Dormettingen Between Fossils and Slate History

Dormettingen offers different ways to explore natural and cultural history: SchieferErlebnis focuses on oil shale and the landscape, while other sites explore fossils or remembrance of the Nazi era. The Schlichem hiking trail also passes through Dormettingen, offering a different perspective on the landscape. This mix provides a clear framework for planning your trip: you can focus on outdoor discoveries, history, or both.

Slate, Fossils and Discoveries

SchieferErlebnis Dormettingen is a ten-hectare nature and leisure park that incorporates the former and present-day use of oil shale into the visitor experience. The site includes a large water area with a lakeside terrace and a green hill. Along the SchieferErlebnis circular trail, nine information stations explain topics such as land reclamation, geology, landscape, nature and the extraction of raw materials. This lets you explore both the use of the resource and the shaping of the landscape as distinct topics.

A fossil-hunting and collecting area offers the chance to look for 180-million-year-old ammonites and other fossils, and to take finds home. The mining-themed playground offers a different kind of activity: its eight-metre-high play towers have climbing features and slides. The two activities have different focuses—searching and collecting here, climbing and playing there. Families can plan an outing around different interests, without everyone having to choose the same activity.

Memorial Trail and Nazi History

The approximately three-kilometre-long memorial trail explores the use of oil shale during the Nazi era. It leads to an oil-shale furnace memorial and an open-air exhibition. The exhibition is located in the former Wüste-Werk 7 substation and documents the fate of concentration camp prisoners, as well as Dormettingen’s history during this period. The trail connects the subject of oil shale with a specific act of historical remembrance; this history stands on its own and differs from the nature and leisure activities at SchieferErlebnis.

Hiking and Experiencing the Landscape

The Schlichem hiking trail runs from its source in Tieringen through Dormettingen to its mouth in Epfendorf. It follows a largely natural stream, passing waterfalls, rock formations, meanders, wet meadows, varied woodland, a gorge and floodplain habitats. The Schlichem hiking trail is described as 33 kilometres long in the wider Zollernalbkreis travel region. The area also has more than 100 signposted circular hiking trails, as well as long-distance and premium trails. When planning, you can therefore choose between an individual circular trail and longer hikes in the region.

If you are considering Dormettingen as a base for your accommodation, choose your itinerary according to your interests: the park combines landscape and raw-material themes, the memorial trail focuses on Nazi history, and the Schlichem hiking trail passes through a range of landscapes. Before your visit, consider which of these themes you would like to focus on during your stay.

Getting There and Finding Your Way

The nearest public transport stop for SchieferErlebnis is Mühle in Dormettingen. The site has more than 100 car parking spaces, three coach parking spaces and three accessible parking spaces. As operating information may change, it is advisable to check the latest details before visiting. The Schieferbahn connects Balingen with the Upper Schlichem Valley; Dotternhausen/Dormettingen is listed as a stop. Check current connections and timetables before travelling, too.

Discover more destinations: Laufen, Obernheim, Albstadt, Tieringen, Dotternhausen, Geislingen, Schömberg and Burladingen.

View the wider travel guide: Zollernalbkreis.