Schluchtensteig

Schluchtensteig
The Schluchtensteig in the Wehratal
Data
length	approx. 119 km
location	Germany, Baden-Wuerttemberg , Southern Black Forest
Supervised by	Black Forest Association
Markers	Stylized river course with mountains and valleys
Starting point	Stühlingen 47 ° 44 ′ 48.8 ″  N , 8 ° 27 ′ 4.8 ″  E
Target point	Weir (Baden) 47 ° 37 ′ 27.6 ″  N , 7 ° 54 ′ 13.7 ″  E
Type	Long-distance hiking trail
The highest point	Krummenkreuz ( 1148  m )
Lowest point	Weir ( 350  m )
Level of difficulty	medium – difficult
season	summer
Months	May – October
Viewpoints	Lehenkopf lookout tower
particularities	Wutachschlucht predicate hiking trail

 Map with all coordinates: OSM | WikiMap

The Schluchtensteig is a long-distance hiking trail through the southern Black Forest from Stühlingen to Wehr . The 119-kilometer route is divided into six daily stages. The best time for hiking is from May to October; with the first snowfall, it is no longer recommended, especially in the steep sections of the gorge.

The Schluchtensteig is continuously marked with the Schluchtensteig diamond of the Black Forest Association , which is then also attached to the sections between the crossroads. The Schluchtensteig fulfills the criteria of the "Quality Trail Wanderable Germany" rating of the Association of German Mountain and Hiking Clubs . Over 50 percent of the route runs on natural paths, only 16.4 percent of the route is paved. The hiking signs are provided by the local groups of the Black Forest Association.

history

The Schluchtensteig was created as a cooperation project in which all communities along the hiking route, the Black Forest Association, the supporting association of the Southern Black Forest Nature Park , the Waldshut district and the Schwarzwald Tourismus GmbH were involved. The hiking route was planned in 2006 and laid out and signposted in 2007; In 2008 the Schluchtensteig started its first season with an official inauguration on June 5th. The path has been part of the Top Trails of Germany marketing cooperation since 2012 . The re-certification as a predicate hiking trail, which is necessary every three years, was last carried out in 2017.

Brief description

With a length of 119 km, the Schluchtensteig runs from Stühlingen through the Wutach Gorge and via Lenzkirch to the Schluchsee . It passes the Cathedral of St. Blasien , crosses the hilly plateaus of Dachsberg and Ibach and finally winds from Todtmoos through the Wehratal towards the destination in Wehr .

The following are particularly worth seeing along the route:

• the nature reserve Wutachschlucht , which was designated as such in 1939,
• the Stallegg river power plant as Baden's oldest power plant,
• the Schluchsee , the largest lake in the Black Forest,
• the cathedral St. Blasien ,
• the high valley and the raised bogs near Ibach .

Day tours / stages

First stage: Stühlingen - Blumberg

Overview

• Distance: 19 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 5.5 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea  level )	Further information
Stuehlingen	0,0	456	Crossing with the Ostweg Pforzheim – Schaffhausen
Wheat valley station	4.0	471	Station of the disused Wutachtalbahn, known as the Sauschwänzlebahn , crossing with the Ostweg
Gasthaus Wutachschlucht	4.0	501	Lausheim-Blumegg stop of the disused Wutachtalbahn (Sauschwänzlebahn)
Wutachfluchten lookout point	4.0	621
Ottilienhöhe	3.0	800	Crossing with the crossroad Freiburg – Bodensee
Buchberg	1.0	880
Blumberg	3.0	704	Crossing with the Ostweg Crossing with the Freiburg – Bodensee crossing

