Hofsgrund – Mining, Trails and Winter Sports

Most of Hofsgrund lies at elevations above 1,000 metres, stretching south from the summit of Schauinsland to Notschrei Pass. If you are looking for a hotel in Hofsgrund, you can plan your stay around the area’s local themes: the history of farms and mining, trails and herbal knowledge, or seasonal winter sports.

Farm History and Mining

The Schniederlihof was built in 1593 and opened as a museum in 1972. Another historical highlight is the Schauinsland Mining Museum. Its network of underground workings was created over more than 800 years in Schauinsland in the search for silver, lead and zinc. It is about 100 kilometres long, extends over 22 levels and is the largest in the Black Forest and the Vosges. It also features the mining periods typical of metal ore mining.

The Steiber Research Group operates the Schauinsland Mining Museum. If you are planning a visit, check the current visitor arrangements in advance. This will ensure that planning for this special insight into mining history takes account of the visitor arrangements in force at the time.

Trails and Herbal Knowledge

A signposted, easy-to-walk footpath leads from the church in Hofsgrund to the Schniederlihof, a distance of 750 metres. The herb discovery trail begins about 300 metres beyond the Mining Museum and runs via the England Monument and the Eaton Cross to the Schniederlihof. The trails differ in their route information: the footpath is described by its starting point at the church, signposting and length, while the herb trail passes two other notable landmarks.

Guided tours and seminars on the variety of local herbs and medicinal plants are offered along the herb discovery trail. These include two- and three-hour tours from May to October. Tour dates may change. If you are planning a guided tour, check the specific dates before travelling. The footpath from the church is described as an easy-to-walk route; the guided tours and seminars, by contrast, focus on herbs and medicinal plants.

Seasonal Winter Sports

Four ski lifts in Hofsgrund offer winter sports opportunities on the 1,284-metre-high Schauinsland. The lifts operate seasonally. There is also a sports shop right in Hofsgrund that rents out ski and snowboard equipment; rental availability may vary by season. If you are planning to use the lifts and rent equipment during your trip, check seasonal operations and rental availability in advance.

Oberried as a Wider Travel Destination

In the wider travel destination of Oberried, the 12.2-kilometre Felsenweg quality hiking trail leads from Oberried through an impressive rocky landscape at an altitude of around 1,000 metres and down into the unspoilt St. Wilhelmer Tal. Along the way, there are panoramic views of the Dreisamtal as well as Schauinsland, Stübenwasen and Feldberg. The Felsenweg thus adds a distinct hiking highlight to the wider travel destination of Oberried.

Also in Oberried, the Erlenbach grazing trail explains how grazing livestock enriches and maintains the cultural landscape, thereby helping to preserve particularly protected habitats. The Schädelwäg mountain bike trail is suitable only for technically skilled mountain bikers, as its steep sections cannot be bypassed. The traditional cattle drive is a cultural highlight of Alemannic Week in Oberried.

For the wider travel overview: Oberried.