Black Forest crossing from Freiburg to Lake Constance

Black Forest crossing from Freiburg to Lake Constance
Hohenhewen mountain in Hegau
Data
length	180 km
location	Germany, Baden-Wuerttemberg , Black Forest
Supervised by	Black Forest Association
Markers	White-red vertically divided diamond on a yellow background
Starting point	Freiburg i. Br. 48 ° 0 ′ 0 ″  N , 7 ° 51 ′ 0 ″  E
Target point	Constance 47 ° 39 ′ 48 ″  N , 9 ° 10 ′ 31 ″  E
Type	Long-distance hiking trail
Height difference	947 m
The highest point	Hochfirst ( 1197  m )
Lowest point	Freiburg ( 250  m )
Level of difficulty	easy, but in places medium to difficult in the Wutach Gorge
season	Spring to autumn
Viewpoints	Hochfirst , Buchberg, Napoleonseck, Hohenhewen , Hegaukreuz
particularities	Completely crosses the Wutach Gorge

 Map with all coordinates: OSM | WikiMap

The Schwarzwald-Querweg Freiburg – Bodensee is a west-east multi-day hiking route through the Black Forest from Freiburg to Constance . The 180-kilometer hiking trail was laid out in 1934 and has been maintained and looked after by the Black Forest Association ever since . From Hochfirst to Lake Constance , the route follows the same route as the European long-distance hiking trail E1 ; between Kappel and Achdorf through the Wutach Gorge and thus largely on the same route as the Schluchtensteig .

Brief description

The Freiburg – Lake Constance crossing leads from Freiburg in a steep ascent to the rocky pulpits on the right of the Höllental . From Hinterzarten , the path then runs past the Titisee over the Hochfirst down to the Wutach Gorge , which is hiked through in its entire length. From Achdorf with the historically interesting Wutach diversion, the path climbs via Blumberg to Buchberg. Then it goes on the old post route to Engen with great views . Over the volcanic cones of Hegauberge is singing reached. The cross-path leads through the wooded Bodanrück down to Konstanz on Lake Constance .

Day tours / stages

First stage: Freiburg - Hinterzarten

Overview

• Distance: 33 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 9 hours
• Ascent: 1,140 m

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea  level )	Further information
Freiburg	00,0	250
Webs	12.0	340
Upper birches	01.0	345
Buchenbach	05.0	447
Nettle laughter	05.0	950
Middle Ravenna Gorge	08.0	880
Hinterzarten	02.0	893

Directions

From the main train station in Freiburg the route leads through the city center to the Schwabentor . After the Schwabentorsteg, the hike goes in serpentines together with the Kandelhöhenweg up to Kanonenplatz and on to Silberbrünnele. The Kandelhöhenweg branches off at Siebenlinden, while the cross path continues to the pilgrimage church of St. Ottilien and the St. Wendelinskapelle. The route then leads downhill into the Welchental, through the Dreisamtal to Stegen and on via Oberbirken to Buchenbach . Then it goes steeply uphill over the Pfaffeneck and Nessellachen to the refuge at the Posthaldenfelsen. The hike then continues to the Piquet rock and from there down to the Upper Ravennaschlucht. After crossing the federal highway 31 , the path leads along the railway line to Hinterzarten.

Second stage: Hinterzarten - Schattenmühle

Overview

• Distance: 28 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 7.5 hours

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Hinterzarten	0,0	0.893
Titisee	7.0	0.823	Crossing with the Westweg
Saig	2.0	0.990
Hochfirst	1.5	1,197	Crossing with the Mittelweg lookout point
Chapel	6.5	0.889
Former Kappel-Grünwald train station	1.0	0.807	Crossing with the Schluchtensteig. Former station of the Haslachtalbahn, which was closed in 1976
Haslach estuary	3.0	0.720	Confluence of the Haslach and Gutach rivers to the Wutach
Rötenbach estuary	1.5	0.715
Stallegg river power station	1.0	0.702
Robber's Castle	2.0	0.720
Shadow mill	2.5	0.659	Inn

