Todtnau Waterfalls

The Stübenbach falls below Todtnauberg over a series of granite steps totalling about ninety-seven metres, among the highest natural falls in Germany, with the main drop around sixty metres. A stepped path climbs beside the water with viewing platforms and a footbridge across the top. The flow varies considerably: spring snowmelt from the Feldberg massif produces the strongest water, while late summer can reduce it to a trickle. In hard winters the falls freeze and are climbed by ice climbers. Todtnau below has a claim in skiing history, with the first German ski club founded here in 1891.

What you actually see

• The stepped drop - about 97 metres over a series of granite ledges.
• The path and bridges - a climb beside the water with platforms.
• The seasonal flow - strong in snowmelt, thin in late summer.
• The winter ice - frozen falls used by ice climbers in cold years.

When to go

May to June for the strongest flow from snowmelt; autumn colour is good but water is lower. Winter ice is spectacular but the path is closed or dangerous.

Honest expectations

Flow can be disappointing in dry late summer. The path is steep with many steps and slippery when wet. Parking is paid.

Nearby

The Feldberg rises east; Freiburg lies northwest.