Nordrach: Hiking Trails, Nature and History

Nordrach combines marked hiking trails with specific nature and cultural themes. In the Nordrach Valley, viewpoints and hiking sit alongside fruit brandy distilling, herbs and local history. If you’re looking for hotels in Nordrach, you can shape your stay around these highlights: an extensive network of trails, designated circular routes, or individual nature and historical sites.

Hiking and Landscape

The Nordrach Valley has more than 300 kilometers of marked hiking trails; its wooded mountain slopes are very well served by paths. There are also seven designated Nordic walking circuits leading to some of the village’s finest viewpoints. This gives you two different options: an extensive trail network and circular routes with a clearly defined scenic destination. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to explore the many marked hiking trails or choose a designated Nordic walking circuit.

The wooded Mühlstein is at an elevation of 550 meters; it has hiking trails and the old St. Wendelinus Chapel. Its elevation, woodland setting and chapel bring landscape and cultural history together in one named place.

Fruit Brandy Distilling and Local Delights

The 20-kilometer-long Fruit Brandy Distillers’ Trail leads through the Black Forest landscape of the Nordrach Valley. It passes distilleries that still hold distilling rights, as well as information boards about fruit brandy distilling and the fruits used. The route thus combines the landscape with information about a specific subject. Alongside the trail itself, its particular focus is on fruit, distilling rights and fruit brandy distilling.

Choco L in Nordrach offers chocolate truffle tastings. This is a different focus from the information about fruit brandy distilling along the themed route: the tastings center on chocolate truffles, while the boards cover fruit brandy distilling and the fruits used. You can choose between a tasting and a longer route with informative content.

Nature, Herbs and Local History

Opened in 2009, the medicinal herb garden invites visitors to explore various types of herbs; it also has a seating and relaxation area and a barefoot path. Alongside the herbs, the garden therefore includes two clearly defined areas for relaxation and the barefoot experience.

The Sand Spring in Bärhag is a natural phenomenon: water rises in a circular spring basin, carries sand with it and creates small sand fountains. The striking effect comes from the movement of the water and the fountains—not just from the round shape of the spring basin.

The historic blacksmith’s forge at Talstraße 9 adds local history to the nature themes. It originated as a small stream-side building constructed in 1891 and was converted into a large forge in 1924 by adding an extension. The two dates mark successive building phases: first the stream-side building, then its conversion into a forge. This makes the building’s development clear in chronological order.

Discover more destinations: Fischerbach, Kippenheim, Friesenheim, Seelbach, Kappelrodeck, Gutach, Achern, Seebach.

For the broader travel overview: Ortenaukreis.