Trails #3.1 to 3.7. Hiking Trails Southeast of Baumholder: Bärenbachpfad and Gärtel

By Dr. Mike Bowers ~ drmikebowers.guide@gmail.com

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“NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST.” ~JRR Tolkien

Just beyond the edge southeastern edge of Baumholder, the Gärtel area is a great ‘go-to’ when we need a quick escape to the serenity and quiet of nature! Gärtel is the name for a large tract of hilltops, woods and meadows brimming with natural beauty and outdoor learning opportunities for walkers and runners.

The 14k Bärenbachpfad (Bear Creek Trail) is the only major regional designated hiking trail in the Baumholder vicinity. (‘pfad’ means ‘trail.’) The Bärenbachpfad circumnavigates the expanse of the Gärtel area. The trail is open to mountain bicyclists, but requires real mountain bike skills and stamina for rough trails and steep slopes.

We will explore a variety of hikes/runs in this area which range for 2k to 14k in length.

Finding Gärtel

To find Gärtel, begin on the south edge of Baumholder at the intersection of the Ringstraße and Highway L-176; the highway which heads south toward Kusel. (The shop “Kik” sits on this intersection.) Take the highway uphill for about .5k and watch for a paved road on the left. A wooden sign ‘Gärtel‘ sits at the intersection.

Turn here and park in the parking lot just past the intersection. The paved one-lane road continues through pleasant woods for 1k to a second parking lot, which provides easy access to loops through a nature education center.

ROUTE SPECS

Type of trail: Designated hiking trail and area route options; hiking / running; mountain bikes or sturdy hybrid bikes are great for all these trails – except the very steep section between Waldhaus and Wildfrauenloch (see Trail 3.5.)

Trail name: Trail #3: Bärenbachpfad and Gärtel routes #3.1. – 3.7.

Location: 1k southeast of Baumholder, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Length: Unlimited length options. The area features a 14k designated hiking trail and numerous hiking/bicycling/running options/nature appreciation opportunities!

Challenge: Climbing up-hills / Rewards: Down-hills! Great workouts! the serenity of nature, verdant views!

Route-finding: Easy. The Bärenbachpfad is very well signed.

Tip: Download and print my map of the area (or open it in a new tab on your browser).

Highlights: woods, pastures, scenic views, nature conservation education center

TRAIL DESCRIPTION

See circled numbers on map which correspond to the descriptions of the seven suggested trails.

Printable map of Bärenbachpfad & Gärtel (PDF):  Bärenbachpfad.map.v4.

Note: There are dozens of unpaved forest roads throughout this area. The map shows the discussed roads and trails – and does not show minor forest roads unless it provides a useful option in personalizing the routes.

Trail #3.1. Bärenbachpfad – 14k Designated Hiking Trail

The Bärenbachpfad – Bear Creek Trail – is clearly marked with signs. Relax, no bears currently live in the area!

The Bärenbachpfad officially begins at the Baumholder Bad/Lake Park in the park’s parking-lot near the Netto grocery (on the Ringstraße in Baumholder). Across the parking-lot from the lake, a tall wooden gateway announces the Start of the Bärenbachpfad. The trail immediately crosses the Ringstraße and passes the edge of town, climbs the upsloping green pastures, takes in a great ‘blick’ (viewpoint) of Baumholder town, then crosses the highway and continues into the Gärtel area. At Gärtel parking-lot #1 (near the highway), the Bärenbachpfad forks into a loop trail.

This type of trail is a ‘lollipop’ trail (see the red dots outlining the trail on the map). The first section – 2k – of trail from Baumholder Bad (Lake) Park to Gärtel is a single trail, then, at the first Gärtel parking lot the trail splits and heads into the woods in two directions, which eventually meet to form a 10k loop.

Heading south on the Bärenbachpfad from Gärtel parking lot #1, the trail crosses woods and meadows for several kilometers, then the path drops from the high moors and forests down into the narrow, scenic canyon of the Bärenbach and follows the cascading creek downstream before following the Auerbach upstream and uphill to the hilltops of Gärtel.

The length of the entire Bärenbachpfad is 14 kilometers. The Bärenbachpfad trail is part of the ‘Traumschleifen Saar-Hunsrűck’ trail system in the adjoining states of Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland. (Traumschleifen Saar-Hunsrűck means ‘picture-perfect loop hikes in the Saar-Hunsrűck region.’)

