Kleiner Falkenstein (1,190 m a.s.l.) is a rugged rocky ridge tucked inside the Bavarian Forest National Park, sitting just below its taller neighbour, the Großer Falkenstein. It rewards visitors with sweeping views and a genuine sense of wild, protected nature.

From the rocky summit you can enjoy fine views of the Großer Arber, the Osser, the Zwiesler Winkel valley, and across the border into Bohemia. The surroundings are densely forested and unspoilt — the Bavarian Forest has its own charm in every season: fresh greenery in spring, cool shade in summer, vivid colours in autumn, and snowy silence in winter. The atmosphere is calm and authentically alpine, well away from the crowds.

• Zwieslerwaldhaus (starting point) — trail via the Steinbachfälle waterfalls towards Großer Falkenstein; Kleiner Falkenstein lies directly along this route — difficulty: moderate

• The peak lies within the Bavarian Forest National Park — stay on marked trails at all times.
• The rock faces below the summit (Falkenwand, Ameisenwand, Einsiedlertürme, and Richterwand) are closed to climbers for nature conservation reasons. The only exception is for active members of the Bergwacht Zwiesel mountain rescue team, for training purposes.
• Peregrine falcons nest in the cliff faces beneath the summit — bring binoculars for a chance to spot them.

Once upon a time the rocky ridges around Kleiner Falkenstein were among the most important climbing areas in the entire Bavarian Forest — today they belong to the peregrines.