Die Teufelsrutsch is a densely wooded porphyry

Porphyry (geology)

Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts...

 knoll in Rhenish Hesse, Germany. It is a popular place for excursions with wonderful views over the Wiesbach valley. The name "Devil's Slide" was inspired by a local tale, according to which the residents of Wendelsheim

Wendelsheim

Wendelsheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...

 (a nearby village) once tricked the devil into sliding down the stony slope on his bare bottom. Thereafter he was never seen again.

Nearby, the remains of a Celtic stronghold have been found. About 20 m below the viewing platform is an accessible gallery, called Schinderhannes Cave. This 60 m-deep ancient cinnabar

Cinnabar

Cinnabar or cinnabarite , is the common ore of mercury.-Word origin:The name comes from κινναβαρι , a Greek word most likely applied by Theophrastus to several distinct substances...

 mine was in use from the 14th century until 1790. Ostensibly it was occupied at times by the famous outlaw and thief Johannes Bückler (nicknamed "Schinderhannes

Schinderhannes

Johannes Bückler , nicknamed Schinderhannes, was a German outlaw who orchestrated one of the most fascinating crime sprees in German history. He was born at Miehlen, the son of Johann and Anna Maria Bückler. He began an apprenticeship to a tanner, but turned to petty theft. At 16 he was arrested...

") and his comrades.

In 1885 a cabin ("Schweizerhaus") was erected at the top of Teufelsrutsch in order to accommodate the growing number of tourists.

Teufelsrutsch is also an internationally known deposit of amethyst

Amethyst

Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz often used in jewelry. The name comes from the Ancient Greek ἀ a- and μέθυστος methustos , a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness; the ancient Greeks and Romans wore amethyst and made drinking vessels of it in the belief...

and other minerals.