Directions

Wutachtalbahn: Stockhalde-Kreiskehrtunnel near Grimmelshofen

The Schluchtensteig begins at the train station in Stühlingen on the German-Swiss border. At the exit from Oberwiesen, the path separates from the east path Pforzheim – Schaffhausen , which leads away from the Wutach to the Weizen train station. The Schluchtensteig turns right and runs along the Wutach to the Weizen train station, the valley train station, the Wutach Valley Railway , known as the Sauschwänzlebahn and now only used as a museum railway . From the train station, the Schluchtensteig and the Ostweg run on the same route. At the Gasthaus Wutachschlucht at the former breakpoint of the Wutachtalbach Lausheim-Blumegg near the Stühlingen suburb of Grimmelshofen, the hike leads into the Wutachschlucht . The Wutach is crossed at the railway bridge. The path then leads slowly uphill as a narrow path through the Wutachflüßen nature reserve, past the Mannheimer Felsen and the Sturzdobel to the Wutachflühren lookout point, where the Ostweg and the Schluchtensteig separate shortly before. Past a hikers' car park, the route leads briefly on the district road 5742 under the railway line and then to the left away from the road up to the Ottilienhöhe, where the path meets the Freiburg-Bodensee crossing. Then it goes uphill to the summit of the Buchberg (open refuge). From there the hike initially leads steeply downhill towards Blumberg , which is reached via Friedhofstraße.

Second stage: Blumberg - Schattenmühle

Overview

• Distance: 20 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 6.5 hours
• Difficulty: medium

Wutachmühle

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Blumberg	0,0	704
Achdorf	2.5	540	Part of Blumberg junction with the Ostweg junction with the Freiburg – Bodensee crossing
Aselfingen	1.0	540
Wutach Bridge	0.5	540
Wutachmühle	4.0	570
Gauchach estuary	1.0	580
Wutach seepage	4.0	600
Schurhammerhütte	1.0	610	The open refuge is named after Hermann Schurhammer , the initiator of the Wutach Gorge nature reserve
Former spa hotel Bad Boll	3.0	620
Dietfurt Bridge	1.0	634
Shadow mill	3.0	659	Inn

Directions

Schleifenbach near Blumberg

In Blumberg, the Schluchtensteig separates from the Freiburg – Bodensee path. It leads partly over stairs and ladders through the small ravine of the Schleifenbach past a waterfall back to the Wutach, which is reached again shortly before Achdorf. In Achdorf the path crosses again with the Ostweg and the Freiburg – Bodensee crossroad. From Achdorf to Wutachmühle, the valley is wide. The Schluchtensteig runs to the right of the Wutach as far as Aselfingen, while the cross path to the left of the Wutach is signposted. Shortly after Aselfingen at the Wutach Bridge, both paths come together again and then run together to the left of the Wutach. The Wutachmühle, which is reached after about four kilometers, is now just a sawmill. The former inn is not managed; However, there is a kiosk at the forest car park on the other side of the Wutach. From the Wutachmühle the valley becomes narrow and gorge-like again. The path leads past the mouth of the Gauchach , where the river can be crossed on a covered wooden bridge. The Schluchtensteig initially remains to the left of the Wutach, but after exiting the Wutach it changes to the right side of the river before it goes back to the left side of the river at the Rümmelesteg. At the Wutach outlet, the water that seeps away almost three kilometers upstream flows out of the mountain again. After the Wutach infiltration, the path continues through the narrow gorge past the Schurhammerhütte and on to the former Hotel Bad Boll, which was demolished in 1992. The former chapel is still there. The hike continues at the former Dietfurt-Hof over the Dietfurt bridge to the Schattenmühle.

Third stage: Schattenmühle - Oberfischbach

Overview

• Distance: 18 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 6.5 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Computing rocks

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Shadow mill	0,0	0.659
Entrance to the Lotenbachklamm	0.0	0.660
Robber's Castle	2.5	0.720
Stallegg river power station	2.0	0.702
Rötenbach estuary	1.0	0.715
Haslach estuary	1.5	0.720	Confluence of the Haslach and Gutach rivers to the Wutach
Computing rocks	1.5	0.
Kappel-Grünwald station	1.5	0.807	Former station of the Haslachtalbahn, which was closed in 1976, junction with the Freiburg – Bodensee crossing
Lenzkirch	4.0	0.808	Crossing with Mittelweg Pforzheim – Waldshut
Fischbacher Höchst	4.5	1.110
Oberfischbach	0.5	1,045	Part of Schluchsee