TRAIL SECTORS OF THE BÄRENBACHPFAD – detailed descriptions follow:

~ Trail #3.2. is a 2k loop hike, beginning at the edge of Baumholder, which includes some of the most scenic sections of the trail.

~ Trail #3.5. follows a steep sector of the trail downhill to the cliff-lined mossy canyon of the Bärenbach known as Wildfrauenloch.

~ Trail 3.6. is a short hike through fields and meadows to a sector the Bärenbachpfad with a fine blick (viewpoint) over the Totenalb River valley.

~ Trail 3.7. follows a short section of the Bärenbachpfad through a section of old, deep hochwald (hilltop forest).

Trail #3.2. Baum Blick Loop of the Bärenbachpfad (Hike, Run, Bike)

This short 2k loop trail – for hiking, running, or bicycling – features some of the most scenic sections of the Bärenbachpfad trail and is easily accessible from the town of Baumholder. This route has a steep hill but is fine – and fun – for bicycles.

The best place to begin this loop is at Gärtel parking lot #1. From the parking lot, the well-signed trail parallels the highway heading south, then crosses the highway (Cross carefully! High-speed traffic!), continues through woods – then suddenly – a money-shot view of Baumholder town, distant hills and valleys. The trail follows the edge of a broad meadow downhill – a blast on a bicycle! -to a paved one-lane road. Take a right on this road and follow it back to the highway. At the highway, turn left and walk along the highway for about .2k/200 yards and take the one-lane paved road on the right which heads uphill and curves to the right, eventually looping back to the Gärtel parking lot #1. (Be very careful walking along the highway – high speed traffic!)

This loop is about 5k/3 miles.

One could also begin the loop walk at the Bad Park parking-lot making the trail a ‘lollipop’ loop; this adds about 1k to the loop.

Trail #3.3. The First Kilometer of the Gärtel Road

The Gärtel road is a scenic paved one-lane road with very little traffic. This 2k out-and-back walk begins at Gärtel parking-lot #1 and follows the Gärtel road into a valley, across a small creek, and climbs to a flat area with Gärtel parking-lot #2. Turn around here and retrace your route for a 2k walk, or combine this with Trail #3.4. and continue walking/riding past the gate on the paved road to enter the Naturschutz-platz (nature conversation education area).

Trail #3.4. Naturschutz–platz and Waldhaus

At Gärtel parking lot #2, the paved road is gated. Walk or bicycle around the gate and continue on the paved road for 1k. You have entered the Naturschutz-platz (nature conservation education area) which features display boards detailing the flora and fauna of the local forests. All the boards are in German (perhaps take your German-speaking friend for a walk?), but the displays are worth viewing. For example, one board shows drawings of birds typical to the forest.

The paved road ends at a T-intersection beside the Waldhaus (forest house), which is a nice picknick and outdoor event area. Dirt roads go to the left (Trail #3.4.a.) and the right (Trail #3.4.b.). All three roads in the area feature nature education boards along the trail. The trail to the right is recommended (Trail #2.4.b., the southernmost road in the loop). Along this section of trail, a small hűtte/hut displays the varieties of birdhouses – each tailored to their tiny residents’ housing needs. Listen for their sweet birdsong!

Follow the roads around to where they meet up with the paved road and retrace your steps to Gärtel parking lot #2.

The stretch of Gärtel Road from Gärtel parking-lot #1 to Waldhaus is ideal for bicyclists of all ages – mostly paved roads, mellow hills, deep woods, few autos. ~DrMike

Trail #3.5. From Gärtel parking lot #2 to Wildfrauenloch – out-and-back

This 5k hike leads to the most dramatic scenery on the Bärenbachpfad loop trail – Wildfrauenloch – the cliff-bound, mossy canyon of the Bärenbach.

The hike begins at Gärtel parking-lot #2. Round-trip trail length from Gärtel parking-lot #2 to Wildfrauenloch is 5 kilometers/3 miles. Follow the paved road to Waldhaus – about 1k. Upon reaching the T-intersection at the Waldhaus and picknick pergola (see photo, Trail #3.4), turn right and follow an unpaved road (the beginning of Trail #3.4.b.) about 50m/50yds.

