Hüttenbrunnen Edenkoben tal to Rietburg Chairlift Easy Hike

If you’re looking for an easy hike with the best vineyard views of the Deutsche Winestrasse and waterfalls this hike is for you. There’s even an option to use a chairlift to skip the only real uphill.

Author’s tl;dr: The Hüttenbrunnen Edenkoben Tal to Rietburg Chairlift hike is the best way to view the lovely vineyards that make up the Southern German Wine Road. With ample places to stop and get food and wine, it’s a leisurely hike.

Dog friendly, kid-friendly 5+.

5.88 miles with option to use the Rietburg Chairlift to skip the uphill and get to the deer park and restaurant on top.

If you want to make a weekend out of it, the best place to stay is the located directly on trail at the Edenkobener Hutte or the Wohlfuhlhotel Spa hotel just off a few hundred meters off the trail.

Located about 20 min from Neustadt Germany, this Rhine plain front-range hike offers better views than the similiar Kalmit or Kurpfalz hikes. It’s more crowded and muddy however.

• What I really loved was the stammisch table at the Edenkobener Hütte, the overlook of the Rhine Valley and the beautiful deer park.
• What I thought was rough was the muddy trail descending from the Brunnen.

Related: If you love chairlifts on your hikes (to skip the up, or if you have friends that don’t love the hills as much as you do) check out my Rudesheim Ring Tour hike.

Edenkoben Tal Hiking Map

How to Use This Map:
Click on the icon on the top left-hand corner. You will now see an interactive list.

For more info on each, click on the map icons.

To see the map in more detail, click on the [ ] in the top right-hand corner. This will open a larger map where the details of each point can be found by clicking on the location point name in the list on the left.

You can also save the map for your own use by clicking the next to the map name. This will save the map to your Google Maps, where you can make a copy and use it for your own trip planning.

To view the saved map on your phone, open Google Maps, click “saved” on the bottom, and then “maps” on the lower right.

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Edenkoben Tal Hike – My Experience

My friend and I hiked it on a grey day in February and we were surprised to see so many people out on a Wednesday. The mud was tricky in parts and google maps is NOT correct about opening times of huts.

This area is along the Weinstrasse front range and one of my favorite culinary hikes in Rhineland Palatinate.

You will also like my related hiking guide: The Bad Urach Waterfall hike near Stuttgart offers wine tastings and excellent food at the huts along trail with massive waterfalls. It’s also got it’s own train stop.

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Parking Lot – Huttenbrunnen – Hilschweiher Waterfalls (1:00)

You’ll be heading down the “tal” or valley past the Huttenbrunnen on single track.

The path is muddy during winter/spring season as it’s right next to the stream.

You will see signs for path no 3, the “Blatterbergweg” and a red circle. They all follow this route here.

It’s a gentle downhill until you get to the Hilschweiher hutte with it’s geese. They have boat rentals and a nice bier garten. Here the waterfalls are worth some time to explore.

Hilschweiher – Siegfried Schneide – Chestnut Forest – Sesselbahn (1:30)

After walking past the ponds near Hilschweiher, you’ll pass through an impressive chestnut forest. There are so.many.wild.hogs here. It seems they love the chestnuts or castanian trees.

The opportunity to take the chairlift, or sesselbahn in German, is here. It looks like a gentle ride to skip the only real uphill section. It runs March – November and gets you to the top of Rietburg castle ruins.

You can also detour to see the Ludwigshohe castle if you want, but it was closed when we went so we skipped it.

Sesselbahn – Rietburg – Deer Park – Parking (2:45)

In winter, the Rietburg restuarant is only open on weekends sadly. The views here are to die for.

There’s also a lovely gazebo on the trail here with impressive vineyard views.

You can pay a few euros to feed the pretty deer in the enclosure at the top of the chairlift.

The forest is soft and damp green from here back to the parking area.

Make sure you plan enough time to grab a drink at the Edenkobener hutte before you head home.

How to get there

By Car

Driving is the easiest way to get to this hike.

Reaching the parking lot by car is a straightforward journey, with the park conveniently situated next to the Edenkobener Hutte.

Drivers should navigate towards the Deutsche Weinstrasse (German Wine Route), taking the exit for Edenkoben. Then you’ll follow signs to “Edenkoben Tal”, driving out of the cute wine village with arches of vines overhead in summer and almond trees in spring.

From these points, clear signage will guide you through the scenic wine country directly to the large car parks designated as Wanderpark platz Huttenbrunnen for visitors.

By Bus

If you want to take the bus, you’ll need to get to Edenkoben via Neustadt. There is a summer bus no 506 that runs frequently directly to the Huttenbrunnen in front of the Edenkobener Hutte.

Check the schedule here.

Cultural Aspects

Things to Know About Rietburg Chairlift

Soar to a Castle Restaurant

The Sesselbahn will open this year March 16 and operate daily. It ends at the restaurant located within the castle ruins. For winter it’s open Saturday and Sunday only.

