At 1.414 meters high, the Belchen in the Black Forest is not the highest mountain in the region, but it is one of the most impressive. Its striking shape and breathtaking panoramic views make the Belchen one of the most popular excursion destinations in the entire Black Forest.
Geographical location
The Belchen is located in the southern Black Forest in Baden-Württemberg, about 35 kilometers south of Freiburg. The surrounding communities Kleines Wiesental, Munster Valley, Schonau and Todtnau offer numerous opportunities for leisure activities and accommodation of all categories.
geology and landscape
The landscape of the Belchen is characterized by its jagged, uninterrupted rock faces that rise 1.000 meters from the Munster Valley. Its north face is thus the area with the highest relief energy in the German low mountain ranges. But the mountain also drops steeply in the south, its crags sinking 800 meters into the valley floor of the small meadow near Neuenweg.
The Ice Age glaciation of the Belchen region did not leave such clear traces as on Feldberg. Small avalanche glaciers formed in the north and south maximum expansion reached the edge of the Black Forest.
Flora and fauna
Due to its rare flora and fauna, the Belchen was declared a nature reserve in 1949. The area was expanded to 1993 hectares in 1.600 and is now part of the Southern Black Forest Nature Park. Many species of rare butterflies, beetles and birds can be found here. Typical bird species include the raven, the song thrush, the brimstone, the dipper and the peregrine falcon as well as the capercaillie.
Belchenhaus and cable car
The Belchenhaus, which is only a few meters below the summit at 1.360 meters above sea level, is the highest inn in the Black Forest. The summit has been car-free since 2001, but can still be easily reached with the Belchenbahn or, of course, on foot or by bike. The Belchen cable car offers barrier-free boarding and alighting at the upper and lower stations.
hiking and sports
For hikers, the Belchensteig, a certified premium hiking trail. This challenging 15 km circular tour (walking time approximately 5-6 hours) starts in the traditional way at the Wiedener Eck, leads via Multen and the Belchenhaus to the 1.414 m high summit, and combines a variety of landscape aspects in a varied tour.
For less ambitious hikers, the Summit Circular Trail is an easy 30-minute (1,2 km) tour with spectacular views, accessible from the mountain station. The route over the steep northern flank of the Belchen is particularly impressive, while rest areas and numerous viewpoints invite you to linger.
In addition to these tours, the Westweg with its 285km over the top of the mountain.
In total, around 200 km of marked hiking trails open up the region around the “most beautiful mountain in the Black Forest” and offer the right route for every requirement – from easy strolls to challenging mountain tours.
Winter sports on the Belchen
In winter, the Belchen turns into a popular ski resort.
Lifts and slopes
The Belchen ski area has:
- 1 Elevator: The Belchen gondola, which provides comfortable access to the slopes
- 8 km of slopes total, divided into:
- 6 km of easy slopes (75% of the total slope area)
- 2 km of intermediate slopes (25% of the total slope area)
- No difficult slopes
- Additionally there is 8 km of ski routes for skiers who want to ski off the groomed slopes
The ski area is located at an altitude of between 1.100 and 1.363 meters above sea level, with an altitude difference of 263 meters.
The Belchen also ends the 100km long-distance ski trail from Schonach via Hinterzarten, Feldberg, Notschrei to Belchen.
panoramic view
One of the highlights of the Belchen is undoubtedly the panoramic view, which extends to the Alps, the Vosges and the Rhine Valley when visibility is good. The sight is particularly impressive at sunrise or sunset, when the sun's light bathes the landscape in a golden light.
The Belchen system
The Belchen system is a fascinating astronomical constellation of five mountains called “Belchen” in the border triangle of Germany, France, and Switzerland, which probably served the Celts as a solar calendar over 2000 years ago. The center is the Belchen in Alsace (1247 m) in the Vosges Mountains, from which the other four Belchen mountains have a precise astronomical alignment: the sun rises over the Belchen in the Black Forest (1414 m) in the east at the equinoxes (beginning of spring and autumn), over the Kleiner Belchen (1272 m) in the northeast at the summer solstice, over the Swiss Belchen (1099 m) in the southeast at the winter solstice, and over the Grosser Belchen (1424 m), the highest mountain in the Vosges, on May 1st, which coincides with the Celtic holiday of Beltane. The probability that these five mountains were named "Belchen" by chance is extremely low, which is why local historians have linked the name to the Celtic god of light, Belenus. This unique geographical constellation allowed the Celts to precisely determine the beginning of all four astronomical seasons from the Alsatian Belchen, making the Belchen system a remarkable prehistoric solar observatory.
Conclusion
Whether you are an enthusiastic hiker, a passionate mountain biker or a winter sports fan – the Belchen in Black Forest offers an unforgettable experience in every seasonWith its breathtaking views, its diverse flora and fauna and its diverse sports and leisure opportunities, the Belchen is an absolute must-see for every visitor to the Black Forest.