Watch for the Bärenbachpfad and Wildfrauenloch signs and the trail intersection on the left. Follow this trail downhill for a short distance to a nice blick (viewpoint) overlooking the valley below.

Follow the well-signed trail down switchbacks into the canyon of the Bärenbach. Since this section of the trail is very steep, bicycles are not recommended.

The creek tumbles over small waterfalls and cascades below mossy rugged cliffs. Wildfrauenloch is named after the local legend of a ‘hermit woman’ (wildfrauen = feral old woman) who lived in a prominent rock cave in the canyon (loch means ‘hole’ as in a narrow canyon). Legend tells of the woman being surprised by a bear who planned to hibernate in the cave. The story is that she and the bear both lived in the cave. You will see their small fissure cave on the south side of the creek?

If you wish, follow the trail and canyon downstream to where the Bärenbach joins the Auersbach (bach means ‘creek’) – the lowest elevation of the trail – where it continues upstream along the Auersbach and eventually climbs back up to the hilltops to complete the loop. Go as far as you wish, then retrace your steps up the steep slope to Waldhaus and the starting point at Gärtel parking-lot #2.

Or try a GÄRTEL BIATHLON: Starting from Gärtel parking-lot #1 or #2 (or from Baumholder) ride a bicycle to Waldhaus. Park and lock your bike, then follow the section of the Bärenbachpfad that leads downhill to Wildfrauenloch. Explore the area and enjoy a picknick at the creek-side tables. Climb back up the trail to Waldhaus; then complete the route by riding back to your starting point. (Distance to Waldhaus from Gärtel parking-lot #1: 2k; from Gärtel parking-lot #2: 1k; from Baumholder Bad Park to Waldhaus: 3-4k depending on the route; see Trail 3.2 for routes from Baumholder to Gärtel.

How a GÄRTEL TRIATHLON? Start with a thorough muscle stretch sequence – don’t hurry it – before you head out. ~DrMike

Trail #3.6. Barenbachpfad – Northern Sector Hike

This short family-friendly walk follows a paved road with almost no traffic, crossing meadows and fields to the northern section of the Bärenbachpfad and ends at a fine blick over the Totenalb Valley.

Note: To reach to start of this walk, first locate the road to the trailhead on the map. This country road to the trailhead is a non-descript minor paved road which intersects with the eastern side of the Baumholder Ringstraße. Although there is no street-sign, the street across the intersection is Erzweilerstraße. The road is to the left facing the business sign announcing “Auto Westrich”; look for their big lot of tour busses.

~ Detailed directions to this road are provided in the Trail Description of Trail #1.  ~

Drive the road, climbing gradually uphill past the edge of town; at about 1k the road passes a horse farm on the left. Continue until the road forks to the right and the paved road continues straight on.

Park at roadside spaces just beyond the intersection. Continue up the paved road on foot for about 1.5k; the road has two parallel paved tracks with grass in-between. The route meanders through fields and meadow. The pavement ends at a T-intersection. Gated dirt roads go to the left and the right, following the edge of a steep ridge.

Walk down the dirt road to the right for 250m/¼ mi. until the Bärenbachpfad trail drops off the road to the left (watch for the sign). Follow the trail a short distance to a dramatic blick overlooking the Totenalb River valley. This blick features one of the Germans’ delightful reclining park benches! Retrace your steps back to the trailhead or – on a whim – explore the Bärenbachpfad– in either direction – as far as you wish.

Trail 3.7. Deep Forest Interlude – A short, scenic walk from the Trail #3.6. trailhead

From the intersection where the hike (Trail #3.6. above) begins, walk 30m/ 30yds to a dirt road on the left; note the Bärenbachpfad signs. Follow this road uphill for about 10 minutes. The trail leaves the road to the left. Here the Bärenbachpfad enters an appealing deep, shady forest for a short distance. Continue on the trail if you like, then retrace your steps back to the trailhead.

Here’s hoping you have a fine weathery walk in Gärtel ASAP! Try to time your walk to see the glorious sunset art!

And on,

Dr. Mike

“But why think about that when all the golden lands ahead of you and all kinds of unforeseen events wait lurking to surprise you and make you glad you’re alive to see?” ~ Jack Kerouac, On the Road

Note: To see the a gallery of photos in this post in a full-screen size slideshow, follow this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/xBu4O0uM1NyQF3Pm1

Zwillingbäume is a wondrous realm – and where our bicycling tours doth begin.