Monday – Friday : 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Saturday + Sunday : 10:00 – 18:00 o’clock

Pricing: 8 euros for adults

Things to Know about the Rietburg Castle Ruins

The Rietburg is a historical hillside castle ruin located above the village of Rhodt within the Südliche Weinstrasse county of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Perched at 535 meters above sea level on the northeastern slope of the 618-meter-high Blättersberg mountain, part of the Haardt range, the castle overlooks the scenic Palatinate Forest.

Accessible by car park near Villa Ludwigshöhe, which is reached via the Edenkoben exit on the A 65 motorway, visitors can also take a chairlift, the Rietburgbahn, to ascend the mountain. The remains of the castle include parts of the shield wall, the enceinte, and the zwinger.

The Rietburg was constructed between 1200 and 1204 by the lords of Riet. Its history saw a notable event in 1255 when Hermann of Riet took Queen Elisabeth of the Welfs hostage, leading to his loss of the castle, which then became an imperial possession.

Despite surviving the Weißenburg Feud in 1470 and the Palatine Peasants’ War in 1525, the castle was destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War and never rebuilt.

Efforts to preserve the ruins have been ongoing, including a notable discovery of coins during excavations in 1872, preservation work in 1925, and the construction of a refuge hut and a restaurant in the 20th century.

The Rietburg Club has been active in conservation efforts, including the installation of a wooden bridge over the historic neck ditch in 2012.

A local legend speaks of a robber baron with a hideous face who once inhabited the castle, known as the “old palace.”

His cruel actions and eventual downfall are part of the folklore surrounding the Rietburg, adding a mystical aura to its ruins.

Ludwigshöhe Castle

• Italian-Style Villa: Villa Ludwigshöhe Castle near Edenkoben was built by King Ludwig I of Bavaria as a summer residence in the mildest part of his kingdom.
• Classical Architecture: The villa is designed in a classicist style, drawing inspiration from ancient architecture, and is decorated with exquisite wooden floors and elaborate ceiling and wall paintings.
• Scenic Views: It offers a spectacular panoramic view of the Palatinate region and the Rhine plain.
• Renovation Closure: Currently, the castle is closed to the public until further notice due to renovation work.
• Contact Information:
• Address: Villastraße 64, 67480 Edenkoben
• Phone: 0261 6675-4820
• Email: villa-ludwigshoehe(at)gdke.rlp.de

• Management: The castle is part of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage Rhineland-Palatinate.
• Website: For more information, visit www.gdke.rlp.de.

Food and Hutten on the Hüttenbrunnen Edenkoben tal to Rietburg Chairlift Hike

You’ve got your choices on this trail of multiple huts or you can dip into Edenkoben village….there’s places for wine tastings, hotels and restaurants here not far from the eastern tip of the trail.

This region has quite a few hutten serving local dishes. I’m just going to name a few.

Huttenbrunnen Edenkobener Hutte

• Welcome to Hüttenbrunnen: Experience the warm hospitality of the Edenkobener Hütte am Hüttenbrunnen.
• Local Cuisine: Enjoy home-style cooking with Palatinate specialties and regional wines.
• Palatinate Lifestyle: Immerse yourself in the relaxed atmosphere and joie de vivre of the Palatinate region.
• Visit Us: Miguel Gutierrez and his team look forward to your visit.
• Spacious Seating: The hut offers 160 indoor seats and a beer garden that accommodates 300 guests.
• Self-Service: Both the indoor restaurant and the beer garden operate on a self-service basis.
• Location: Nestled in the southern Haardt within the Edenkobener Valley, managed by the Edenkoben local association of the Palatinate Forest Association.
• Contact Information:
• Phone: 0 63 23 – 2827
• Email: [email protected]

Opening Hours:

Wednesday to Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Kitchen closes at 4:30 p.m.

Note: Hours may vary with bad weather conditions, potentially closing earlier.

Hütte am Hilschweiher (Goose Home and Boat Rentals)

This beergarden next to the waterfall is worth a stop and serves up local drinks and dishes April through October. Opening times vary.

Contact: 06323-2973

Siegfriedschmiede

More like a forest restaurant — it’s open year round but only on certain days. Typically closed Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

• Historic Forge: The “Siegfriedschmiede” was established in 1688 by the Gienandt family and functioned as a coat of arms forge until 1942.
• Longstanding Restaurant: Evidence shows that there has been a restaurant on the premises since 1787.
• Access Routes: To reach the “Siegfriedschmiede,” drive into the Edenkoben valley from Edenkoben and take a forest path on the left after about 1 km past the “Villa Medica” private clinic.
• Attractions: A visit to “Siegfriedschmiede” is recommended not only for its historic significance but also for the beautiful natural setting, which includes small ponds and a stone collection reminiscent of “little Stonehenge,” perfect for leisurely exploration and admiration.

Reitburg Castle Restaurant

Located at the top of the chairlift and inside the castle ruins, this restaurants has some of the best vineyard views you could imagine and serves up typical Pfalzisch dishes and wines.

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Craving Mountain Adventure?

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy rambling around the Haardt mountains and catching some outdoor history and culture. How cool is that?

Have you experienced a cool trail nearby? We would love to hear how it was over on our facebook group Plan Hiking Adventures in Europe.

We hope this guide about the Hüttenbrunnen Edenkoben Tal to Rietburg Chairlift hike has given you some helpful information to plan your next adventure.