Todtnau Waterfall

Above Todtnau, the Stübenbächle stream tumbles from a high valley into the Schönenbach valley with real force: over five steps the water drops a total of 97 m. The second-to-last step alone measures about 60 m, by far the highest single drop in Germany's low mountain ranges. Since 2023 you can also see the waterfall from above: the Blackforestline suspension bridge spans the valley at a height of up to 120 m.

Origins: a hanging valley from the Ice Age

The waterfall is a legacy of the Ice Ages. The massive glacier in the Schönenbach valley carved its valley much deeper than the small glacier from the Todtnauberg high valley. This left a hanging valley that breaks off into the main valley with a step of around 170 m. The hard rock there has since been worn by the stream into only small notches and falls.

Silver ore was mined in the area until the 18th century, and the slope is riddled with tunnels. One of them is called Hangloch, which gives the fall its second name, the Hangloch Waterfall. About 300 m east of the upper step lies the Schatzstein, a boulder carved with surveyors' marks that recorded the position of the old mines.

What to see

• The main drop: The stream falls about 60 m over a broad rock edge, partly free-falling, partly sliding. Footbridges cross the stream above and below.
• The upper steps: First two small falls in a rocky notch, then a thundering drop of around 12 m.
• The Blackforestline: The 450 m suspension bridge opened at Whitsun 2023. Its walkway is made of steel grating you can see through.
• The old beech: On the path from Aftersteg stands a beech tree around 300 years old, a former pasture tree and a protected natural monument in its own right.

Admission and opening hours (as of October 2026)

Entry to the waterfall alone costs €2.50, children €1.50. The combined ticket for bridge and waterfall costs €12, children aged 6 to 14 €9. The bridge is open all year: in September and October 9:00–19:30, in winter from November to March 9:00–16:30, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. It closes in storms or thunderstorms. Dogs are allowed on a short lead, and the operator recommends shoes with good tread rather than heels for the grated floor.

Allow an hour for the waterfall alone, or two to three hours with the bridge and a circular walk.

Getting there

The waterfall lies between the Todtnau villages of Todtnauberg and Aftersteg. There is parking next to the visitor centre at the western bridge entrance on Kurhausstraße towards Todtnauberg, with more spaces in Aftersteg at the waterfall entrance. By bus, take line 140 from Todtnau to the "Hangloch" stop. From the waterfall entrance to the bridge there is a climb of just over 100 m. The path from Aftersteg to the foot of the falls is step-free.

Tripto tip

Come after the spring snowmelt or after heavy rain, when the Stübenbächle carries the most water; in high summer the fall can be much thinner. Arrive early in the morning and you will have the footbridges and the bridge almost to yourself, since more than 500,000 people visit the falls every year.