A few kilometers south of Baumholder – hidden in plain sight between two busy highways to the autobahn – the seven-house farming village of Eschelbacherhof sits at the center of an idyllic realm for bicycling and walking.

Just up the hill from Eschelbacherhof is ‘Zwillingbäume,’ a crossing of the three designated bicycling trails near Baumholder – and a delightful 360-degree view of the bergland! Zwillingbäume is near the top of a broad, grass-covered hill – a hochmoor. Green and serene landscape is in view at all compass points –hayfields and crop-fields stretch outward over the grassy rolling hills, past the silently spinning wind turbines and downslope to the steep, dark forests.

Zwillingbäume means ‘twin trees.’  A wooden park bench and two wrist-sized trees mark the spot. (There is parking here for one or two cars.) On this broad moor, the twin trees are the only trees for a kilometer in any direction. Hay meadows of cropped grasses – with scattered patches of woods – cover the nearby hills.

Starting from Zwillingbäume, walk southeast for ten minutes up a grass expanse to the summit of a hotchmoor hill called ‘Huf,’ a perfect spot to watch the sunset over the Nahe River Valley. The ridgeline of the ancient forest of the Hunsrűck Hochwald forms the northwestern horizon. As the sun nears the horizon on partly- cloudy afternoons, clouds beings and sunlight present a polychromatic sculpture and lightwave show! The four windmills that I call ‘The Family’ spin benevolently above.

Just over the hilltop to the west is the hamlet of Eschelbacherhof, a working farm village with about 7 houses, founded in 1769.

Zwillingbäume sits at the confluence of three radwege – designated bicycling trails: The 72k Rheinland-Pfalz Radweg, the 28k Bergen-Radweg and the 30k Seeradweg. (See upcoming posts on the Rheinland-Pfalz Radweg, the Bergen-Radweg and the Seeradweg designated rides.) From Zwillingbäume , great biking/walking roads, paved and dirt, head out in all directions.

This passel of trails will be described below, in the Trail Description.

Rides in the bergland usually begin in a village, then head up through the forest, over the moorlands, and down to the next village. The standardized bicycling signs indicate the distance to and direction of the next village. Most rides are easy to navigate – simply follow the signs from village to village.

Now get out there on the hochmoor! You’ll see hawks, hares, deer and foxes – and cows, sheep, goats and horses. This green world – with clouds above – will offer calm. The light of evening will offer hope. You will soon be smiling.

The middle of nowhere turns out to be the center of here and now.

The spirit is strong, and the flesh is Zwilling…

ROUTE SPECS        

Trail name: Trail #2: Zwillingbäume routes  2.1 – 2.7

Location: 3k south of Baumholder, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Length: unlimited length options. The area features 3 designated bicycling trails heading off in six directions, plus dozens of paved and gravel country roads begging for exploration.

Challenges: Climbing up-hills / Rewards: Cruisin’ coasting down-hills!

Route-finding: Easy

Highlights: historic farming villages, wohnstallhäusen – house/barns, die Blicke – scenic views

Click here to open the full-size printable PDF map for TRAIL#2.1.-2.7.:

Zwillingbaume.map.v3

Map Legend for Zwillingbäume:

Click here to open the full-size printable PDF of the Zwillingäume MAP LEGEND:

Zw.map.legend.v2

TRAILS DESCRIPTIONS

Suggestion: Open or print the map before reading the trail descriptions.    

See circled numbers on the map which correspond to the descriptions of the seven suggested trails.

Trail #2.1. Baumholder to Eschelbacherhof & Zwillingbäume

To find Zwillingbäume, start in Baumholder at the small traffic circle near the Bad/Lake Park on the Ringstraße, near the Netto grocery. From the traffic circle, head in the direction opposite the bad/lake. Follow the green ‘bike and arrow’ signs gradually uphill – through 1k of Germany-style suburbs to the edge of town.

As is typical of German villages, the town ends suddenly, and the beautiful pastoral countryside welcomes us. My suggestion is to drive to the edge of town, park and ride or walk the 2k to Eschelbacherhof, Zwillingbäume – and beyond!

The one-lane paved road curves through forest with glimpses of meadows, drops into the creekbed of Eschelbach and then climbs toward the hamlet of Eschelbacherhof.

