With Jakob through the Black Forest – Kinzigtäler Jakobusweg
Hiking Collection by Michi1001
6-12
days
3-6 h
/ day
83.0 mi
8,300 ft
10,050 ft
Whether you’re a believer or not, Saint James accompanies you every step of the way on this beautiful long-distance hike. On a historic pilgrimage route along the Kinzig, you’ll cross Germany’s Black Forest from east to west. Old raftsmen's paths alternate with scenic mountain passages. Passing remote pilgrimage churches, you reach pretty old towns in the valley with their decorative half-timbered houses at the end of each day. The relaxing finale is the magnificent floodplain forests along the Rhine.
The Kinzigtäler Jakobusweg is a 130-kilometre (81 mi) section of the European Jakobsweg network with its destination in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, more than 2,500 kilometres (1,553 mi) away. Regarding waymarking, in the Kinzig Valley, you follow an orange version of the scallop shell sign.
If you think that this is a leisurely downhill route along the river, you are mistaken. Such variants are possible and are also partly listed in my stage descriptions. But the actual Way of St James also takes you along somewhat more demanding paths through the mountains of the central Black Forest. As such, you’ll need a good level of fitness and some hiking experience. In winter, some sections are muddy or difficult to navigate, so I recommend the warmer months from May to October for this Tour.
Both the start and finish are easy to reach by train. The Regionalbahn 20 of the Südwestdeutsche Landesverkehrs-GmbH runs through the entire Kinzig valley from Offenburg to Freudenstadt. Most of the stage end points are on this line, so you can easily walk individual stages.
As a proper pilgrim, you will probably also carry a pilgrim's passport, in which your route is documented with a stamp at each stage. It makes a nice souvenir. For further information, I recommend the website jakobusweg.com, created by the patrons of the Kinzigtäler Jakobusweg.
So let Saint James guide you and find the path to yourself!
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Last updated: December 12, 2022
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Tours & Highlights
- Intermediate04:2410.1 mi2.3 mph325 ft1,350 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Your hike begins at the Pilgerstein in Lossburg, on the main street near the Jakobuskirche. If you arrive by train, take the SWE RB20 from Freudenstadt or Offenburg to the Loßburg-Rodt train station. From there you can follow the Kinzigtal rafting trail directly. If you have a pilgrim ID with you, you…
by Michi1001
- Expert07:2115.2 mi2.1 mph2,450 ft2,700 ftExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Today you can expect the longest and most strenuous stage of the Kinzig valleys Way of St. James at about 25 kilometers. If you shy away from this effort, the valley variant offers you an equally attractive option. Here you come through the romantic town of Schiltach, which is always worth a visit. Simply…
by Michi1001
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- Expert06:1712.6 mi2.0 mph2,300 ft2,475 ftExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
You leave the city center of Wolfach by crossing the Kinzig on the Gassensteg and behind the Flößerpark then also the Wolf just before its mouth. Follow the course of the Kinzig for a few meters and look at the Fürstenberg Castle opposite. Along several viewpoints you now climb up to the Weißes Kreuz…
by Michi1001
- Intermediate04:449.88 mi2.1 mph1,500 ft1,475 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Before you leave Haslach this morning, you would do well to buy a small snack, as you will not find any rest stops along the way on this stage. A beautiful Black Forest hike with many views awaits you.
From Haslach you cross under the railway tracks and cross the Kinzig. For the next four kilometers you…
by Michi1001
- Intermediate04:469.87 mi2.1 mph1,525 ft1,675 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Take a few minutes in the morning and explore the pretty historic center of Zell before you enter the Nordrach valley via Kirchstrasse. On the first half of the fifth stage, this small river is your constant companion.
But first you turn slightly away from the Nordrach and find a Kneipp pool at the edge…
by Michi1001
- Intermediate04:2410.8 mi2.5 mph75 ft175 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
This morning you can still treat yourself to a small breakfast in the alleys of Gengenbach, then you march past the Niggelturm out of the city center towards the Kinzigufer. There you have two hours to think about God and the world, as you almost always walk straight ahead on the Kinzigdamm for the next…
by Michi1001
- Expert05:5614.5 mi2.4 mph150 ft200 ftExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
There are no more climbs waiting for you on the last almost 25 kilometers of your hike. It doesn't get boring anyway: Instead of the Black Forest panorama, you will experience the typical meadow landscape along the Upper Rhine today.
You start your tour at the Jakobskirche in Schutterwald and walk along…
by Michi1001
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Collection Stats
- Tours7
- Distance83.0 mi
- Duration37:52 h
- Elevation8,300 ft10,050 ft
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