Freiburg im Breisgau to Hinterzarten

28 km road cycling route624 m climbing2 h 01 minGPX

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany · Road

A mountainous 28 km road cycling route from Freiburg im Breisgau to Hinterzarten through Neuburg, Wiehre and Waldsee, with 624 m of climbing over the Falkensteig climb.

Retraced from the map Ridden by Marcus on Tuesday 8th September 2015; the recording was lost, so the line is the road between the day's towns, drawn from OpenStreetMap (the rider logged 39.6 km that day).

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At a glance

Best for: Short, climbing-heavy rides
Distance: 28.2 km; Point to point
Elevation gain: 624 m; 22 m per km
Riding time: 2 h 01 min; moving time, estimated
Difficulty: Moderate
Bike: Road bike; from the mapped surface
Surface: Paved; 99% paved · 1% unpaved
Traffic: Some main roads; 9.9 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 7.8 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 6.4 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water: Regular; 373 cafés and restaurants · 51 shops · 25 water points · 5 petrol stations · 28 public toilets · 71 bike shops
Best months: May to Sep; Freiburg im Breisgau climate, 10 years
Navigation: GPX download; free, no sign-in
Start → finish: Freiburg im Breisgau → Hinterzarten

Bilder aus Freiburg — Photo: joergens.mi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent: 624 m
Distance: 28 km

What it was like to ride

Marcus’s notes

Distance covered: 39.6km .

Yes. Not a misprint. A fairly miserable sub 40km day due to a mishap and a monster climb. We left Freiburg at around 11.30 with a quick stop to gather supplies. Donnie needed some serious gee-ing up as he may have had a premonition of what was to come. We had set a course for Donaueschingen, some 65km away, thinking that would make for a reasonably easy day. On the edge of Freiburg, a friendly cycle courier stopped and asked us if we needed any help. Maybe due to us being stopped yet again to compare Google Maps with Garmin. We had noticed heavy lorries beside us and mr friendly cyclist suggested we avoid the main roads and head into the forest [that being the famous Black Forest] and aim for a place called St. Peter. We thanked him and said it would be no issue, pointing to my phone and Google Maps.

Soon we were in the countryside with rolling hills on all sides. The gradient was gentle and we were thinking it may not be that hard after all. We continued to follow the now familiar green cycle signs thinking we had to be on the right route. Some distance up the climb we came to a house by the side of the busy road with a couple of chairs outside. Another stop to refuel Red Bull style before carrying on up the hill. This is where things started to head south [not quite literally]. The busy road continued to be busy. Very very busy. Even by Dubai standards, this was a scary road. Until that point we had a path by the side of the road but the path evaporated and we had to make a decision. I suggested the path would start again and we should just hop up the road and pretend the convoy of juggernauts was not really there. 5 minutes up the hill and we both decided this route was life-threatening. Something had clearly gone wrong.

We consulted Maps again. It was useless and I started to hate it. A pathway off to the left of the highway was spotted and we made a break across the road during a rare break in the madness. It was at this point Donny suggested we should head back down the hill and find another route. I pulled out my famous motto – “Always go forward. Never go back”. I spotted a smalll sign just at the tree line and it listed a few place names and suggested it was a walking trail. I found one of the place names on the map and it looked somewhat correct in terms of direction. My compatriot was not so keen but I promised it looked no more than a km away. The trail was steep so we had to push the bikes. Donny suggested that getting lost in the Black Forest might not be a good idea and it would be easy to lose the trail. Maybe I said bollox…let’s keep going. The path became increasingly less path-like, steeper, and covered in nettles and fallen trees. Did Donny again suggest we turn back?

He probably did… 5 or 6 times. Let’s go.. I said. Another sign appeared on a tree. By this point we were 20 minutes up the hill and I really did not fancy going back. Some debate followed about where the sign was pointing. We proceeded on foot up the mountain. Try pushing a bike with 20kg of pannier on the back. Not easy. I the checked the compass [Google Maps] and was shocked to find that we were going in the wrong direction! Ok. Donny wins. We turn back. Another 20 minutes passed and we were back at the main road feeling deflated. After a short cry we risked our lives once again and headed back down the mountain on the hill of doom.