The road reaches to a ‘T’ intersection. To the right, the Rheinland-Pfalz Radweg and the Bergen-Radweg head west toward the Nahe River (see Ride 2.2., below). To the left is the hamlet of Eschelbacherhof. ‘Hof’ means ‘farmstead’ and is usually a group of houses and outbuildings forming one or several farms.

Amazingly, this tiny hamlet features a ‘landschaftsgaushaus,’ a country inn – restaurant and tavern, Landgasthof Zur Scheune. (A great stop for beer or eis while riding. Just saying.) The road through the cluster of farmhouses is so narrow and intimate – one is literally in the hof (barnyard)!

www.landgasthof-zur-scheune-eschelbacherhof.de

At the edge of the village, the road/trail takes a sharp turn and climbs to the hilltop above the town. Follow the road around the sharp left turn near the gaushaus and climb up – among the barns and machinery of a working farm – to the 4-way intersection of country roads I call Zwillingbäume . Form here, head out in any direction and explore the fine rides/walks outlined below – or discover your own!

Trail #2.2. Zink    

This out-and-back route begins at Zwillingbäume and heads west along the overlapping Rheinland-Pfalz Radweg and the Bergen-Radweg. (Both will be featured in future blog posts.) The routes are well signed and continue any distance desired. The trail heads west-northwest through alternating forest and moor. The trail crosses the main highway from Baumholder to Freisen, then continues into an area I call ‘Zink,’ across the  farmstead Zinkweilerhof.

The well-signed bicycle trail continues mostly downhill through Zinkweilerhof farm fields and meadows, eventually reaching the town of Heimbach on the Heimbach River, a tributary of the nearby Nahe River. (Note: don’t miss the great bäckerei in Heimbach). From Heimbach, the trail climbs a long, steep climb up to – then over – the moorlands, eventually descending to the Nahe River farther downsteam. (This route will be covered in detail in a later post on the Bergen-Radweg.)

Trail #2.3. Eschelbacherhof to Mettweiler Forest Road Loop – West             

One of my favorites, this route traverses a deep forest on an overgrown dirt and grass road between Eschelbacherhof and Mettweiler.

This loop trail begins in Eschelbacherhof. At the west edge of town an unpaved road heads south into the forest. The road curves along the traverse of a ridge  and drops down into the valley of the Hirschbach and the village of Mettweiler.

Soon after entering Mettweiler, watch for a road to the left which heads back up the hill to Eschelbacherhof – your starting point, on a paved road.

Trail #2.4. Zwillingbäume to Mettweiler Forest Road Loop – East     

This loop ride begins at Zwillingbäume and heads southeast on the gravel road. This section of road is one of the flattest rides in the whole area! After about .5k, the road enters the forest. This section is part of the Rheinland-Pfalz Radweg and the Bergen-Radweg (which eventually leads to Berg Lichtenberg in Kusel.)

After another kilometer, along the side of the forest road sits an surprising sight – A 12-meter tall miniature castle tower! The tower features a sloping roof and Rapunzel-type window. The doorway is open. Inside, looking up, we see two concrete floors creating two small stacked rooms. The half-circle cutouts in the concrete floors suggest it was designed for a missing spiral staircase. I was baffled by this structure until I met a group of women hikers nearby. They explained that the tower was originally a relay station for rural electrification, now abandoned. A local man was working to convert it into a castle tower folly for the enjoyment of volksmarchers passing by. Sadly, the man died before completing his quixotic project.

Continue straight – east – on the road. Watch for the next forest road to the right and take it. The road eventually loops around and down to Mettweiler. In Mettweiler, follow the paved road back uphill toward Eschelbacherhof. Ascending the road, watch for where the main paved road makes a big switchback to the left. Instead of cutting left and continuing uphill at the hairpin turn, take the road to the right, which is flat. There is a sign nearby which announces the road as ‘Welsch Allee.’ This road leads back to Rapunzel’s Tower. At the tower, turn left and ride the flats back to Zwillingbäume.

Trail #2.5. Mettweiler to Fohren-Linden and Beyond      

This out-and-back route drops down to the creekside village of Mettweiler, then continues to the southwest along the Seeradweg. The ride begins at Zwillingbäume; head south uphill 100m to the high point of the road, then enjoy a long, pleasant coasting cruise down into the lush valley and the village of Mettweiler.

