Rheinsteig - Rhine Gorge Section (Bacharach to St. Goarshausen)

The Rheinsteig's Rhine Gorge stage begins at Bacharach Bahnhof, reachable by regional train (RB/RE) on the Koblenz-Mainz line; the trailhead is signposted a short walk from the station platform, with no permit required and free street parking available near the Oberstrasse for those arriving by car. From Bacharach the path climbs steeply out of the vineyards onto a wooded ridge above the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, covering roughly 25 kilometres to St. Goarshausen with about 700 metres of cumulative ascent spread over repeated ups and downs rather than one sustained climb; the terrain is technically straightforward hiking on packed dirt and root-strewn forest paths, with occasional short rocky steps near the castle ruins, but the constant elevation change and length make it a full-day undertaking best split into two stages with an overnight in Bacharach, Oberwesel, or St. Goar. Much of the route runs beneath beech and oak canopy, offering good shade in summer, though it opens onto exposed vineyard terraces and rock outcrops at the marked viewpoints, where the trail runs close to unfenced drop-offs above the valley. Key landmarks include the ruins of Burg Stahleck above Bacharach, the Oelsberg viewpoint over the river bend, and the approach to the Loreley rock near St. Goarshausen, a natural turn-around point for hikers doing only a half-day out-and-back from Bacharach. Water sources along the ridge are unreliable, so hikers should carry all the water they need from the trailhead; there are no refuge huts on this stretch, though the villages of Oberwesel and St. Goar, both roughly midway, offer cafes, guesthouses, and train stations for bailing out early if needed.