Directly in front of the Jägerhaus forest house, this tour starts slightly downhill into the Morgenbach Valley towards the nearby entrance to the ghostly Steckeschlääfer Gorge. A narrow path now leads partly over wooden bridges and partly directly along the stream uphill through this enchanted forest gorge. Wherever you look, carved tree spirits and grimaces watch you step by step. At the end of the gorge, after crossing K 29, wide forest paths lead up to the edge of the forest near the Waldalgesheim weekend settlement. The path continues along the forest edge with great views until it bends back into the forest after crossing the road again. Shortly after, the next highlight of the Tree Spirits Tour is reached with the “Villa Rustica.” In the expansive area, archaeologists are restoring parts of a Roman estate from the 1st century AD. Information boards pique curiosity, and a resting place invites you to take a break from hiking.
Afterwards, you will soon reach the next attraction on a wide, slightly downhill forest path, the suspension bridge over the Kreuzbach. Not only children have fun here. The swaying can certainly cause a flutter in your stomach. Now follows a varied passage through a forest botanical garden, and past the Heiligkreuz forest house (a popular restaurant with a large outdoor terrace), the Tree Spirits Tour slowly but surely approaches the Rhine. Soon, a short detour to the summit of Damiankopf is worthwhile to enjoy the first view of the Rhine Valley from there. The path excitingly continues parallel to the Rhine downstream through the sometimes deeply cut forest. Finally, at the Schweizer Haus – a former princely hunting lodge of Burg Rheinstein - the next premium viewpoint is reached.
The following section down the Eselspfad into the Morgenbach Valley is pure hiking bliss, and the small detour to the magnificent Burg Rheinstein along with a stop at the tavern Kleiner Weinprinz is an absolute must. Back on the way into the Morgenbach Valley, after a short up and down, you will soon reach a rocky spur that reveals the view of the next castle: Burg Reichenstein in Trechtingshausen. Through the entire Morgenbach Valley, you will return to the Jägerhaus forest house at the starting point, where a visit to the rustic restaurant is truly worthwhile.
