Directly in front of the Jägerhaus lodge, this tour begins gently downhill into the Morgenbach valley towards the nearby entrance to the ghostly Steckeschlääferklamm. A narrow path now leads partly over wooden bridges and partly along the stream uphill through this enchanted forest gorge. Wherever you look, carved tree spirits and grimaces watch you step by step. At the end of the gorge, after crossing K 29, wide forest paths lead up to the edge of the forest near the Waldalgesheim weekend settlement. The path continues along the edge of the forest with scenic views until it turns back into the woods after crossing the road again. A little later, the next highlight of the tree spirits tour, the "Villa Rustica," is reached. In the expansive area, archaeologists are restoring parts of a Roman estate from the 1st century AD. Information boards spark curiosity, and a resting place invites a pause in hiking.
Afterwards, you soon reach the next attraction on a wide, gently sloping forest path: the suspension bridge over the Kreuzbach. Not only children have fun here; the swinging can definitely give you butterflies in your stomach. Now follows a varied passage through a forestry botanical garden, and passing the Heiligkreuz lodge (a popular restaurant with a large outdoor terrace), the tree spirits tour slowly but surely approaches the Rhine. Soon, a short detour to the summit of Damiankopf is worthwhile to enjoy the first view of the Rhine Valley. Excitingly, the path continues downstream parallel to the Rhine through the deeply incised forest. Finally, at the Schweizer Haus - a former princely hunting lodge of Burg Rheinstein - the next premium view is reached.
The following section down the Eselspfad into the Morgenbachtal is pure hiking bliss, and the small detour to the magnificent Burg Rheinstein along with a visit to the tavern Kleiner Weinprinz is an absolute must. Back on the way into the Morgenbachtal, a short up and down soon leads to a rocky outcrop that reveals the view of the next castle: Burg Reichenstein in Trechtingshausen. Through the entire Morgenbachtal, you return to the Jägerhaus lodge, the starting point, where a visit to the rustic restaurant is truly worthwhile now.