Neuenweg combines a striking location on the southern slopes of the Belchen with hikes of varying lengths, an unusual landscape history and traces from several centuries. This offers different ways to plan your trip: a tour with specific distance and elevation details, an outing to the Nonnenmattweiher or a look at historic details in the village. The mountain passes also provide a clear geographical reference when considering Neuenweg as a destination or potential place to stay.
Landscape and a distinctive natural history
Neuenweg lies in the uppermost section of the Kleine Wiese valley, on the southern slopes of the Belchen and surrounded by extensive forests. Neuenweg is also home to a very old, unusually broad-growing pollarded beech. These local features give the landscape a distinct character: forests, a hillside location and a striking tree serve as landmarks alongside the hiking trails.
The Nonnenmattweiher formed in a cirque shaped by glaciers. In the early 18th century, the cirque lake was artificially dammed. As a result, part of the peat-covered cirque floor broke away, forming a floating peat island. The lake’s formation can thus be understood in two stages: glaciers shaped the cirque, and later the damming altered its peat-covered floor. The floating island is the striking result of this history.
Hikes for different time frames
The Belchen South Slope Circular Trail is 11.2 kilometres long and has 750 metres of elevation gain; the figures may vary slightly depending on the map. The Black Forest Association’s yellow diamond marker indicates the path to the Belchen, which first leads to the Sternschanze. For on-site navigation, it is a good idea to check the trail markers again at the start.
The Alte Grenzmauer (Old Border Wall) is also along the circular trail. Its moss-covered remains, made of stones stacked on top of one another, still stand just under a metre high. This gives the route a specific historic point of interest in addition to its distance and elevation details. When planning the loop, you can take both the tour information and this waypoint into account.
From Neuenweg, the Nonnenmattweiher can be reached by either a short hike or a full-day hike. This is an important difference for planning your day: you can visit the lake on a short outing or make it the destination of a full-day hike. Both options lead to the same natural attraction, without requiring the same amount of time.
Local history at the church and border fortification
Construction of Neuenweg Church began on 17 June 1807. The work was largely complete by 2 December of the same year, and the church was consecrated in the first half of 1808. A funerary plaque from 1692 is set into its right exterior wall. It commemorates an imperial officer buried in Neuenweg who supervised construction of the fortifications at Hau on behalf of Austria and the “Türkenlouis.” The church thus brings together a building project from the early 19th century and a memorial to events from the late 17th century.
Mountain passes as points of reference
Neuenweg lies on three mountain-pass roads. The western route leads to the Rhine Valley and divides at the “Haldenhof” inn: one road runs via the Sirnitz to Badenweiler, while the other goes via Münsterhalden and Münstertal to Staufen. To the east, the route over the Hau leads into the Großer Wiesental valley to Schönau and continues via Todtnau to the Feldberg. These directions show how routes from Neuenweg connect different parts of the region. If you are considering Neuenweg as a place to stay, you can use this orientation alongside your hiking plans to help make your decision.
Nonnenmattweiher within the wider destination of the Kleines Wiesental
Within the wider destination of the Kleines Wiesental, the Nonnenmattweiher lies at an elevation of 913 metres and is one of the highest-standing bodies of still water in the Black Forest. Several peat moss species grow on its floating peat island, along with cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum), cranberry (Vacinium oxycoccos) and round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia). The presence of these plants may vary seasonally. This regional context complements the hiking perspective with details about the lake’s elevation and the peat island’s distinctive plant life.
Discover more destinations: BĂĽrchau, Wieslet, Sallneck, Raich, Elbenschwand, Wies
Return to the overview of the wider destination: Kleines Wiesental.
