{"id":12348,"date":"2026-10-27T00:35:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T23:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/de_de\/albsteig\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T00:35:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T23:35:00","slug":"albsteig-black-forest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/albsteig\/","title":{"rendered":"Albsteig Black Forest: Stages and highlights"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Albsteig Schwarzwald leads from Albbruck on the Hochrhein along the Alb up to Feldberg. It runs in the opposite direction to the flow of the river and connects gorges, waterfalls, quiet forests in the Hotzenwald and viewpoints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article presents the stages with their official lengths and altitudes, lists highlights and tips on the travel time and arrival, and shows how individual sections can be reached from our house in \u00dchlingen-Birkendorf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"641\" src=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albsteig-1-1024x641.jpg\" alt=\"View into the valley towards St. Blasien in the Southern Black Forest\" class=\"wp-image-12302\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albsteig-1-1024x641.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albsteig-1-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albsteig-1-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albsteig-1-1536x962.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albsteig-1-2048x1283.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albsteig-1-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Ausblick_in_das_Tal_Richtung_St._Blasien_-_panoramio.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Qwesy Qwesy<\/a> \/Wikimedia Commons, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CC BY 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Albsteig Black Forest: Route and key facts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Length:<\/strong> 83.3 km according to the Albsteig portal (Genie\u00dfer variant)<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Start and destination:<\/strong> Albbruck on the Hochrhein up to the pass at Feldberg, with detours to Bernau and return to St. Blasien<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Operators:<\/strong> Albsteig Schwarzwald information point at the Waldshut district office; partners include, among others, the South Black Forest Nature Park, the Black Forest Association and Schwarzwald Tourismus<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Variations:<\/strong> seven \u201eenjoyment stages\u201c and four \u201esportive stages\u201c<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The trail begins in the Waldshut district and ends at Feldberg. Along the way there are <a href=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/st-blasien-cathedral\/\">St. Blasien with its cathedral<\/a> and the Menzenschwander Alb; the region belongs to the South Black Forest Nature Park. Also the <a href=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/schluchtensteig-trail\/\">Slake Steig<\/a> runs through St. Blasien.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Albsteig stages: the seven gourmet stages<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The information comes from the overview on albsteig.de. The portal does not list travel times or difficulty levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Stage<\/th><th>Track<\/th><th>Length<\/th><th>Ascent \/ Descent<\/th><th>Special features<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>1<\/td><td>Albbruck \u2013 G\u00f6rwihl<\/td><td>11.9 km<\/td><td>573 \/ 273 hm<\/td><td>Studinger Steg, H\u00f6llbach waterfalls, G\u00e4msen near Schachen<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2<\/td><td>G\u00f6rwihl \u2013 Wittenschwand<\/td><td>14.9 km<\/td><td>654 \/ 382 hm<\/td><td>Devil's cuisine, alpine view near Wolpadingen<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>3<\/td><td>Wittenschwand \u2013 St. Blasien<\/td><td>16.4 km<\/td><td>481 \/ 570 km<\/td><td>Smuggler trail, Bildstein cliff, Albstausee, Windberg waterfall<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>4<\/td><td>St. Blasien \u2013 Menzenschwand<\/td><td>9.6 km<\/td><td>179 \/ 127 mph<\/td><td>relatively flat, glass saw<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5<\/td><td>Menzenschwand \u2013 Feldberg Pass Summit<\/td><td>10.0 km<\/td><td>462 \/ 90 km<\/td><td>Menzenschwander Waterfall, Klusenmor\u00e4ne, Goat meadows<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6<\/td><td>Fieldberg \u2013 Bernau<\/td><td>10.1 km<\/td><td>185 \/ 524 hp<\/td><td>Herzogenhorn (highest point), Krunkelbachh\u00fctte, Scheibenfelsen<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>7<\/td><td>Bernau \u2013 St. Blasien<\/td><td>10.4 km<\/td><td>51 \/ 140 km<\/td><td>flat forest paths, pine forest, wooden crafts in Bernau<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The seven stages add up to 83.3 km. They can be hiked individually as day trips; the shorter sections between St. Blasien, Menzenschwand and Bernau are also suitable for a half-day trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The sporty variant<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those who prefer longer days can hike the route in four stages, according to the portal:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Albbruck \u2013 G\u00f6rwihl: 11.9 km<\/li>\n\n<li>G\u00f6rwihl \u2013 Houses: 27.1 km; the portal calls it the \u201ebiggest challenge\u201c with steep ascents and descents and narrow paths<\/li>\n\n<li>H\u00e4user \u2013 Menzenschwand \u2013 Feldberg Passh\u00f6he: 23.7 km<\/li>\n\n<li>Fieldberg Pass \u2013 Bernau \u2013 St. Blasien \u2013 H\u00e4usern: 24.8 km<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The portal points to a detour from the Albsteig to Feldberg: about 4 km and 260 meters in elevation in one direction, marked with the signposts of the Black Forest Society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Highlights on the Albsteig<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Canyons and waterfalls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the lower valley, the path runs through a steep, rocky section with a waterfall called Teufelsk\u00fcche. Waterfalls are found at several points: the H\u00f6llbach waterfalls near G\u00f6rwihl, the Windberg waterfall near St. Blasien, and the Menzenschwander waterfall, which we discuss in the article on the H\u00f6llbach waterfalls. <a href=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/menzenschwand-waterfall\/\">Menzenschwander Waterfall<\/a> describe in more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hotzenwald, Albstausee and views<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first stages lead through the silent forests of the <a href=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/hotzenwald-black-forest\/\">Hotzenwalds<\/a>. At Wolpadingen, the portal mentions an alpine view; other stations include the smuggler trail, the Bildsteinfell rock formation, and the Albstausee lake. After that, the pass elevation of Feldberg, Bernau, and the Bernauer Hochtal follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">St. Blasien and the Cathedral<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">St. Blasien is the starting point and the hub of the route: Here the Albsteig and Schluchtensteig meet. The cathedral with its 36-meter-wide dome is worth a visit; details are provided in our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/st-blasien-cathedral\/\">St. Blasien<\/a>. In the village in the sky, <a href=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/hoechenschwand-black-forest\/\">H\u00f6chenschwand<\/a>, If you are taking a day off between two stages, a trip by car is worthwhile: from our house it is about 23 km, and by car it takes about 25 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Travel time, arrival and instructions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Travel time:<\/strong> According to the Albsteig portal, the hiking season runs from November; until early May there is a winter break, and the portal strongly advises against hiking during this time.