From Mettweiler, the trail climbs to the hochmoor and drops again, through the forest into the village of Fohren-Linden and continues for another 25k – up, then down to village, up and over, then down to village – all the way to the Bostalsee (a reservoir of the Nahe River which will be detailed in future posts on the Nahe River Radweg).

Trail #2.6. Bruderbach Trail                       

This trail is ideal for a short, shady creekside walk.

Begin on the Baumholder Ringstraße at the traffic circle near the Bad/Lake Park and Netto Grocery. Take the road opposite the park and grocery and follow the green bike & arrow signs along a residential street. After about 500 meters, watch on the left for a narrow, hard-to-see road between two houses; it is not signed and looks too narrow to be a road. Nonetheless, it is the road to Bruderbach, one of the creeks feeding the Baumholder bad/lake. Park on the street and follow the road between the houses which soon enters the serene woods and follows the Bruderbach upstream along a tree-lined road. The road continues along the creek before heading up into the hills; the first kilometer is the most scenic. This is a popular walking trail in the afternoons.

Trail #2.7. Berschweiler to Eckersweiler on the Old Road

This out-and-back ride begins on the bike route just east of Berschweiler. From the center of Berschweiler, follow the bike signs pointing out the bike route to Mettweiler. About .5k up the bicycle trail/road from Berschweiler toward  Mettweiler, take a road heading south which immediately crosses a bridge over a noisy creek, past an old barn, then begins a climb to the open hilltop meadows and drops down into Eckersweiler, where a gasthaus awaits!

 Hof & Hochmoor Etiquette

You may feel like you are out here all alone, but these are real roads, used mainly by locals. Please be respectful! This is not a museum. I admit to being out riding, stopping to take a photo and getting all absorbed in shooting the photo, only to realize a quiet car has approached and its occupants are politely waiting for this tourist to get out of the way, so they may go about their day. When parking, be sure your vehicle is completely off the road, since farmers must drive giant farm machinery on these country roads.

Photo-tip

If you are a landscape photographer, stay alert to the changing sunset and sunrise times during the year. Get out for a ride/walk and photo-shoot during the falling dark of the ‘Golden Hour’ – from just before sunset to dark – as often as possible. Dinner can wait! Seek a location with a view of the sky and an interesting scene in the foreground.

First light to sunrise is the other golden hour. Get to the trailhead before dawn, ready to capture the first light – breakfast can wait! The morning mists, the evening cloud formations, the sunset hues are epic. The windmills are a fine photographic complement to a dramatic sunset – or sunrise – skies above the verdant bergland.

Note About Pronunciation

Since some German and English words are similar, it is easy to forget that pronunciation is quite different in German and English. For example, ‘w’ in German is pronounced as ‘f’. The ‘zw’ in Zwillingbäume features the odd-to-our-ears ‘z’ followed by an ‘f’ sound. So, Zwillingbäume= “SSS-feeling-bom-eh.”

Please comment if you have a chance to walk or ride in the Eschelbacherhof area! Direct comments / suggestions / questions / corrections to this post – or to drmikebowers.guide@gmail.com

And On!

~ DrMike

All photos by Dr. Mike Bowers

© Ideaphoria, LLC

Contact: drmikebowers.guide@gmail.com

 

Trail # 1:

The Baum*Blick*Bliss Radweg

          Radweg: designated bicycle trail – runners & walkers welcome!

PLEASURES OF THE HOME LOOP

Don’t you have a basic loop for biking/walking/running starting from your house? Bikers/walkers/runners often have a regular route -or several – for those routine work-days evenings and at-home weekends.

Our home routes become a meditation in repetition and we know each time ’round the loop is a unique and varying experience. The physical landscape of our routine local route may not change much, but the cycles of seasons, daylight and dark, weather & temperature – change with each outing, change without cease. These variables add variety, keep it interesting. First the home route becomes a habit and, over the years, a beloved ritual.

We find comfort and rejuvenation in this balance of sameness / change. Another variables: our state of mind, our mood, our body. We stomp during angry walks; then, on that delicious late-spring evening – you know the one –  we walk with joy. The comfort of habit and repetition, the change, the sameness, becomes a beloved, meaningful facet of a life well-lived.

