Neuenweg: Forests, Hiking Trails and History

Neuenweg lies in the uppermost section of the Kleine Wiese valley on the southern slope of the Belchen, surrounded by extensive forests. The landscape brings together natural features and history: a cirque lake tells the story of glaciers and a floating peat island, while a memorial plaque commemorates an imperial officer. There are also hikes to suit different timeframes, from a short walk to the Nonnenmattweiher to a full-day tour.

Cirque Lake and Pollarded Beech

The Nonnenmattweiher formed in a cirque created by glaciers. In the early 18th century, the cirque lake was artificially dammed. This caused part of the peat-covered cirque floor to break away, forming a floating peat island. This natural feature thus brings together a glacial landform and a later change to the cirque floor. Neuenweg itself is also home to a very old, broad-growing pollarded beech.

Hikes for Different Timeframes

From Neuenweg, you can reach the Nonnenmattweiher on either a short hike or a full-day hike. These two options offer different timeframes for your outing: you can keep the walk to the lake short or plan a full day of hiking. The Belchen South Slope Circular Trail is listed as 11.2 kilometres long, with 750 metres of elevation gain; figures may vary slightly depending on the map source.

On the circular trail, the route to the Belchen is marked with the Black Forest Association’s yellow diamond and first leads to the Sternschanze. The route also passes the Old Border Wall. There, the moss-covered remains of the wall, built from layers of stones, still stand just under a metre high. The loop thus combines trail markings and landscape with a tangible reminder of border history. For navigation, it is worth checking the current trail markings before setting out.

Church History in Neuenweg

Construction of Neuenweg Church began on 17 June 1807. The work was largely completed by 2 December of the same year, and the church was consecrated in the first half of 1808. A memorial plaque from 1692 is set into its right exterior wall. It commemorates an imperial officer who was buried in Neuenweg and led the construction of the fortifications at Hau on behalf of Austria and the “Türkenlouis.” During the holiday season, the church was open during the day. If you plan to visit the interior, check in advance whether it is currently open to visitors.

More Nature and Culture in the Kleines Wiesental

The wider destination of Kleines Wiesental also has its own nature and culture highlights. The Nonnenmattweiher is located there at an altitude of 913 metres and is one of the highest-elevation still-water lakes in the Black Forest. Several species of peat moss, hare’s-tail cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum), bog cranberry (Vacinium oxycoccos) and round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) grow on its peat island; plant presence may vary depending on the season.

In Tegernau, also within the wider destination of Kleines Wiesental, the church was described in 1935 as a small “Wälderkirchlein” with a little bell tower. The Zur Krone museum inn in Tegernau includes a historic dining room with an adjoining room, an old “Chuchi” with a vaulted cellar, a historic ballroom, sleeping chambers in the attic and a “Schisshüsli” dating from 1901. These places complement Neuenweg’s own nature and history highlights with further examples explicitly located in the Kleines Wiesental.

Mountain Passes and Choosing Where to Stay

Neuenweg lies on three mountain pass roads. The western route to the Rhine Valley forks at the “Haldenhof” inn: one road leads over the Sirnitz to Badenweiler, the other via Münsterhalden and Münstertal to Staufen. To the east, the route over the Hau leads into the Groβes Wiesental valley to Schönau and continues via Todtnau to the Feldberg. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home in Neuenweg, it may be helpful to consider your plans for each day and the directions you want to explore: a short hike, a full-day tour, or a mix of nature, history and drives over the mountain passes.

Discover more destinations: Sallneck, Elbenschwand, Wies, Wieslet, Bürchau, Raich.

Back to the main travel overview: Kleines Wiesental.