Directions

The entrance to the Lotenbachklamm is located at the Schattenmühle. The Schluchtensteig, however, goes up the slope to the right in the forest and then a bit outside the gorge up to the edge of the valley. The gorge is soon reached again at the Räuberschlössle, a rock above the Wutach, on which Neu-Blumegg Castle was located in the 14th century. The Wutach flows about two kilometers after the Stallegg Bridge over the barrage of the Stallegg river power station. This power plant is the oldest river power plant in Baden . It produced electricity from 1889 to 1979 and was reactivated in 2000. Then it goes past the mouth of the Rötenbach to the mouth of the Haslach . From the mouth of the Haslach onwards, the Wutach is called Gutach . A bridge crosses the Wutach (Gutach) once more before the path leaves the Wutach valley and continues into the Haslachklamm. Over the Rechenfelsen and the Höllochfelsen, the route reaches the route of the former Haslachtalbahn, which was closed in 1976 and continues towards Lenzkirch . Below Kappel behind the former Kappel-Grünwald train station, the Schluchtensteig separates from the Freiburg – Lake Constance path . Behind it, the Schluchtensteig leaves the former railway line and leads along the Mühlenbach through a tunnel below the railway line back down to the Haslach. Then it goes up again and again over the former railway line to Lochmühle and on to Lenzkirch. From Lenzkirch, the Schluchtensteig runs through the Geopark for a short distance on the same route as the Mittelweg Pforzheim – Waldshut . Then the hike goes below the Stöckleberg and on through the Schwendetal past the Cyriak chapel to the Schluchsee suburb of Oberfischbach.

Fourth stage: Oberfischbach - St. Blasien

Overview

• Distance: 20 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 6.5 hours
• Difficulty: medium

Wind mountain waterfall

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Oberfischbach	0,0	1,045	Part of Schluchsee
Bildstein	3.0	1,134	Lookout point
Aha	1.5	0.936	Part of Schluchsee
Unterkrummenhof	3.5	0.946	Inn
Former chain saw	2.0	1,065
Krummenkreuzbrunnen	1.5	1,150
Muchenland	1.0	0.	Part of Schluchsee
Wittemlehütte	1.5	1.102
Blasiwald-Althütte	1.5	1,088	Crossing with the Mittelweg Pforzheim – Waldshut part of Schluchsee St. Pantaleonskapelle
Sand pit	1.0	1,080
Windberghütte	1.5	0.850
Windberg waterfall	0.5	0,835
St. Blasien	1.5	0.770

Directions

View from the Bildstein to the Schluchsee

In Oberfischbach, the asphalted Bildsteinweg leads from the Haus des Gastes up to the edge of the forest and then through the forest via Kohlplatz to Bildstein. From there it goes in a zigzag down to the Schluchsee , which is reached at Aha. There, the path first crosses the Dreiseenbahn railway line and then the federal road 500 before it reaches the shore of the lake. The path turns right and leads along the lakeshore to the Unterkrummenhof on the other side of the lake. Then the route leads through the forest on the Muchenländerweg over the former scimitar saw, past the Krummenkreuz (1,148 m, highest point of the tour) and between the Upper and Lower Habsberg mountains to Muchenland. Shortly before the Wittemlehütte, the path turns left to the Pfaffenbrünnle rest area and leads on a forestry path and across alpine meadows down to Althütte. Caution is advised on these alpine meadows, as the alpine pastures are surrounded by electric fences, the Schluchtensteig is led through the fences with the help of narrow, wooden fords. In Althütte, the trail meets the Mittelweg again and follows the same route for about a kilometer. Continue downhill past the sand pit, then the road forks into a long, steep little less and a short but very steep road, the Old Blasi forest path , downhill to the wind ravine, from there it goes into the valley of the Alb up to the city of St. Blasien, which can be reached via Friedrichstrasse and Albstrasse.

