Discover Schutterwald: Nature and Tradition

Schutterwald combines protected natural areas, trails of varying lengths, and distinctive dialect and traditional costume culture. If you are looking for accommodation here, you can choose to focus on hiking and nature conservation, pilgrimage history, or regional traditions.

Nature Conservation and Trails

The Unterwassermatten nature reserve is located in Schutterwald. It aims to help reintroduce and protect the Eurasian curlew. There are also extensive FFH and bird protection areas in the forests around the town. This means a specific nature reserve and large-scale protected forest areas offer different ways to experience nature.

The Schutterwald Legends Circular Trail starts at the bathing area of the gravel pit lake and runs through meadows, forest, and fields, mostly along easy-to-walk paths. The route is 10.7 kilometers long, with a total ascent of 7 meters and an estimated duration of 2:35 hours. Numerous sculptures by the gravel pit lake and traces of the West Wall in the forest are also among the sights along the way. As seasonal conditions and signposting can change, check the route before setting out.

The Seentour cycling route offers a different perspective: it passes the Schutterwald bathing lake, goes through Schutterwald, and continues to Höfen. Alongside the hiking trail, this provides a cycling route with its own itinerary to help you plan your trip.

Pilgrimage Trail and Local History

The Kinzigtal St. James Way follows the historic pilgrimage route toward Santiago de Compostela. It covers 130 kilometers from Lossburg to Kehl and is divided into seven stages. In Schutterwald, St. James’s Church marks the end of the sixth stage and the beginning of the seventh. The town is therefore connected not only to a single hiking trail, but also to part of this longer pilgrimage route.

Schutterwald was first mentioned by name in 1268. The church in Schutterwald is also part of the town’s history; art experts recognize it as an important example of the transition from the late Baroque to Neoclassicism. This gives the town’s cultural appeal a distinctive art-historical dimension alongside its pilgrimage tradition.

Dialect, Traditional Costume, and Cuisine

Thanks to its distinctive local traditions, Schutterwald is known as an island of dialect and traditional costume. Women’s traditional dress developed in unusually colorful and diverse forms. Together with the town’s early first mention by name and the church’s art-historical significance, this creates a picture of a place where nature trails and cultural themes come together, while remaining distinct experiences.

The dining scene also offers a clear choice, with restaurants serving German and Italian cuisine. As options can change, it is worth checking what is currently available before making plans.

The Ortenau District as a Wider Region

The wider travel destination of Ortenau District opens up a broader landscape: the district lies between the Rhine and the Black Forest. It is home to 23 nature reserves covering a total area of around 3,110 hectares, extending from the Rhine plain to the higher elevations of the Black Forest. For other interests, Rulantica in Rust offers year-round water fun for the whole family, with numerous indoor and outdoor water attractions as well as the Hyggedal relaxation and sauna area. At the Vogtsbauernhof open-air museum in Gutach, a tour of the historic farmsteads shows how people in the Black Forest lived and worked up to 600 years ago.

Choose your preferred destination and check which accommodation location suits your specific plans.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Renchen, Steinach, Wolfach, Haslach im Kinzigtal, Sasbach, Offenburg, Ettenheim, Rheinau.

Back to the main travel overview: Ortenau District.