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> The portal recommends ankle-high hiking shoes with a profiled sole and, if necessary, poles, because some sections can be very steep and slippery.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Dogs:<\/strong> They may be carried with you; there are requirements for wearing a helmet in many places.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Home:<\/strong> For the entire tour, the portal lists Albbruck or St. Blasien as starting points.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Parking:<\/strong> Free parking is available in Albbruck at the community hall, in St. Blasien along the bypass road, and in Seebrugg; at Feldberg, the parking garage and the Grafenmatt parking lot are available.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Accommodation:<\/strong> The portal recommends booking by phone at least one day before arrival; on weekends, holidays, and during the summer holidays, many houses are fully booked.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the portal, with the KONUS guest card you can travel between St. Blasien and Albbruck for free by bus and train (about one to one and a half hours). During weekends and holidays, the offer is very limited; for example, there are no connections on the routes between G\u00f6rwihl and St. Blasien on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Due to the electrification of the Hochrheinbahn, rail replacement services are in effect from April 26, 2026, which according to the operators will last until 2027. Current schedules can be found on the Deutsche Bahn website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Albsteig from our house<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The stages are easily accessible by car. We calculated the following distances using a route planner:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Goal<\/th><th>Distance from the hotel<\/th><th>Driving time by car<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>St. Blasien<\/td><td>about 23 km<\/td><td>about 25 minutes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Menzenschwand<\/td><td>about 28 km<\/td><td>about 30 minutes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Albbruck<\/td><td>about 29 km<\/td><td>about 35 minutes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Bernau in the Black Forest<\/td><td>about 33 km<\/td><td>about 35 minutes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>G\u00f6rwihl<\/td><td>about 38 km<\/td><td>about 45 minutes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our house is therefore a perfect base for day trips: in the morning to the Albtal valley, and in the evening back to Birkendorf. We are located at 800 meters in the Rothauser Land, near the Swiss border. If you are looking for more hiking tips, you will find them on our website. <a href=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/hiking-holiday-black-forest\/\">Hiking holiday in the Black Forest<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" src=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/n-wellness-Sauna-23-06-11-8802-scaled-1024x771.webp\" alt=\"Relax area with sun loungers and views of the greenery at the Sonnenhof &amp; Sonnhalde wellness hotel\" class=\"wp-image-7166\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/n-wellness-Sauna-23-06-11-8802-scaled-1024x771.webp 1024w, https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/n-wellness-Sauna-23-06-11-8802-scaled-300x226.webp 300w, https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/n-wellness-Sauna-23-06-11-8802-scaled-768x578.webp 768w, https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/n-wellness-Sauna-23-06-11-8802-scaled-1536x1157.webp 1536w, https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/n-wellness-Sauna-23-06-11-8802-scaled-2048x1542.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo: Wellnesshotel Sonnenhof &amp; Sonnhalde<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After an stage, our <a href=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/wellness\/\">Wellness area<\/a> For relaxation: indoor pool, panoramic sauna with forest views, textile garden sauna, organic steam sauna and Kneipp water walk pool, open daily from 9:00 to 20:00. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/offers\/\">Arrangements<\/a> Like \u201eActive in the Southern Black Forest\u201c, it includes accommodation, a breakfast buffet, a pampering menu, a lunch snack buffet, use of the wellness area, and the KONUS guest card. You book the rooms directly on the website. <a href=\"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/book\/\">Book page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How long is the Albsteig Schwarzwald?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Albsteig portal lists 83.3 km for the gourmet version with seven stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where does the Albsteig begin and end?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It begins in Albbruck on the Upper Rhine and leads towards the pass of Feldberg, in the opposite direction of the river flow. The portal Albbruck or St. Blasien lists Albbruck or St. Blasien as starting points for the entire tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When can you hike the Albsteig?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the portal, the season ends in October; from November there is a winter break until early May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How many days does it take to climb the Albsteig?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The enjoyment variant includes seven stages of 9.6 to 16.4 km each, while the sporty variant includes four stages of 11.9 to 27.1 km.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How far is the Albsteig from your hotel?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">St. Blasien is about 23 km from our house, reachable by car in about 25 minutes; Albbruck is about 29 km away, about 35 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.albsteig.de\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Albsteig Schwarzwald: Home page of the operator<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.albsteig.de\/uebersicht\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Albsteig Black Forest: Overview with stages<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.albsteig.de\/faq\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Albsteig Black Forest: Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.albsteig.de\/anreise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Albsteig Black Forest: Getting there and public transport<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hochschwarzwald.de\/en\/cities\/st.-blasien-3ac4f293a1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hochschwarzwald Tourismus: St. Blasien<\/a><\/li>\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.schluchtensteig.de\/p\/5-etappe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Slake Steig: 5th stage St. Blasien \u2013 Todtmoos<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Der Albsteig f\u00fchrt von Albbruck am Hochrhein durch das Albtal bis zum Feldberg. Etappen, H\u00f6henmeter, Highlights und Anreise im \u00dcberblick.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12348","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12348"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12348\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}