PIONEERING THE BAUM*BLICK*BLISS STAR ROUTE

During the year I lived in Baumholder, I gradually pieced together a good loop starting at my place and looping out and back in an hour or a bit longer. The route traverses the hills around Baumholder, which is situated near some of the highest hills and ridges in the Nordpfalz Bergland, literally the “North Palatinate Upland Forest” Let’s call it the Pfalz Hill Country. (The German word for Palatinate is Pfalz. Pfalz is pronounced ‘fowls.’)

With each ride around my home loop, my enjoyment grew, the quiet surroundings relaxed my mind, worked my body, and recharged my emotional batteries. Starting in fallow winter, I watched the spring burst forth with exuberant wildflowers and bright yellow fields of ‘raapstaat,’ summer’s fertility, and autumn’s leaves painting a polychromatic paean to change

I call this trail Baum*Blick*Bliss. Climbs are rewarded with blicks – viewpoints over the hills and valleys. The variety and landscape of this ride will offer up glimpses or gulps of happy moments and bits of bliss – ergo: Baum*Blick*Bliss. The hills aren’t long, but this is a good workout; a hearty mix of paved roads, gravel roads – and, just for giggles, some smile-enducing single track and downhill grass-trail glory.

The route has ample surprises – and a money-shot blick/view looking west and southwest out, above Baumholder town and the distant Nahe River Valley. The blick, called Engelmichel, is equipped with a comfortable lounge-chair-for-two park bench – and a daily sunset cloudance over the horizon – the high, dark ridge of the ancient forest, the Hunsrűck Hochwald.

TRAIL NOTES

• Finding the Start of this trail is not easy. It begins on a nondescript intersection on the east edge of Baumholder’s Ringstraße, ring road. Print off and consult the map, then, starting from the intersection with the ‘Kik’ store, follow the Ringstraße (Ring Road) uphill toward the top of town (away from the grocery stores Netto and Edeka). Go about 500m/1/3 mile uphill (walk or ride the good bike paths along the Ringstraße). Look for a parking lot full of buses on the right side.

  

• Facing the sign for this business, “Auto Westrich,” the Start is at the beginning of the paved road to the left of the sign and fence. The first section of trail follows another small paved road which drops downhill on the left.

• The BaumBlickBliss Radweg is a ‘star route,’ meaning the trail goes out into the country, then backtracks, then heads back out on another road, then back – and so on. This makes it easy to adjust your route due to conditions and desired distance/time.
• About half of this trail is follows the Barenbachpfad, a 14km/8-mile designated walking/running/biking loop trail which begins and ends at the Baumholder Lake Park parking lot. (The Barenbachpfad hike will be covered in an upcoming post.)

To park near the center of the route: From Baumholder zentrum (downtown), drive to the intersection with the ‘Kik’ store, drive uphill on the highway (L-176) toward Kusel and Burg Lichtenberg. After about 1km/1/2 mile, take the first road to the left; it is marked ‘Gärtel’ with a big wooden arrow sign. Park in the lot near this intersection and follow sections of the trail from there. Another option is to continue 1 km along this narrow, paved road to the parking lot at the entrance to the ‘Gärtel’ nature education area. Bikes and walking only beyond the gate. This area is part of the Waldhaus Loop, point #8 on the map.

• If you follow this trail and enjoy it, please leave a comment – happy to hear from you! ~ Dr. Mike

TRAIL DESCRIPTION

• Time: Biking: ≈ 1 hour / Running ≈ 1:15 – 1:30 hours / Walking ≈ 2 – 3 hours
• Distance: approximately 9 km / 6 miles
• Surface: 2/3 paved, sections of gravel, single-track dirt and grass
• Equipment: Mountain bike or hybrid bike, helmet, water, raingear (this is Baumholder!), camera/phone, the attached map!
• The route can be followed in either direction; the map indicates a clockwise route.
• The Start of the route is at the intersection of Ringstraße and Erzweilerstraße (this is Germany!) and the End is at the Baumholder Bad (lake) near the NETTO grocery and the nearby traffic circle. The Start & End are easily accessed through the Artillery Gate or the Main Gate of USAG Rheinland-Pfalz-Baumholder.

 

Printable PDF of map: Baum.Blick.Bliss.map.10.17.

SEE CORRESPONDING NUMBERS ON THE MAP

1. The Start is on a minor paved road which intersects with the eastern side of the Baumholder Ringstraße. Although there is no street-sign, the street opposite the Start is Erzweilerstraße. The Start is to the left facing the business sign announcing “Auto Westrich”; look for their big lot of tour buses.

