Steinernes Meer, Karst plateau and alpine group between Bavaria, Germany and Salzburg, Austria.
Steinernes Meer is a limestone plateau spanning the border region between Bavaria and Salzburg, covered mostly by exposed rock. The surface displays countless fissures and hollows where water has worked through the stone over millennia.
The plateau formed through geological processes spanning millions of years as water and weather shaped the limestone. Glacial periods left their mark on the landscape, creating the fractured terrain visible today.
The name 'Stone Sea' reflects how the bare limestone formations resemble frozen waves across the plateau. Visitors notice this distinctive rocky landscape while hiking and understand why locals chose such a poetic name.
Hikers find several mountain shelters across the plateau where they can rest and get food. The trails are partly rough terrain and require sturdy boots plus caution on the uneven stone surfaces.
The area contains more than 800 documented caves where water has hollowed out passages through the limestone over millennia. These underground spaces reveal how continuously the landscape is being reshaped.
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