Wagensteig: Valley History and Black Forest Landscapes

Wagensteig lies in a valley whose significance can be seen both in a historic transport route and in an early recorded mention of its name. One of the oldest through roads from the Neckar and Danube regions across the Black Forest into the Rhine Valley runs through the Wagensteig Valley. The place name Wagensteig is first documented in 1125. The route describes the direction of the valley path, while the year indicates the early recorded mention of the place name.

Wagensteig Valley and Nature Reserve

The Wagensteigtal-Höllental area has been designated a nature reserve in Germany since 1975 and covers around 29 km². The Wagensteig district is entirely surrounded by this protected area; its nature reserve number is 3.15.005. The area of around 29 km² refers to the size of the nature reserve, while the fact that it is entirely surrounded describes its relationship to the district. The two details complement each other: one indicates the landscape’s area, while the other describes the district’s location within the protected area.

Hansmeyerhof: Black Forest Farmhouse and Museum

Hansmeyerhof is a typical Black Forest farmhouse. Built in 1620, it is one of the oldest farmsteads in the valley. The museum at Hansmeyerhof documents rural living and agriculture, displays craft tools used for supplementary work, and includes around 40 traditional costumes typical of the Dreisam Valley. Living arrangements, agriculture, crafts, and regional clothing thus offer different insights into the history of rural life.

Visits to Hansmeyerhof can be arranged by prior registration; each guided tour lasts about an hour and a half. Plan your visit to the farm with this approximate time frame in mind, and register in advance.

A road cycling tour through the valley

One road cycling tour also explicitly follows the valley: the tour to the monasteries of St. Peter and St. Märgen starts in Buchenbach and climbs through the Wagensteig Valley to St. Märgen. For route orientation, this identifies the starting point in Buchenbach, the route through the valley, and the direction towards St. Märgen.

Further orientation in the wider destination of Buchenbach

In the wider destination of Buchenbach, the Höllentalbahn railway provides another way to get your bearings in the region. It stops in Himmelreich, a hamlet in Buchenbach, and offers connections to Freiburg and the High Black Forest. Check the current timetable for specific departure times.

Kreuzberg Chapel is closer to the village of Buchenbach. In clear weather, the view from there extends across the Dreisam Valley to Freiburg and the Vosges. Frauensteigfelsen also offers a viewpoint overlooking the Dreisam Valley and the surrounding mountains. The challenging circular hike there follows hiking and forest trails, with moderately steep ascents and descents around the rock.

Höfener Hütte is in Buchenbach at an elevation of 1,000 metres above the Dreisam Valley and offers regional specialities as well as a view across the valley. Check current opening hours before visiting. Another historic site in Buchenbach is the ruin of Wiesneck Castle.

For the wider travel overview: Buchenbach.