   

   2. From the Start, take the one-lane paved road which drops downhill to the left among the trees. Eventually the road levels off; go 2/3 km to the end of the pavement. The first out-and-back road leaves the town far behind. Enjoy the view, then turn around and retrace your route back to the Start intersection.

   

   3. As you near the Start intersection, take the uphill 2-lane paved road to the left. Follow this road gradually uphill. (A short way up this road from the Start is a convenient roadside parking place.) Enjoy the nice view/blick of the valley to the left as you feel the burn during a good, steady climb. Continue gradually uphill on the paved road past a horse farm (on the left) and continue following the paved road (which becomes two parallel strips of pavement with grass in-between) to the end of the pavement.

    

4. The paved road ends at a T-intersection with gates to the left and right. Take a break, then turn around and retrace the road you rode in on gradually downhill to the Horse Farm (which will now be on your right, duh).

5. As you approach the Horse farm, watch for the gravel road leading uphill on your left. Take the gravel road uphill – this gravel section is one of the toughest climbs! – keeping right at the first intersection. Enjoy the view/blick as you top the hill. (Here the route begins to follow the ‘Barenbachpfad’ * signed hiking trail (for most of the remainder of the route.) Take a left when you reach the pavement. Coast downhill to a T-intersection with a paved one-lane road.

6. Turn right on the paved road and travel about 20 ft./7 m, then turn left onto the signed single-track grass-covered trail. Gain some speed and climb the eroded dirt trail up a short – but steep – section. (This is the crux of the route! Can you climb it without walking your bike?) Follow the rough dirt trail around the edge of a field until you reach a paved one-lane road.This short-but-steep section is the crux, the most section of the trail.

7. Turn left onto the paved one-lane road and climb uphill for a stretch, onto a gravel road which levels out and rolls past a meadow with 2 horses usually present.

8. Waldhaus Loop: Follow the road around the horse pasture to where it forms a T-intersection with a paved one-lane road. Turn left and follow the paved road downhill through the woods, over a creek, through a parking lot (for the Gärtel nature education area). Go around a closed gate keep straight on the pavement (no cars past the gate). Follow the paved road another 1.5 km to a picnic house, gazebo and grilling-pit called Waldhaus. Here the road curves left and turns into gravel. Follow this loop back to the paved road, then retrace your route back to point #9. (To shorten the route, consider skipping this loop to Waldhaus; skip to point #9.)

9. This area is a dirt parking lot (just off the highway – L-176 -which heads south from Baumholder to Kusel, note the wooden ‘Gärtel’ sign facing the highway). Cross the parking lot and follow the signed ‘Barenbachpfad’* trail into the woods parallel to and east of the highway on pleasant single-track through a Dr. Seuss forest.

Soon the trail crosses the highway (be careful crossing – high speed traffic!) and then parallels the west side of the road on fun single-track through a mossy gnome-home forest, then…

10. …the trail abruptly bursts out of the forest – a great viewpoint/blick of Baumholder town is revealed. This is a great place for a break, hydration & snack; enjoy the 2-person lounge-chair park bench! The view to the west is quite pleasant at sunset.

11. From the view/blick, the trail descends the hillside meadow beside a zigzag electric fence at the edge of a broad meadow on a trail of grass. (Be sure to notice the variety of wildflowers during spring and summer.) (Very slick when wet!)

12. When the grass trail meets the pavement, turn left and follow the one-lane paved road uphill to a fork, take the gravel road to the right. Climb gradually through the woods and meadows until you reach the first dirt road on the left.

13. Turn left on the dirt road – or just before the road to cut across the grass for fun!

14. Turn left at the next partly-paved one-lane road at the corner of the cow meadow – and kick back & enjoy gravity. Feel the exhilaration of your well-earned coasting cruise to the End !

15. Roll down the road until you see the Barenbachpfad* trailhead turn left toward Baumholder town (near where you started the loop you just rode). This part of the trail passes one of the many seep springs which feed the

16. Baumholder Bad (a spring-fed lake). Lush pasturelands just beyond the edge of town – quintessentially German! Carefully cross the busy Ringstraße and End at the Baumholder Bad.

*Barenbachpfad = Baren: Bear / bach: creek / pfad: path