Fifth stage: St. Blasien - Todtmoos

Overview

• Distance: 19 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 6.5 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Ibacher Cross

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
St. Blasien	0,0	0.770
Schwandbrünnele	1.0	0.885
Feudal head	1.5	1,039	Observation tower
Rüttewies	1.5	1.010	Part of Dachsberg
Horbach	1.5	0.990	Part of Dachsberg
Monastery pond	0.5	0.950	Former inn
Wehra spring	9.0	1,060
Ibacher Cross	1.0	1,055
Hochwehra Gorge	0.5	820-1.030
Dead moss	0.5	0.802

Directions

Cathedral of St. Blasien

St. Blasien is left through the spa garden. From there the hike leads to the Lusthausfelsen. At Schwandbrünnele, the path turns left and continues to the lookout tower on the Lehenkopf. From there the route leads via Rüttewies, where the 6527 district road is crossed, and Horbach to the monastery pond. From the Klosterweiher inn, it goes uphill to the Friedrich-August-Grube, which is now used as a play mine and nature reserve. After crossing the district road 6525, you continue past Oberibach . Soon afterwards the path reaches state road 150 and goes along the road for about 500 meters. After the path has left the road again at the junction of the 6525 district road, the route runs past a memorial stone for the forest land consolidation and past the Wehra spring , which is a bit off the path, to the Ibacher Kreuz. There, the state road 150 is crossed and the hike continues through the upper valley of the Wehra downhill to Todtmoos , which is reached via St.-Blasier-Straße.

Sixth stage: Todtmoos - Wehr

Overview

• Distance: 23 kilometers
• Walking time: approx. 7.5 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Dead moss	0,0	802
Schwarzenbach	4.0	860	Part of Todtmoos
To the basement saw	2.5	695	Sawmill
Au	1.0	690	Part of Todtmoos
Wehratal Bridge	6.0	593
Wehra reservoir	6.0	420	Crossing with the Hotzenwald-Querweg
Weir	3.5	366	Crossing with the Hochrhein-Querweg

Directions

Wehra

From Todtmoos, the Schluchtensteig leads past the Wehrawald Clinic over the Weiherweg to the Schwarzenbach suburb. From there the route runs along the old Hornweg down to the Zumkeller-Säge. There, the state road 148 is crossed and the Schluchtensteig meets the Wehra again and joins the Wehratalweg. Shortly thereafter, the path turns first left and then immediately right again and leads on a natural path past a game reserve to Todtmoos-Au. After Au, the route turns left into Schwandhaldenweg. The valley becomes narrow and gorge-like here. The route initially goes uphill outside the gorge to a hairpin and then downhill again on a narrow path above the Wehra along the mountainside. A natural path leads steeply along a stream down to state road 148. There, the Wehra is crossed over an old stone bridge and the road. The path then climbs steeply up on the other side. Through the forest far above the Wehra, the path continues past the view of the Felsenhütte on the other side of the gorge, before it leads back down to the Wehra reservoir . Before the reservoir, the path meets the Hotzenwald-Querweg . It crosses the dam and continues along the river to Wehr .

literature

PublicPress Publikationsgesellschaft (Ed.): Schluchtensteig. Right through the Southern Black Forest Nature Park. Hiking map 1: 25,000. Geseke 2008, 2nd edition ISBN 978-3-89920-447-6

Web links

Commons : Schluchtensteig  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Homepage for the hiking trail

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The Schluchtensteig is now a member of the "Top Trails of Germany". In: Suedkurier.de of August 29, 2012.
2. ↑ Schluchtensteig quality hiking trail - hiking across the Southern Black Forest Nature Park. Retrieved June 21, 2020 . 
3. ↑ Lehenkopfturm on lehenkopfturm.de