Notschrei (from Staufen im Breisgau)
Category 120 km
Distance
980 m
Elevation Gain
4.9%
Average Gradient
11%
Max Gradient
The Notschrei pass (1,112m) is the Black Forest's longest and most gradual southern approach — a 20km ascent from the wine town of Staufen im Breisgau at 280m that rises through the Münstertal and Wiedener Eck in long, sweeping curves rather than tight switchbacks, accumulating 980m of elevation with the characteristic patience of a German mountain road. The gradient averages 4.9% but the consistency across 20km means the total effort is comparable to steeper, shorter climbs. The road passes through several distinct landscape zones: the Staufen wine country and cherry orchards below 500m, transitioning to mixed deciduous forest through the Klemmbach valley, and finally the upper open pasture and spruce forest of the Belchen massif. The Notschrei summit connects directly to the inner Black Forest ridge network — the Feldbergstraße and the high-level Schwarzwald-Hochstrasse — making it a natural gateway for longer ridge traversals.
Pro Tip
Notschrei is the ideal base for a full Black Forest Hauptkamm traverse — ascending from Staufen, riding the ridge-level connecting roads north toward Feldberg and Titisee, and descending via the Höllental gorge back toward Freiburg. This 110km route with 1,600m of climbing constitutes the finest single-day traverse of the southern Black Forest and is achievable for fit riders in a summer day of 5-6 hours riding. The Höllental gorge descent is one of Germany's most dramatic — a narrow rock slot 100m deep with the railway threading alongside the road.
Part of
Cycling in Black Forest