Karlstal Nature Reserve

23 February 2023By Brett

Karlstal Nature Reserve is such a gem and it’s only about 25 minutes south of Kaiserslautern! It’s an area full of trees, stones, trails, and a gorgeous stream and gazebo. It is super accessible and an easy trail to follow the gorge and enjoy the German countryside! Here are a few things to take note of if you’re going to swing by here on your next outing!

Karlstal Links

a wooden gazebo along the karlstal nature reserve with water and trees and rocks around
The gazebo in Karlstal Nature Reserve near Kaiserslautern.
the moosalbe stream about 15 feet wide and about 6 inches deep running through a rocky and forested gorge area in karlstal
The Moosalbe stream moves through the Karlstal Gorge near Trippstadt Germany.
a wooden gazebo with green moss on top and the stream running through the karlstal
The gazebo and Moosalbe stream running through the Karlstal near Kaiserslautern.
the moosalbe stream runs through a built-up area with stone walls containing the stream
The Moosalbe stream runs through a stone-walled area.
the trail running along the stream in karlstal
The trail and stream through the Karlstal Nature Reserve.
A selection of pictures from my Karlstal trek.

Karlstal Area

Karlstal Gorge or Karlstalschlucht in German is a nature area that follows the Moosalba River as it meanders through the Palatinate Forest. The area is full of natural beauty consisting of the stream, the forest, large sandstone boulders, and just general greenery all around! It really is something!

It is a mix of some human-manicured areas such as river containment walls, benches, a cool gazebo, as well as natural areas. The trail is rated as easy but access to the gorge will require steps and bouldering to get into the valley area. You could start in the northern portion which is at a lower elevation but you would then have to hike up the elevation if you have accessibility issues or don’t want to deal with some steep stone steps in the higher areas to the south. Be aware, the trail is still a wild area even if it’s a gentle trek because there are still tree trunks, holes, and uneven ground to navigate.

Finally, there are several different parking areas. The main area for parking is to the north where the old mill and restaurant are. There’s a large lot in that area that allows you to easily get on the trail and head south or north. There are several small parking areas along the entire length of the nature area and the stream. I parked here. It’s called Oberhammer and it can only accommodate maybe 10 vehicles. I’d think on busy weekends these places will fill up fast!

How far is Karlstal from Kaiserslautern?

The nature reserve is about 25 minutes south of Kaiserslautern near
Trippstadt Germany.

How long is the trail through the Karlstal gorge?

It’s approximately 4 kilometers through the gorge and there are several other trails that start in this area for longer treks.

The Ritterstones

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