Höllental, or Hell Valley Gorge

Stag’s Leap

The Höllental is an imposing nine kilometer-long valley so steep and enclosed tightly by rocky slopes that some parts don’t see daylight until late-morning. It lies between Himmelreich and Hinterzarten, stretching east of Freiburg en route to lakeside town Titisee.

Rushing roadside stream

Though this passage isn’t considered hellish by modern standards, it was basically impassable until a railway was constructed in the early 1900’s. Until around the same time, there were no roads, only a mule path running alongside a creek.

The road cuts through tight spaces

Hirschsprung, or Stag’s Leap, is the narrowest point of the valley. Here, a male deer escaped hunters by leaping across the crevice. A bronze statue of a stag memorializes the story.

The best way to see the gorge is on a four-hour (each way) hike. We didn’t have enough time, so instead we saw as much as we could from the road.

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