Kaiserstuhl–Rhine Black Forest Trail

The Kaiserstuhl–Rhine Black Forest Trail (German: Schwarzwald-Querweg Schwarzwald–Kaiserstuhl–Rhein) is an east–west hiking trail of several days' duration through the Black Forest in Germany from Donaueschingen to Breisach. The 109-kilometre-long hiking trail is managed and maintained by the Black Forest Club.

Kaiserstuhl–Rhine Black Forest Trail
Simonswälder Tal
Length	109 km
Location	Germany, Baden-Württemberg, Black Forest, Kaiserstuhl
Trailheads	Donaueschingen; Breisach
Use	Fernwanderweg
Highest point	Southern Staatsberg/Winkel (1,045 m (3,428 ft 5+1⁄2 in) DE)
Lowest point	Breisach (189 m (620 ft 1 in) DE)
Difficulty	easy
Season	spring to autumn
Waymark	red diamond on a yellow background
Maintained by	Black Forest Club

Short description

The Black Forest–Kaiserstuhl–Rhine Trail begins in Donaueschingen. It then runs through the valley of the River Breg up to the watershed between the Danube and the Rhine. Leading through the valleys of Simonswälder Tal and the River Elz, the route reaches the Rhine Plain and the Kaiserstuhl. It ends in Breisach on the Rhine. The entire route is signed and waymarked, with the intention that no maps or route instructions are needed.

Day tours/stages

First Stage: Donaueschingen – Vöhrenbach

Overview

• Distance: 25,5 km
• Duration: c. 6.5 hours

Place/Attraction	Route (km)	Height (m above NHN)	Further information
Donaueschingen	0.0	675
Aufen	3.5	690	Quarter of Donaueschingen
Neue Fron	2,0	765
Eichbuck Hut	0,5	763	Barbecue area
Wolterdingen	1,5	717
Tannheim	5.5	750	Village in the borough of Villingen-Schwenningen
Spitalhöfe	3.5	820
Herzogenweiler	1.5	870	Village in the borough of Villingen-Schwenningen
Schuhbartle	2.0	930	forest car park
Schlossermatte	1.0	898
Saint Michael's Chapel	3.5	862
Vöhrenbach	1.5	797

Route description

Die Brigach in Donaueschingen

From the start point at Donaueschingen railway station the route runs past the Kreiswehrersatzamt and then left initially along the Brigach, which it crosses on a wooden bridge by Saint Mary's Church. Following the edge of the wood, the walk reaches the village of Aufen and then Wolterdingen. In Wolterdingen the route turns right at the church and leaves the village along Emil-Hauger-Straße. After the end of the village it goes past the Upper Pond (‘’Oberen Weiher’’) to the right of the path, and then runs for about a kilometre parallel to the Landesstraße on a tarmac track to Tannheim. Passing through Tannheim the route passes a sawmill with a prominent chimney heading for Spitalhöfen, and then heads through the forest to Herzogenweiler. The route only grazes Herzogenweiler and leaves it along Jägerhausallee. At the end of the road the trail turns right. It then goes straight before turning right by a transmission tower on Linienweg, continuing to the forest car park of Schuhbartle. There it crosses the Kreisstraße 5734. The trail then goes along Alte Herzogenweiler Straße on the tarmac of the Kreisstraße, veers right off the metalled track and continues straight on along the road on a grass path to the Schlossermatte. On a bend it goes right, initially steeply uphill and then level over the Ochsenberg and descends again to Saint Michael’s Chapel, next to which there is a barbecue area. The route finally runs along a road to Vöhrenbach, to the end of this stage.

Second Stage: Vöhrenbach – Obersimonswald Engel

Overview

• Distance: 22.5 km
• Duration: c. 5 hours

Place/Attraction	Route (km)	Height (m above NHN)	Further information
Vöhrenbach	0.0	0.797
Schönenbach	4.5	0.828	Village in the borough of Furtwangen
Furtwangen	3.5	0.870	Crosses the Mittelweg
Beim Staatsberghof	2.5	0.990	Crosses the Westweg
Südlicher Staatsberg / Winkel	1.0	1.045
Gütenbach	3.0	0.827
Teichschlucht	1.0	0.705	Crosses the Zweitälersteig
Wildgutach / Pfaffenmühle	1.0	0.612	Village in the borough of Simonswald
Vitenhof	1.0	0.548	Footbridge over the Wildgutach
Luxenhof	0.5	0.585
Haldenschwarzhof	1.0	0.600	Crosses the Zweitälersteig
Obersimonswald Engel	3.5	0.450	Village in the borough of Simonswald Crosses the Zweitälersteig Gasthof Engel and bus stop

Route description

Teichschlucht

Third Stage: Obersimonswald Engel – Denzlingen

Overview

• Distance: 23.5 km
• Duration: c. 6 hours

Place/Attraction	Route (km)	Height (m above NHN)	Further information
Obersimonswald Engel	0.0	450	Gasthof Engel
Häuslerain	1.5	414
Ibendörfle	3.0	388
Ochsenbrücke (bridge)	1,5	361
Café Märchengarten	1.5	328
Niederbruck / Altsimonswald	0.5	325
Am Ottensteg / Bleibach	3.0	299	Village in the borough of Gutach
Gutach	1.5	299
Kollnau	1.0	281	Village in the borough of Waldkirch
Waldkirch	2.0	260	Crosses the Kandelhöhenweg Crosses the Zweitälersteig
Mauracher Hof	6.0	245
Chapel of St. Severin	0.5	278	ruins
Denzlingen	1.5	234

Fourth Stage: Denzlingen – Oberrotweil

Overview

• Distance: 27.5 km
• Duration: c. 6.5 hours

Place/Attraction	Route (km)	Height (m above NHN)	Further information
Denzlingen	00.0	234
Nimburg	10.5	187	Village in the borough of Teningen
Eichstetten	03.5	189
Saint Catharine	06.5	492	Chapel
Auf dem Eck	03.0	400	hiking car park
Mondhalde	01.5	370
Oberrotweil	02.5	240	Village in the borough of Vogtsburg im Kaiserstuhl

Fifth Stage: Oberrotweil – Breisach

Overview

• Distance: 10 km
• Duration: c. 2.5 hours

Place/Attraction	Route (km)	Height (m above NHN)	Further information
Oberrotweil	0.0	240	Village in the borough of Vogtsburg
Achkarren	3.0	228	Village in the borough of Vogtsburg
Breisach	7.0	189

External links

• Black Forest hiking service: web facility of the Black Forest Club for visualising the Black Forest trails on Google Maps with various overlays (trail network, waymarks, accommodation, ...)