Wutachschlucht from the Wutachmühle to the Schattenmühle

The walk starts at the Wanderparkplatz Wutachmühle and follows the Wutach upstream through the nature reserve. It passes the Kanadiersteg at the mouth of the Gauchach, crosses the Rümmelesteg and, as the tourist board describes the route, goes along the rock galleries to the former Bad Boll, and ends at the Wanderparkplatz Schattenmühle beside the old mill inn. Most of it is narrow path above or beside the river, with a few stretches of forest track.

It is 13.2 km one way with 230 m of ascent and 130 m of descent (the figures the Black Forest tourist board publishes for this gorge route); allow about 4 hours. The grade is Moderate: it is long, and 4.6 km of it is on paths mapped as mountain hiking. A Schwarzwaldverein finger post at the Wutachmühle gives the distance to the Schattenmühle as 13.0 km.

The Regierungspräsidium Freiburg calls the walk in places dangerous and never to be underestimated, and says a minimum of fitness, surefootedness and a head for heights is urgently required; the tourist board's page says that in places only a narrow ledge is left between a vertical rock wall and the river, and describes the rock galleries as well secured. The paths are narrow and often wet and slippery, there are many steep steps of metal grating, and care is needed in heavy rain. Mobile reception is patchy: the gorge is divided into signed rescue sectors, and the number to call is 112. Dogs must be on a lead, and bathing, camping, fires and cycling are not allowed. The gorge is usually good to walk from May into October; in the winter months it is closed to walkers, and the Wutachschlucht site does not recommend it once snow lies. The Lotenbachklamm, a side gorge a few hundred metres upstream of the Schattenmühle, is closed until the 2027 walking season; this walk does not enter it.

OpenStreetMap marks both the Wanderparkplatz Wutachmühle and the Wanderparkplatz Schattenmühle as not charged. The Regierungspräsidium advises coming by public transport, because the car parks fill quickly from May to September, and says the Wanderbus runs at weekends and on holidays in the walking season from April to October, linked to the trains; the Wutachschlucht site gives the Wanderbus season as 11 April to the beginning of October (no year on the page, so check that it still runs) and says the Schattenmühle stop is served on school days only by buses from Löffingen. Check the timetables before you go, since the walk ends a long way from where it starts.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with the distance and time worked out from it. The climb is the published figure: height data cannot be trusted on this ground. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.