geierlay suspension bridge

The Ultimate Guide To Visiting The Geierlay Suspension Bridge

The geierlay suspension bridge is one of the coolest things to do in the Rheinland Pfalz area. It is totally unexpected but when you do visit, you will be totally wowed!

Located in Germany’s Rheinland Pfalz province famous for its Reislings and other wines, there exists a completely unexpected but quite amazing sight. The Geierlay Suspension bridge spans the valley between Sosberg and Morsdor and is the second largest suspension bridge in Germany.

Geierlay suspension bridge rheinland pfalz Germany

This bridge is inspired by the suspension bridges as you also find them in Nepal for example. This bridge was opened in 2015 and connects the villages of Mörsdorf and Sosberg. It is also on one of the most beautiful hiking trails in Germany: Saar-Hunsrück-Steig. The suspension bridge has a length of 360 meters and is thus one of the longest suspension bridges in all of Europe and is 100 meters above the valley where a stream flows.

Geierlay Suspension Bridge facts


Geierlay Suspension bridge germany

Name: “Geierlay“ Suspension Bridge
LocationIn the center of the Hunsrück– spans the valley between the municipalities of Sosberg and Mörsdorf
Length
360 Meters
Height: 100 Meters

It’s located near the village Mörsdorf and there’s a visitor center where you can get a map with hiking trails and other information. There is also a large parking area where your car can be parked.
● From the village the bridge can only be reached on foot or by bike. The distance is about 1.8 kilometers on a paved country road.
● The bridge can be walked free of charge and is open 24 hours a day.
● You can combine a visit to the Geierlay suspension bridge with a 6.2 kilometer walk and you can pick up the route at the visitor center.
● Since the opening of the Geierley in 2015, more than 300,000 people have visited the suspension bridge. It can be busy, especially in the weekends. Avoid crowds and make sure you are on time in the morning or late in the afternoon.
● There are no toilets or shops at the bridge or on the route to the bridge and therefore it is wise to bring something to eat and drink.
● Combine your visit to the suspension bridge with a visit to the magical Burg Eltz

History of the Bridge

Geierlay suspension bridge rheinland pfalz Germany

Located in the Hunsrück and about half an hour by car from Boppard lies, next to the town of Mörsdorf, this spectacular attraction. Realized by local people with a clear vision in just a few years, the suspension bridge Geierlay is a prime example of the effort to make the native region even more pleasing for locals and travelers. A trip to the suspension bridge Geierlay should be a part of your program.

Directly under the bridge the Saar-Hunsrück-Steig passes. With a small detour via the attached shuttle you can quickly reach the Geierlay and enter the unique pleasure of a bridge crossing. The Geierlay is also surrounded by several circular routes which are between 3km and 6km long. The terrain is ideal for a Sunday walk! From the visitor center in Mörsdorf you can reach both the bridge and all trails comfortable.

The bridge opened in 2015 and has attracted tourists from all over the world. I can see why as it is quite beautiful especially in the fall months!

Getting to the bridge


The easiest way to access this bridge is by car. Most people drive into the town and park their cars in the parking lots allotted for tourists. They are a bunch of them all around town but park at the main parking lot in the middle of town. The price is €2 per hour. Alternatively, there are parking lots further out of the town that can be had for free but then you’ll need to walk another km!

morsdorf information center
Morsdorf information center and parking lot
morsdorf parking lot
Geierlay Suspension bridge germany

The closest major city is Frankfurt, which is worth a visit in and of itself. I live here after all and think it is a fantastic place to live and work! From Frankfurt, take the A60 and A61 to Morsdorf. It is roughly 1.5 hours by car.

Geierlay Suspension bridge germany

Once you’ve parked the car, you’ll need to walk about 1.5km to the bridge from a trail that walks through the farms. You can’t really get lost as there are signs everywhere and you can’t miss all the other tourists walking towards the bridge.

The town of Morsdorf has many restaurants and bars that are open all year round (although more so in the summer months).

Geierlay Suspension bridge germany
Morsdorf town
Geierlay Suspension bridge germany

Walking across the bridge


Geierlay Suspension bridge germany

Once you finally get there, you can cross it whenever you choose. It’s a bit scary when you first walk on it. The bridge sways even with a few people on it but I suspect this is entirely accounted for in the engineering.

Geierlay Suspension bridge germany
Geierlay Suspension bridge germany

The bridge is built over a valley so as you walk, you can see the distance between the bridge and the ground increasing which can be intense if you’re scared of heights. Nevertheless, the views are fantastic because you can see the surrounding forests and river!

Geierlay Suspension bridge germany

 

How to avoid the crowds


Geierlay can be visited at any of time of the year and any time of the day. However, the best ways to get photos are to visit in the early morning or right around sunset when a lot of the day trippers have left.

If you have the time, stay the night in Morsdorf which is a cute little German village town. Coming here early in the morning will ensure you get magical photos of the bridge and surrounding scenery with no one in it!

 

Combine the bridge with nearby sights


The Geierlay suspension bridge is also located next to some other amazing sights. About 30 minutes away, you can visit the impossibly picturesque town of Cochem. If you want a town that just screams Germany with ultra cute buildings and mesmerizing landscape of vineyards, this is the place.

Burg Eltz in the winter
Burg Eltz in the winter

Nearby to that, you can also visit the Burg Eltz castle which is one of my favorite castles in the world. Alternatively, you can always just drive to wineries all around the Rhineland Pfalz as well!

Cochem castle germany rhine mosel region
The only reason to get a car is if you regularly plan on taking road trips out of the city to beautiful places like Cochem in this picture. But then again, the trains in Germany are fantastic.

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