport is also less than a 2 hour drive.

By Car

Parking options are free and the Ehrbachklamm Wanderparkplatz is easy to find.  This hike is just 1 – 1.5 hours from the Landstuhl Castle hiking area.

By Public Transportation

You’ll want a car to explore this area in Germany.

Best time to Travel to Ehrbachklamm – October

The autumn.  Hands down the Autumn months will be the best time to travel to Ehrbachklamm to enjoy the flowing waterfall, an open grist mill serving snacks and drinks and the least amount of people.  

It’s available and open year round, but mud will be significant after a heavy rain.

What to Eat 

I went in November and saw a grand total of 3 people on the trail in addition to the old German dude serving beers at the Daubisberger grist mill.  

I didn’t ask him to turn on the mill but he came over and let me play with the water chute to get the wheel turning and it was really fun. I noticed he had a little area to sit and cases of beer in glass to sell.  I was pushing up a sunset deadline so I didn’t really stop, but next time during the day I’d make a point to buy some treats from them because I absolutely love having food and drink options in the middle of nowhere.

Where to Stay Near Ehrbachklamm

Check out the links here from Booking – I always use them for my city and multi-day hikes because they are trustworthy and helpful to keep organized.

As you’re right in the middle of the Romantic Rhine river and the lovely Mosel River you’ve got your pick of stunning places to stay. 

Best Accommodation – Stay in A Castle!

The fairy-tale like BurgHotel Auf Schonburg will make this a memorable German experience for you and the kids or your loved ones. 

A four course dinner, breakfast, garden tours and a tour of the tower with all kinds of fun surprises are included. There are plenty of things to do in Oberwesel for the whole family.

Best Castle Hotel Spa Luxury

Stay at Schloss Lieser and have the best stay at an exceptional and opulent spa castle hotel on the Mosel river right in the middle of wine country.   

Best Budget

Hotel Weinhaus Stettler is a great value for the money with an extensive and hearty breakfast and comfortable rooms that are easy to access from the highway.

FAQ About Ehrbachklamm

Ehrbachklamm rundweg : Is this a loop hike?  Yes.  This is a loop, or circular hike. 

Where is Ehrbachklamm?  Between the Mosel and Rhine Rivers in the forest of Germany.

EXPLORE MORE MOSELLE RIVER HIDDEN GEMS

If you are curious about more German fairytale hikes, castles and wine tasting, read about more Moselle River hidden Gems:

📍 My post on wine tasting and hiking in Urzig
🍷 The Best Things to do in Beilstein on the Moselle
🏰 And… the best things to do in Cochem Germany



Author profile: Morgan Fielder is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and passionate hiker who believes in exploring the world on foot with good food. Follow her journey as she shares science-based hiking tips and advocates for sustainable tourism.