Lothar Path Through the Ruhestein Forest
In 1999 Hurricane Lothar tore through the Black Forest, and rather than replant, foresters let nature reclaim the land. Today a 3.2 km circular trail through the Ruhestein area reveals a cathedral of silver deadwood, wild ferns and young birch — a living lesson in forest resilience.
A Forest Reborn
The Lotharpfad begins near the Ruhestein pass at around 920 m altitude, where information boards chronicle the night the storm flattened 30,000 hectares in minutes. Fallen spruce trunks lie where they landed, now carpeted in luminous moss and hosting rare woodpeckers.
As you walk the boardwalk sections you pass open glades that give sudden, unobstructed views south toward the Hornisgrinde — the Black Forest's highest northern peak. The contrast between skeletal snags and the explosion of new undergrowth is genuinely dramatic at any season.
Practical Trail Notes
The loop starts from the Ruhestein car park on the B500 Schwarzwaldhochstraße, about 12 km north of Baiersbronn. The path is well-signposted and largely flat, making it manageable for families with older children.
Combine the walk with a stop at the nearby Ruhestein viewpoint café for a slice of Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte before the drive back down into the valley.
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