Surrounded by dense forest, giant boulders and fallen tree trunks, you may question if you have lost the path. But no! You are not following a typical hiking trail. The Albtal.Abeneteur.Track (Albtal.Adventure.Track) is Germany’s first cross-country trail.

This Collection guides you on two exhilarating day hikes through the north of the Black Forest near the town of Bad Herrenalb in central Germany. The hikes take you along wonderful paths through the wild and romantic Black Forest landscape. The demanding terrain will get your heart racing as you marvel at the breathtaking views. If you’re willing to work up a sweat, the area is great for hiking.

The Albtal.Abenteuer.Track was opened in 2017 to enable people to discover the wild outdoors on their doorstep. You need a good level of fitness to undertake this adventure. On the first stage, you climb more than 3,280 feet (1,000 m). Some parts through the forest are very steep, so surefootedness is essential.

Still keen? Great! You can look forward to a great hiking adventure. You will hike through forests and up steep slopes. At the top, panoramic views over the Rhine Valley, the Vosges mountains, and as far as the Odenwald mountains await. On the second stage, you can visit the Frauenalb Monastery ruins, which are a symbol of the Albtal.

As you hike, make sure you keep your eyes peeled at all times as the way markings can be hard to spot. It’s a good idea to download the routes in advance to ensure you stay on track.

Both stages start from the spa town of Bad Herrenalb. Stock up on food supplies and fill up your water bottles before setting off. You may want to bring a water filter with you as there are some streams en route (these may be dry after several weeks of dry weather).

You can reach Bad Herrenalb comfortably with the S-Bahn from Karlsruhe. There’s a good range of accommodation in the town. If you are looking for an exciting adventure in the Black Forest, the Albtal.Abenteuer.Track is a great choice.

For more cross-country hiking routes in the region, take a look here: komoot.de/collection/401/crosswandern-im-schwarzwald.