Rheinsteig

Rheinsteig
View of the river Rhine
Length	320 km (199 mi)
Location	Rhineland-Palatinate/Hesse/North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Trailheads	Bonn,[coord 1] Wiesbaden[coord 2]
Use	Hiking
Elevation
Elevation change	9,500 m (31,200 ft)
Highest point	Lykershausen, 351 m (1,152 ft)
Lowest point	Kennedy Bridge, Bonn, 60 m (200 ft)
Hiking details
Trail difficulty	Easy
Season	All year
Sights	Numerous castles along the Rhine Gorge and Siebengebirge. Vineyards of Rheingau. Woodland in Naturpark Rhein-Taunus.
Hazards	Cyclists
Website	www.rheinsteig.de

The Rheinsteig is a hiking trail following a mainly elevated path along the east bank of the Rhine River in Germany. Its 320 kilometres (200 mi) route stretches from Bonn to Wiesbaden, running parallel to the Rheinhöhenweg Trail and Rheinburgenweg Trail.

Description

Rheinsteig trail marker

The Rheinsteig passes through woodlands and vineyards offering spectacular views of castles, challenging ascents and descents. Generally very well signposted with an 'R' on a blue background. The Rheinsteig allows either ambitious long-distance hiking or a rich variety of short tours.

Route and sights of interest

• Wiesbaden-Biebrich, Schloss Biebrich,^{[coord 3]} Wiesbaden-Schierstein, Goethestein, Burg Frauenstein,^{[coord 4]} Wiesbaden-Frauenstein
• Schlangenbad,^{[coord 5]} Burg Scharfenstein, Kiedrich,
• Eberbach Abbey (Kloster Eberbach),^{[coord 6]} Steinberg, Schloss Vollrads
• Johannisberg (Geisenheim), Schloss Johannisberg,
• Marienthal Monastery, Eibingen Abbey,
• Rüdesheim am Rhein, Niederwalddenkmal,^{[coord 7]} Assmannshausen
• Lorch, Ruine Nollig, Burg Gutenfels^{[coord 8]}
• Kaub, Dörscheid, Lorelei
• Sankt Goarshausen, Nochern, Burg Maus
• Kestert, Lykershausen, Burg Liebenstein, Burg Sterrenberg,^{[coord 9]} Filsen
• Osterspai,^{[coord 10]} Marksburg
• Braubach
• Lahnstein, Oberlahnstein, Niederlahnstein, Lahneck Castle^{[coord 11]}
• Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein, Festung Ehrenbreitstein^{[coord 12]}
• Vallendar
• Sayn
• Rengsdorf
• Leutesdorf
• Rheinbrohl
• Leubsdorf, Linz am Rhein
• Unkel^{[coord 13]}
• Bad Honnef, Drachenfels (Siebengebirge)
• Königswinter
• Niederdollendorf
• Kennedybrücke,^{[coord 14]} Bonn

Literature and maps

After an arduous ascent to the ruins of Burg Hammerstein a hiker hung his drenched clothes to dry on one of the many signposts

Opened on September 8, 2005, you can find many maps and books giving information about where to join and leave the track, should you want to do just a short section. For a list of titles please see the German version of this page.

For map of places along the route see Category:Rheinsteig.

Coordinate list
50°44′07″N 7°06′07″E / 50.73531°N 7.101930°E Bonn (Northern end) 50°02′14″N 8°14′03″E / 50.037250520°N 8.234180450°E Wiesbaden (Southern end) 50°02′15″N 8°14′03″E / 50.0375°N 8.234167°E Schloss Biebrich 50°03′55″N 8°09′16″E / 50.065139°N 8.154583°E Burg Frauenstein 50°05′39″N 8°06′12″E / 50.094167°N 8.103333°E Schlangenbad 50°02′33″N 8°02′48″E / 50.0425°N 8.046667°E Eberbach Abbey 49°58′51″N 7°53′59″E / 49.980833°N 7.899722°E Niederwalddenkmal 50°05′16″N 7°45′56″E / 50.087806°N 7.765611°E Burg Gutenfels 50°12′48″N 7°37′59″E / 50.213417°N 7.633139°E Burg Sterrenberg 50°14′44″N 7°36′58″E / 50.245556°N 7.616111°E Osterspai 50°18′23″N 7°36′45″E / 50.306389°N 7.6125°E Lahneck Castle 50°21′54″N 7°36′55″E / 50.365°N 7.615278°E Ehrenbreitstein Fortress 50°36′03″N 7°12′54″E / 50.600833°N 7.215°E Unkel 50°44′17″N 7°06′37″E / 50.738167°N 7.110333°E Kennedy Bridge

Photo gallery

• Rheinsteig
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  Arenfels castle
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  Honigberg near Kiedrich
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  Eberbach Abbey
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  The Rheinsteig in winter, Roßstein between Kaub and St. Goarshausen, view of Oberwesel
• 
  Goethestein, Wiesbaden-Frauenstein

References

Route map: Bing / Google

External links

• www.rheinsteig.de Official website
• The Rhine Trail - Rheinsteig
• loreley-info
• GPS track and tour guide