Kalmit Summit and Felsenmeer Loop, Palatinate Forest

The Kalmit summit loop starts near the Kalmithaus at Maikammer, reachable by bus from Neustadt an der Weinstrasse followed by a signed ascent, with only limited parking directly at the trailhead; no permit is required. The round trip covers 8-12 kilometres depending on the starting point, climbing through beech and pine forest to the 672-metre summit of the Kalmit, the highest peak in the Palatinate Forest, with the ascent gradual rather than sharply pitched. Partway up, the trail crosses the Felsenmeer (Sea of Rocks), a boulder-strewn natural monument where the path picks a route between large sandstone blocks, requiring careful footing but no real scrambling; elsewhere the surface is packed forest dirt, well shaded for most of the climb until the final approach opens onto the exposed, rocky summit plateau. The summit itself, with its lookout tower and panorama reaching over the Upper Rhine Plain toward the Black Forest and Odenwald on clear days, is the highlight and natural turn-around point. There is a staffed hut, the Kalmithaus, directly at the summit offering food, drinks, and toilets, making this one of the better-supported peaks in the Palatinate Forest; below the summit there are no further water sources, so hikers should carry enough for the ascent. Descending via a different forest track than the ascent gives variety without adding significant distance.