Water sports enthusiasts get their money's worth at the Meerfelder Maar: in addition to fishing, it is also possible to swim in the designated zones on the north bank and cool off in the refreshing water after a tour. The bathing season in the Meerfelder Maar open-air natural pool runs from May to September.

The Maar cauldron was formed by an explosion around 80,000 years ago. The power of volcanic activity caused the slopes of the Maarkessel to break into clods. However, this uniqueness is hardly visible to the naked eye. Visible evidence are the impressive olivine bombs - roundish blocks of rock made of the mineral olivine ejected during the eruption of the Meerfeld volcano.

In the south, the pretty village of Meerfeld nestles against the steep slopes. Here the Meerbach, which runs through the area, washed in loose material ejected during the eruption. Thus the water was forced into the northern part, and the 18-metre-deep maar was born. But it was not only natural circumstances that contributed to the reduction of the Maarsee: In the 19th century, parts of the Maar basin were also artificially drained to create additional agricultural land. Today's lake, which lies at an altitude of 335 metres above sea level, has a water surface of 24.8 hectares and is about 18 metres deep.

Visitors can discover this and other unique evidence of the region's volcanism on one of the numerous tours through the protected area. The diverse flora and fauna of the maar, which enchants with rare wading bird species, wet meadows and sedge meadows, can also be observed. A wide reed zone has formed in the south, providing a home for all kinds of animals.

Parking:
In addition to some parking facilities in the village of Meerfeld, there is also a designated car park on the south-eastern bank, which can be reached via the K10.