Not too far back down we noticed a sign we had clearly missed on the way up. It was for the cutely named Titisee and it said it was off the main road to the left. It also showed a distance of 21km and a gradient of 7%. This turned into the climb from hell. It went on and on, and it wasn’t a nice tarmac surface either. The view was amazing, but a real grind to make it to the top. It took some considerable time, partly due to loss of traction on the slippy, rocky surface. With 950km already in the legs, it was a real battle. We reached the top, savoured the alpine air, and took off down the other side. 7-8km later we arrived in Hinterzarten. I looked up the hill to see a proper big hill ski jump, with summer training in progress. The sun was shining so we stopped for a beer. It was just very pleasant to be in the hills with the sun shining, after the exertions of hill climbing. There was every intention of pushing on for some more distance, but head and legs suggested otherwise. Hintrzarten is very pretty so this is where we laid our heads. Until the next time…

Photo goodness from Day 10

Route description

Freiburg im Breisgau
Neuburgkm 1
Wiehrekm 2
Waldseekm 4
Littenweilerkm 6
Neuhäuserkm 8
Burg am Waldkm 13
Blechschmiedekm 15
Falkensteig climbkm 19
Hinterzartenkm 28

The route starts in Freiburg im Breisgau passing through Old Town, Stühlinger, Neuburg, Wiehre, Oberau, Waldsee, Ebnet, Littenweiler, Neuhäuser, Kirchzarten, Burg am Wald, Himmelreich, Blechschmiede, Falkensteig, and finishes at Hinterzarten. It covers 28.2 km with a total elevation gain of 624 m, climbing from 279 m near the start up to a high point of 887 m close to the finish.

The climb begins past Falkensteig at 15.2 km with a 2.9 km section averaging 4.5% gradient. This is followed by a longer climb starting at 18.6 km over 8.5 km averaging 3.6% gradient. The road surface is 99% paved with a small 1% gravel portion. The route uses a mix of main roads (35%), roads with cycle lanes (17%), paths (17%), minor roads (15%), quiet streets (8%), and cycle paths (6%).

There are 9.9 km on main roads without cycle lanes and 7.8 km on roads with speed limits of 80 km/h or higher. The longest named road is the B 31 for 11 km. Facilities along the route include cafés near km 1.9 and 6, shops and water sources scattered at various points, and bike shops at 2.1 km and 10.4 km. The longest stretch without café, shop or water is 6.3 km from 16.7 km to 23 km. There are stations at Himmelreich (14.4 km) and Hinterzarten (27.9 km). Toilets are available near the start, at 10.5 km, 23.1 km, and 27.4 km.

Why ride this route?

Climbs the Falkensteig climb (8.5 km at 3.6 %).
Tops out at 887 m, 27.1 km in.

Highlights

Climbs averaging 4.5% and 3.6% gradients
Passes through Freiburg im Breisgau old town
Longest named road is B 31 for 11 km
Ends near Hinterzarten station

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

Oberau 3 km
Waldsee 4.4 km
Ebnet 5.8 km
Littenweiler 6.1 km
Neuhäuser 8.1 km
Kirchzarten 11.2 km
Burg am Wald 13 km
Himmelreich 14.4 km
Blechschmiede 15.1 km
Falkensteig 16 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
Climb	Starts at	On this ride	Full ascent	Top on this ride
Unnamed climb	15.2 km	2.9 km · 131 m · 4.5 % · max 8.7 %	—	595 m
Falkensteig climb	18.6 km	8.5 km · 308 m · 3.6 % · max 6.9 %	8.5 km · 308 m · 3.6 %	887 m

High point 887 m at 27.1 km; low point 279 m.

On this ride: the part this route climbs, cut from its own elevation profile. Full ascent: the whole named climb, measured the same way on every ride that uses it (its climb page).

