St. Blasien to Todtmoos

START POINT: St. Blasien, Cathedral

The fifth stage of the Schluchtensteig trail runs between St. Blasien and Todtmoos. The starting point is the north-western gate of the monastery in St. Blasien. Go through the gate, passing the guest house and the tourist information point as you head towards the junction. Here, follow the signpost towards Todtmoos. The path leads you past the monastery complex and later an old mill.

Soon, the path will take you to the right under an underpass. Another signpost will point you towards Holzberg and lead you into the forest. Continuing on this path, you’ll soon have a great view over St. Blasien. The path comes to an end, becoming a wider trail. At the signpost, the Schluchtensteig trail runs on both paths and wider trails uphill, heading towards the Lehenkopf tower. This wooden observation tower is 1,039m above sea level. From here, the trail leads you a little way down a forest path to the Lehen hut. Coming out of the woods, you’ll arrive at a crossroads. Here, take the path leading to the right and over the road.

The Schluchtensteig trail then turns left onto a meadow path. Through the countryside, the path then enters the forest and, shortly after, another path. Meadows and forest alternate between one another until you come across another vantage point. Here, you’ll also find benches where you can rest.

From this point, a path takes you back down using the paved road. This leads over a car park to the beautiful Klosterweiher lake. You’ll also find a restaurant here, before the path leads up to the forest. Soon, you’ll come to a pit where nickel was once mined. From here, the path takes you to the next vantage point at Kreuzfelsen. Once again, you can enjoy a beautiful view from this resting point. Out of the forest, the path then runs through open countryside. But, soon enough, it’s back into the forest. Follow the path around the edge of the forest until you reach a rest spot, where you can take in a magnificent view over the Ibach region.

The path then leads back into the forest, which you’ll follow until you come across a road. Here, turn left and then right again to go past the car park. The route then follows a panoramic path leading up to the Lampenschweine viewing point. From here, continue through the meadows along the edge of the forest and past a mountain hut. Sticking to this path, you’ll reach the summit of the Schluchtensteig trail. Enjoy admiring the wonderful views over the vast landscape below. A wide path leads on to a signpost, which you should follow to the right. Wander into the valley, following the meadow path. For a short while, the path follows a country road until it heads back into the forest and a wide forest path leads you uphill. At the crossroads, turn left onto Landstraße. Having come down the Hörnleberg, you’ll find yourself standing before the Ibacher cross.

From here, the path goes back into the forest on a narrow, rustic path that runs downhill into the Wehra valley. The Schluchtensteig trail zigzags sharply down into the Hohwehraschlucht gorge. What feels like quite a dramatic spot quickly turns out to be a romantic and charming forest gorge, with only little room for both the trail path and the Wehra river to run alongside one another. They hop back and forth between one another and you’ll soon be thrilled to see Todtmoos’ small cascades and ledges, before you’re welcomed by the sight of the baroque church down in the valley. Following the Wehra will take you directly into Todtmoos. The road takes you to your destination, this beautiful town, and another day of hiking draws to a close.

END POINT: Todtmoos, Centre