Stegskopf, Summit in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Stegskopf is a mountain in the Westerwald range reaching about 654 meters, making it the second highest peak in this chain. Dense pine forests cover the slopes and create a closed, natural character across the terrain.
From 1914 to 2015, the northern area served as a military training ground, first hosting radar units and later the German Armed Forces. After World War Two, this zone remained in military use for decades before finally being released to civilian access.
The quarries scattered across the area once supplied stone for local construction and industry. These abandoned pits are now part of the landscape that people explore when walking through the region.
Several hiking trails connect the summit to the nearby village of Emmerzhausen, offering different starting points and routes. Paths are accessible year-round and suit walks during most seasons without special requirements.
The mountain formed from extinct volcanic activity, and the underlying geology still shows signs of this ancient origin. Dense forests now conceal this volcanic past from casual view, yet the ground beneath reveals what the landscape once was.
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