The Schluchtensteig – in 6 stages through the canyons of the Black Forest

The Schluchtensteig trail in the south of the Black Forest leads you into some of the most untouched river valleys in Germany. On exciting trails, you hike through the narrow Wutach Gorge, visit the Wehraschlucht gorge and explore the Windbergschlucht gorge. While you're on the trails, you'll leave civilization completely behind, before catching back up to a more charming form of it in the numerous small towns and villages that make up the stage destinations of this trek.

The Schluchtensteig trail runs in six stages from Stühlingen on the Swiss border across the Schluchsee to Wehr. It will take you 73 miles (119 kilometers) and force you to conquer over 9,800 feet (3,000 meters) in elevation gain. Therefore, especially during the first three stages that lead you through the Wutach Gorge, solid hiking boots and sure-footedness are a must. And, while, the trail is doable in winter, it can become pretty uncomfortable with unexpected weather changes and unannounced hazards impeding your way during the colder months of the year. Therefore, we recommend hiking these routes between May and September.

Almost all the valleys of the Schluchtensteig trail are protected and some of the forests were declared banished forests several years ago. Here, nature thrives without human influence. Although the paths are checked at regular intervals, it can happen however that fallen trees render parts of the trail unpassable, so pay attention to any officially published route changes.

Regarding accommodation in this region, due to the Black Forest being one of the visited areas in Germany, you shouldn't have a problem finding somewhere to stay. Nevertheless, it is worth reserving all nights in advance — nothing is more annoying than not finding a comfortable bed after a long day of hiking.

All the stages of the canyon trail are connected all year round by public buses and by the hiking bus in summer. You can find the bus timetables at wtv-online.de/fahrplaene/nach-linie and schluchtensteig.de/de/prospekte/index.php.