It is not for nothing that the Wutachschlucht (Schlucht = canyon) is sometimes called “Grand Canyon of the Black Forest”. Here nature shows its wild and romantic site. Actually, this title does not live up to Wutchschlucht since it is unique and incomparable with all of its enchanted beauty.
The Wutchschlucht is located in the center of the Nature Park Southern Black Forest which is the largest nature park of Germany. Visitors of the Black Forest will have the chance to experience nature as it is in its untouched diversity, which will sometimes be untamed and harsh. This elemental landscape with its calm lakes, cleft valleys and wild rivers is worth a detour especially for hikers. An unforgettable experience is guaranteed.
One of the wild rivers of the Southern Black Forest is the Wutach River which gave the canyon and the whole region their names. At first as the Seebach River, the Wutach rises calmly and harmlessly from the Feldsee River, which lies beneath the Feldberg Mountain; then it run through the Titisee River. This one it leaves as the Gutach River and flows on until it meets the Halsach and Rötenbach Rivers; and finally it becomes the Wutach River.
70,000 years ago the Wutach River tunneled its way through the stones and formed a valley which is 200 meters deep and 30 kilometers long. So, from a geological point of view, the Wutach River is quite young. Limestone caves like “Münzloch” or “Geisloch”, contain karsts and fossils in form of ammonites and belemnites that offer an approachable history of earth. Hence, it is no surprise that geology lovers and even groups of students can be seen here regularly.
It is not only landscapes the Wutachschlucht has to offer; flora and fauna are spectacular as well. Here visitors will find more than 500 types of larger butterflies and over 1200 plant varieties. Among those are also such rare species like hart’s-tongue fern or Petrorhagia. Attentive flower lovers will find almost 40 types of orchids. Bird lovers as well will be pleased by the Wutachschlucht since there are more than 80 bird species between the crags. For example, western Bonelli’s warblers, common kingfishers, blackcaps and peregrines.
And now a little bit about hiking: as early as 1890 in the Wutachschlucht they began developing tourism and hiking paths so they became a popular tourist attraction. The hiking tours were often initiated by the Black Forest Association. In those days it was mainly the Badhof below the Boll ruins and fishing which attracted the tourists. In 1904 they finally built the Ludwig-Neumann-Path which led along the muschelkalk ravine.
In the modern day, the various hiking paths of the region are numerous today. Everyone will find here something for his/her demand no matter whether he/she is a beginner, advanced or professional. About 100,000 visitors hike in the Wutachschlucht each holiday season. For that reason a fulltime ranger has been maintaining a careful balance between tourism and environmental need for protection since 1994.
More about the location, hotels, suggestions for hiking tours and hiking maps can be found on the website of the holiday region Wutachschlucht. Just click here!
Tip: Provisions are very important on tours. So, it is a good idea to make a stop at Adler in Bonndorf near the Wutachschlucht. Just take along a tasty piece of a Black Forest Ham.
Adler - Black Forest 