因主峰二巨石(shi)并舉,遠望狀如馬耳(er),故名。山勢(shi)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)東(dong)西(xi)(xi)走向,由片(pian)麻(ma)巖(yan)(yan)、花崗巖(yan)(yan)構成。五老峰、松朵(duo)峰、鴿崖峰等(deng)奇峰高峙競秀,山間嵐氣靄靄,泉水淙淙。山坡林木(mu)覆蓋(gai),荊榛遍生(sheng)。山石(shi)嶙峋,山勢(shi)陡峭,但有(you)(you)曲徑通(tong)幽。這(zhe)兒(er)有(you)(you)仙(xian)人洞(dong)、龍(long)(long)(long)(long)王(wang)泉、隱龍(long)(long)(long)(long)寺(si)、石(shi)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)寺(si)、齊(qi)長城(cheng)(cheng)和橋上莊(zhuang)等(deng)勝(sheng)跡。據唐代文學蕭穎士《馬耳(er)山記(ji)(ji)》記(ji)(ji)載,仙(xian)人洞(dong)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)東(dong)晉人葛洪曾(ceng)隱居煉丹(dan)之(zhi)地。隱龍(long)(long)(long)(long)寺(si)、石(shi)龍(long)(long)(long)(long)寺(si)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)北魏正光時所建,至清末仍完好,今已廢圯,公(gong)存遺址。山脊(ji)處(chu)有(you)(you)橫亙(gen)綿延的齊(qi)長城(cheng)(cheng)。據酈道元《水經注》記(ji)(ji)載:“山上有(you)(you)長城(cheng)(cheng),西(xi)(xi)接岱山,東(dong)連瑯琊巨海,千里(li)余里(li),蓋(gai)田氏(shi)所造也。”《竹書(shu)紀(ji)年》記(ji)(ji)載:“齊(qi)長城(cheng)(cheng)”為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)周顯王(wang)十(shi)八年(公(gong)元前351年)筑建,至今已有(you)(you)2349年的歷(li)史。今有(you)(you)些地段,殘址凸(tu)出地面1米左右,寬10米左右,基礎(chu)多以塊石(shi)壘砌。其上以沙土(tu)夯筑。每遇溝壑以巨石(shi)填筑。曲折蜿蜒,高低綿亙(gen),十(shi)分(fen)壯觀(guan)。“齊(qi)長城(cheng)(cheng)”經歷(li)的諸城(cheng)(cheng)段,西(xi)(xi)自郝戈(ge)莊(zhuang)的馬耳(er)山,東(dong)延至皇華(hua)鎮(zhen)的龍(long)(long)(long)(long)灣頭,再延至石(shi)門鄉的馬山后,桃園鄉的臺(tai)家(jia)溝南(nan)嶺(ling),然后入膠(jiao)南(nan)市境,全長30多公(gong)里(li)。打開乾隆《諸城(cheng)(cheng)縣志·總圖》可(ke)見,馬耳(er)山與喜(xi)鵲嶺(ling)之(zhi)間為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)“黃草關(guan)”。這(zhe)是“齊(qi)長城(cheng)(cheng)”一(yi)道險(xian)峻(jun)的關(guan)隘(ai)。
馬(ma)耳山(shan)位(wei)于(yu)諸(zhu)城城南(nan)50里與五蓮縣交界處,海拔706.6米,占(zhan)地40平方公里,為魯(lu)東(dong)南(nan)第一高(gao)山(shan),因(yin)主峰雙(shuang)石并(bing)舉、狀如馬(ma)耳得名(ming),自古(gu)為山(shan)東(dong)名(ming)山(shan)。據清乾(qian)隆《諸(zhu)城縣志(zhi)·山(shan)川(chuan)考(kao)》載:“縣境山(shan)以(yi)(yi)百(bai)計(ji),而(er)馬(ma)耳居岡(gang)脈之(zhi)(zhi)脊,南(nan)北(bei)諸(zhu)山(shan)脈絡之(zhi)(zhi)不屬焉者無幾也,以(yi)(yi)是(shi)標準之(zhi)(zhi)可晰(xi)矣(yi)。水以(yi)(yi)數十計(ji),自馬(ma)耳山(shan)以(yi)(yi)南(nan)皆南(nan)流(liu)以(yi)(yi)達(da)于(yu)海,馬(ma)耳以(yi)(yi)北(bei)皆北(bei)流(liu)入濰,以(yi)(yi)是(shi)界劃之(zhi)(zhi)可晰(xi)矣(yi)。”
馬(ma)耳(er)山(shan)(shan)屬泰沂山(shan)(shan)脈,南(nan)靠(kao)五(wu)蓮山(shan)(shan)、九仙山(shan)(shan)、北(bei)與常(chang)山(shan)(shan)遙(yao)相互,它們同出一(yi)(yi)脈,相接(jie)相連,相得益彰。山(shan)(shan)中奇石(shi)突兀,峭壁嶙(lin)峋,山(shan)(shan)勢陡峭而(er)險峻,自古為諸(zhu)城南(nan)境之屏(ping)障。聳(song)于馬(ma)耳(er)山(shan)(shan)巔者為馬(ma)耳(er)峰(feng),西有五(wu)老峰(feng)、大米山(shan)(shan)、小米山(shan)(shan)、佛(fo)頂山(shan)(shan)、大珠山(shan)(shan)、小珠山(shan)(shan),東有松(song)(song)朵(duo)峰(feng)、鵓(bo)鴿崖(ya),其(qi)南(nan)還有羊(yang)鼻峰(feng)、馬(ma)鞍口(kou)(kou)(即風(feng)磨(mo)口(kou)(kou))、石(shi)人(ren)山(shan)(shan)、黃朵(duo)山(shan)(shan)、黑(hei)峰(feng)尖(jian)等(deng)。山(shan)(shan)北(bei)麓有永隆寺(si)(si)(si)(俗稱影龍(long)寺(si)(si)(si)、隱龍(long)寺(si)(si)(si))、石(shi)龍(long)寺(si)(si)(si)等(deng)古剎(cha)。山(shan)(shan)中還有一(yi)(yi)線天、鬼見愁、試(shi)劍石(shi)、鱷魚石(shi)、鷹居崖(ya)、菩薩頂、望海樓、滴水(shui)洞、凌云(yun)峰(feng)、黑(hei)龍(long)潭、情人(ren)松(song)(song)、天外來客、太公祠、太公坊、太公亭等(deng)諸(zhu)多(duo)景點(dian)。2004年(nian)被確定為省級森林公園(yuan)。