Directions

View of the Titisee from the Hochfirst

From Hinterzarten the cross path leads to the Keßlerhöhe and then downhill past the Sankt Florian fire brigade hotel to the campsites on Lake Titisee. On the riverside path it goes along the lake to the Hotel Seehof. After crossing under the Höllentalbahn and the federal road 317 , it goes steeply uphill to Saig and on to the Hochfirst. From there the path leads together with the Mittelweg on an old border path with boundary stones, which are marked on one side with "N" for Neustadt and on the other side with "S" for Saig. After the Mittelweg has separated from the Querweg, the hike leads past the Hierabrunnen and the Kappeler Höhe to Kappel , which can be reached via the Erlenbachweg. Kappel is left via Brändestrasse. The path then bends to the right and leads downhill along Grünwalder Straße. After about 400 meters at the former Kappel-Grünwald train station on the Kappel Gutachbrücke – Bonndorf railway line, which was closed in 1976 , the cross- path meets the Schluchtensteig. Past the Höllochfelsen and Rechenfelsen the path leads into the Haslach Gorge to the confluence of the Haslach and Gutach rivers. From this point on the river is called Wutach ; the Wutach Gorge begins. On the left bank of the Wutach, you pass the mouth of the Rötenbach , the Stallegg river power station , and the Stallegg bridge to the Räuberschlössle. The Räuberschlössle is a rock above the Wutach, on which Neu-Blumberg Castle was located in the 14th century . From there it's another 2.5 kilometers over the Baar and back down to the Wutach near the shadow mill.

Third stage: Schattenmühle - Blumberg

Overview

• Distance: 21 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 6 hours

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Shadow mill	0,0	659	Inn
Dietfurt Bridge	3.0	634
Former spa hotel Bad Boll	1.0	623
Schurhammerhütte	3.0	610
Gauchach estuary	5.0	580
Wutachmühle	1.0	570
Aselfingen	1.5	540	Crossing with the Schluchtensteig
Achdorf	3.5	546	Part of Blumberg junction with the Ostweg junction with the Schluchtensteig
Blumberg	3.0	704

Directions

Waterfall in the Wutach Gorge

From the Schattenmühle the hike goes along the left edge of the valley, partly on the banks of the Wutach, but partly with steep ascents and descents along the slope. The Wutach is crossed over the Dietfurt Bridge. After the Schurhammerhütte the Wutach infiltration is passed and soon afterwards the Wutach is crossed over the Rümmelesteg. After the Wutach re-emerges, the Gauchach estuary follows, and about a kilometer after that, the Wutachmühle. Today the Wutachmühle is just a sawmill. The former inn is not managed; However, there is a kiosk at the forest car park. Behind the Wutachmühle, it goes about 200 meters along the road 171 before the hiking trail branches off to the left and leads back into the Wutach Valley. The valley is now getting wider. Shortly before Aselfingen at the Wutach bridge, the cross path and the Schluchtensteig separate . The cross path runs to the right of the Wutach before both paths cross again in Achdorf. From Achdorf the route follows the same route as the Ostweg and then branches off to Blumberg.

Fourth stage: Blumberg - Engen

Overview

• Distance: 29 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 7 hours

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Blumberg	00,0	704	Crossing with the Schluchtensteig
Buchberg	03.0	880
Ottilienhöhe	01.0	800
Beets	05.0	832	District of Blumberg
Riedöschingen	05.0	714	District of Blumberg
Narrow	15.0	531

Directions

View of the Alps from Napoleon's Corner

Blumberg is left via Friedhofstrasse, Buchbergstrasse and Pommernweg. Then it goes on the same route as the Schluchtensteig partly steeply uphill to the Buchberg. About one kilometer after the summit at Ottilienhöhe, the cross-path separates from the Schluchtensteig. The path leads past the Wutach Valley Railway , which was closed in 1976 . This railway line, also known as the "Sauschwänzlebahn", is still operated today as a museum railway. The hike continues to Randen. After the path crosses Bundesstraße 27 , it continues to the Blauer Stein, a volcanic basalt rock typical of Hegau , and then to Riedöschingen. The hike then goes partly through the forest and partly in the open field over the Napoleonseck to Engen.

Fifth stage: Engen - Singen

Overview

• Distance: 26 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 6.5 hours

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Narrow	0,0	531
Welschingen	7.0	481	District of Engen
Go on	3.0	568	District of Hilzingen
Hohenstoffeln hut	2.0	740
Hole mill	2.0	530
Mägdeberg	4.0	654	Castle ruins
Hohentwiel	3.5	696
To sing	4.5	429

Directions

The hike leads from Engen through Anselfingen and then steeply uphill to the Hohenhewen . It then goes steeply downhill over meadow slopes to Welschingen. In the open field, the route then leads past Weiterdingen to the summit of Hohenstoffeln. Further stops are the Lochmühle and the Mägdeberg ruins, before the path leads past the Hohenkrähen and over the Hohentwiel to Singen.

Sixth stage: Singen - Langenrain

• Distance: 24 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 6 hours

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
To sing	00	429
Langenrain	24	534	District of Allensbach

Seventh stage: Langenrain - Konstanz

• Distance: 18 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 4.5 hours

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Langenrain	00	534	District of Allensbach
Constancy	18th	404

Web links

Commons : Schwarzwald-Querweg Freiburg – Bodensee  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Black Forest hiking service : Web application of the Black Forest Association to visualize the Black Forest hiking trails in Google Maps with various overlays (route network, signposts, accommodations, ...)
• Black Forest hiking service : detailed stage descriptions