Falkensteig climb · full ascent, starts at 18.6 km

8.5 km at 3.6% · 308 m

< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Expect stretches on main roads without a cycle lane (9.9 km in all) between quieter sections.

Roads: 35% main road · 17% road with cycle lane · 17% path · 15% minor road · 16% other roads and tracks
Main roads: 9.9 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads: 7.8 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths: 6.4 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used: B 31 (11 km)
Surface: Paved: 99% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved.
Gradient: 59% climbing · 2% descending · 39% flat
Steep sections: 2.2 km over 5% · 0.4 km over 8% · steepest 500 m averages 18.2% at 0 km

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 373 cafés and restaurants, 51 shops, 25 water points, 5 petrol stations, 28 public toilets and 71 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

0 kmBerthold-Schwarz-Brunnen · drinking water · on the route
0.2 kmToilets · 50 m off route
1.7 kmSchwabentor-Apotheke · pharmacy · 50 m off route
1.9 kmCafé Ruef · café · on the route
2.1 kmAral · petrol station · 190 m off route
3.5 kmDrinking water · 220 m off route
6.3 kmEdeka Rees · supermarket · 200 m off route
10.4 kmFahrrad Wunderle · bike shop · on the route
10.5 kmBäckerei Steimle · bakery · on the route
10.5 kmToilets · 110 m off route
10.6 kmApotheke St. Gallus · pharmacy · 110 m off route
13.5 kmMercado, spanische Spezialitäten · supermarket · 30 m off route
16.7 kmKöhlerbrunnen · spring · 90 m off route
23 kmBiergarten · fast food · 80 m off route
26.5 kmShell · petrol station · 80 m off route
27.3 kmBeckesepp Supermarkt · supermarket · 70 m off route
27.4 kmToilets · on the route
27.9 kmFischer's Bäckerstüble · bakery · on the route

Need to bail out?

1.2 km — Talstation Schlossbergbahn (halt), 40 m off route
14.4 km — Himmelreich (station), 100 m off route
27.9 km — Hinterzarten (station), 160 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

0 km — Altes Rathaus (attraction)
5.5 km — Schloß Ebnet (castle)
10.6 km — Dreisambad (attraction)
17.5 km — Burg Falkenstein (castle)

Stay after this ride

Oskar‘s Chalets Hinterzarten · apartment · 260 m from the finish
Hotel Zartenbach · hotel · 240 m from the finish
Hotel Silberdistel · hotel · 350 m from the finish
Gästehaus Zepf · apartment · 150 m from the finish
Schwarzwaldhof · hotel · 160 m from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Freiburg im Breisgau. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Water: Berthold-Schwarz-Brunnen (20 m)
Food and coffee: Eiscafe Lazzarin (30 m), China Jiangnan tea house (60 m), Stadtbäckerei Dreher (150 m)
Shops: Alnatura Super Natur Markt (210 m)

At the finish

Trains and ferries: Hinterzarten (190 m)
Food and coffee: No 5 (50 m), Fischer's Bäckerstüble (70 m), Kurhaus-Café (120 m)

Know before you go

Longest 6.3 km stretch without café, shop or water from km 16.7 to 23
9.9 km on main roads without cycle lane
7.8 km on roads with speed limit 80 km/h or more
Gravel or unpaved sections 1%

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

9 photographs from the road

Photo: joergens.mi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Chondriammos · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Baden de · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: jörgens.mi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Stage of

Rotterdam to Budapest

About this route

Ridden by: Marcus
Date ridden: Tuesday 8th September 2015
Route line: Retraced from OpenStreetMap between the day’s towns - the GPS recording was lost.
Elevation: Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services: Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months: Ten years of ERA5 weather for Freiburg im Breisgau (Open-Meteo).
GPX: Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added: Sunday 30th August 2026
Page last updated: Sunday 13th September 2026

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Freiburg im Breisgau to Hinterzarten