Pfaelzer Mandelpfad Wachenheim Eckkopfturm Hike Loop

This hike is my absolute favorite way to see the delicate and showy almond blossoms in March on the German Wine Road without the crowds.

Author’s tl;dr: The Pfaelzer Mandelpfad Wachenheim Eckkopfturm Hike Loop may be my favorite early March hike in Germany. It’s definitely the hiker’s way to see the ample almond blossoms in March without the crowds. If you prefer to pair this area with the wild animal park, you can hike from Kurpfalz Park to Eckkoptturm also.

Dog friendly, kid-friendly 5+, not stroller friendly.

7.92 miles.

If you want to make a weekend out of it, the best place to stay is in Wachenheim at the lovely family run winery and guesthouse Altstadt-Residenz Manz.

Located about 20 min from Neustadt Germany, this Haardt mountain front-range mixed with vineyard hike offers more vineyard than the nearby Kalmit or Kurpfalz hikes.

• What I really loved was the Eckkopfturm…this tower is massive and has amazing views.
• What I thought was rough was finding parking.

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 Edenkoben Tal Hike just down the Mandelpfad.

Wachenheim Eckkopfturm Loop 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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Wachenheim Loop Hike – My Experience

My dog Ruby and I hiked it on a sunny day in March and we had a blast. The mud was not a problem at all and the castle restaurant was open. The tower was open to climb, but I chose not to because I didn’t want to carry my dog.

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

You will also like my related hiking guide: The Rodenbach Sculpture hike near Kaiserslautern offers beautiful hand carved statues in the middle of the forest and a Celtic burial grounds.

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Wachenheim Village – Ruine Wachtenburg – Basalt See (1:00)

Start walking toward the mountain side of town on “Burgstrasse” and it turns into the trail. You are basically heading toward the castle ruins you can see from everywhere.

The path is marked by the “Pfalzer Weingsteig” signage and meanders past some housing before turning into a single sidewalk between houses going uphill.

Within 10 minutes you’ll reach the Ruine Wachtenburg and you can grab a drink with a lovely view.

Follow the signs that are a red triangle. This goes to Eckkopfturm, but in many places the signs have the word “Eckkopfturm” written out also.

Basalt See – Eckkopfturm – Heidenlöcher – Chapel (2:30)

However, after the trail turns into a twisted pine forest you’ll take a detour down a dirt road to the Basalt See lake and nature area. It’s a beautiful lake in an old quarry to let the dogs get some water.

You’ll double back to rejoin the single track toward Eckkopfturm. Just past a picnic table there will be 3 trails.

Take the left-most trail and within a few hundred meters it turns into a lovely mountainside single track all the way to Eckkopfturm.

I would take the stairs up for the view next time when I don’t have my dog. They serve food here but only on Saturday’s, Sundays and Holidays (Not international Women’s Day tho)!

You’ll head downhill now on the “white dot” path. This stretch of twisted pines is astounding and still.

I had fun doing my whip at this ancient settlement ruins.

This is the Heidenlöcher am Kirchberg.

Chapel – Mandelpfad Path – Wachenheim (3:30)

You’ll come up on a really cute church with lovely views of the Winestrasse vineyards and the entire Rhine plain.

You’ll take your last downhill onto the actual vineyards and meander across walls and in between plots. There’s even a cute stone staircase to walk down.

The sign will shift to the “Mandelpfad” and it’s an obvious pink blossom. Have fun strolling back to Wachenheim and if you go in March the entire trail is covered in pink petals.

Food and Hutten on the Hike

You’ve got your choices on this trail of multiple huts or you can dip into Wachenheim village….there’s places for wine tastings, hotels and restaurants including a Japanese tasting menu and Greek restaurant amongst others.

Ruine Wachtenburg (Wachtenburg Burgschänke)

• The Castle Tavern is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
• You can always walk in to view it.
• It’s volunteer run to have private tours if you arrange ahead of time.

Contact here.

Eckkopturm Tower

It was closed when I went on a Friday, but in season (weekends only in winter) you can grab a drink and climb the tower for what are likely great views of the Rhine plain overlooking Dedesheim.

Look at deidesheim.de for opening times.

How to Get Here

By Car

Driving is the easiest way to get to this hike.

Wachenheim is the most adorable wine village but parking is tough. I found a spot on the street and couldn’t find the parking lot. You can find ample parking in the housing section of town away from the mountain side of town.

By Bus

If you want to take the bus, you’ll need to get to Wachenheim via Neustadt or Bad Durkheim. Check the schedule here.

Cultural Aspects German Weinstrasse

Mandelpfad

The Mandelpfad, or Almond Trail, in Rhineland-Palatinate is a scenic route that offers a unique blend of natural beauty and cultural exploration.

Winding through the picturesque wine-growing region, the trail spans about 100 kilometers and is adorned with the delicate pink and white blossoms of almond trees, especially enchanting in the spring.

Along the way, hikers can immerse themselves in the region’s rich history by visiting charming villages and ancient ruins. The path meanders through zesty vineyards and past cozy wine taverns, inviting travelers to sample the local fare and renowned wines.

Rietburg Chairlift (30 min from Wachenheim)

Soar to a Castle Restaurant

Located at the top of the Rietburg 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.

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.

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.

More Images of This Hike

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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 pfaelzer Mandelpfad Wachenheim Eckkopfturm hike has given you some helpful information to plan your next adventure.