Steinach: Water, Nature Experiences and Local History

Steinach can be discovered through three different attractions: the outdoor swimming pool, the Tannenwald Nature Experience Camp in Welschensteinach, and the Local History and Small Distillery Museum. The themes range from spending time by the water and educational nature activities to the history of a trade once typical of the town. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether swimming, an organised nature activity or local history should be the main focus.

Steinach Outdoor Swimming Pool: Swimming and Water Play

The Steinach outdoor swimming pool offers more than 900 m² of water surface for swimming and splashing around. The pool also has a children’s paddling area with a spring basin, water sprinkler, spray feature and slide, as well as a mud play area with a water pump. Alongside the swimming and paddling area, there are therefore dedicated spaces for water play.

The diving boards are 1 m and 3 m high, but their use is restricted. If you plan to use them, check the current conditions before your visit. You should also check the seasonal opening dates in advance so your plans match the actual operating period.

Tannenwald Nature Experience Camp

The nature experience camp is located in the Tannenwald district of Steinach’s Welschensteinach neighbourhood. It is specially designed for children and young people and serves as a meeting point and starting point for experiential learning programmes, forest education activities and team-building training. Activities take place under guidance and supervision. The listed specialists include educational staff, forestry workers, associations and other experts. The camp is intended for day events and stays of several days. Confirm participation and arrangements with the organisers rather than assuming access is free or unsupervised.

Facilities include a weather shelter, two basic toilets and a level 420 m² play area. There is a 120 m² site for a kitchen tent, with water and wastewater connections; the camp also has an electricity connection and parking areas. As facility details may change, confirm specific usage and booking details with the municipality in advance.

Local History and Small Distillery Museum

The Local History and Small Distillery Museum displays an apple press (cider press), a beer bottling system, various small distilleries and distilling equipment from the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection brings together equipment and machinery from different fields. At the same time, the exhibits illustrate a trade that was once typical of Steinach. Visitors interested in local history can thus gain insight into former commercial activities, with the visit not limited to a single type of equipment.

Steinach in the wider context of the Ortenau district

The Ortenau district provides a distinct geographical context for understanding the region: it lies between the Rhine and the Black Forest. The district has 23 nature reserves covering a total area of around 3,110 hectares. They stretch from the Rhine plain to the higher elevations of the Black Forest. This range describes the wider district and complements the specific attractions in Steinach.

Other destinations in the Ortenau district offer different themes. In Rust, Rulantica offers water-based fun all year round with indoor and outdoor water attractions; the experience also includes Hyggedal, a relaxation and sauna area. A tour of the historic farmsteads at the Vogtsbauernhof Open-Air Museum offers insight into the history of the Black Forest, showing how people lived and worked there up to 600 years ago. These examples are part of the wider Ortenau district and should be distinguished from Steinach’s local attractions.

Discover more travel destinations: Appenweier, Lahr/Schwarzwald, Schwanau, Renchen, Nordrach, Neuried, Schuttertal, Oberkirch

For the wider travel overview: Ortenau district.