Hotzenwald Querweg trail – two stages in the southern Black Forest

Deep in the south of the Black Forest, just before the Swiss border, lies the Hotzenwald. Away from the hustle and bustle of the Feldberg and Schluchsee, you can experience the quiet and unspoilt Black Forest on the Hotzenwald Querweg: Small villages, rustic farms, wide Alpine meadows, densely wooded valleys and unspoilt forests are waiting to be discovered by you. The long-distance hiking trail is only two stages long and is therefore perfect for a weekend in the nature of the Black Forest. And what's particularly practical, you can plan both walks independently or shorten them in the event of a sudden change in the weather thanks to the great rail and bus connections en route.

The Hotzenwald Querweg is signposted with a black and white diamond and leads you from Schopfheim an der Wiese to Waldshut am Rhein. In contrast to many other regions of the Black Forest, it is still quite quiet here and so you enjoy the picturesque cultural landscape of the Hotzenwald mostly all to yourself. By the way, the Hotzenwald owes its name to the traditional costume of its inhabitants: the sweeping pluderhose, which has been worn here by the rural population for centuries, is called "Hotze" for short.

As the two stages are well over 12 miles (20 kilometers) long and include quite a bit of elevation, the Hotzenwald Cross Country Trail is particularly suitable for enduring, experienced hikers. In addition, you should plan provisions and sufficient water for the hikes, as places to stop for refreshments are rare. In the stage town of Herrischried at the end of the first stages, you can choose between a guesthouse and several holiday apartments for your overnight stay.

The start and end points of your hike can be easily reached by bus and train. Also a bus stops at the stage destination of Herrischried once a day, so you can easily plan both Tours as a day-hike.