Schnapsbrunnenweg: How to Hike the Schnapps Trail in Germany’s Black Forest

Planning a trip to Germany’s Black Forest and want a hike with a little more personality than a loop through the trees? The Schnapsbrunnenweg in Sasbachwalden might be exactly what you’re looking for.

A few years ago, when we were stationed in Poland, one of my husband’s coworkers brought a bottle of schnapps to a party. It was some of the best schnapps I’ve ever had. When I asked where it came from, he told me about a hiking trail in the Black Forest lined with schnapps fountains.

Oh, and did I mention it was cinnamon apple?

I’ve been chasing that high ever since. This October, on a road trip from Belgium to Oberammergau, I finally told my husband and his cousin we were stopping in Sasbachwalden. No ifs, ands, or buts.

I made a few planning mistakes, so you don’t have to. And I found a Black Forest hike that’s a genuinely good outing for families, solo female hikers, and anyone who wants a taste of the Black Forest. Literally.

In this guide, you’ll find:

• Which loop to hike, Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 or 2
• How the honor-system schnapps fountains work, and what a shot costs
• The route stop by stop, including the four fountains we visited
• Where to park and where to stay, with real prices
• The ID problem American visitors should know about before they go

This guide covers the Schnapsbrunnenweg in Sasbachwalden. Neighboring villages like Ottenhöfen and Kappelrodeck have schnapps fountains on their own trails, which aren’t covered here.

What Is the Schnapsbrunnenweg?

The Schnapsbrunnenweg, which translates to “schnapps fountain trail,” is a pair of circular hiking routes in Sasbachwalden, a wine and distilling village on the western edge of the northern Black Forest. Black Forest Tourism opens its route description with a line that sums up the idea: cars need fuel, horses need oats, and hikers need…?

The answer is a Schnapsbrunnen. Sasbachwalden has more than ten of these self-service schnapps fountains spread across two signed loops. Each is a stone or wooden basin with cold mountain spring water running through it, which keeps the bottles inside chilled. Local families and guesthouses stock them with their own fruit schnapps, liqueurs, and cider, and most also offer non-alcoholic drinks.

You walk, you stop, you pour yourself a small glass, and you leave your money in the box. It’s an honor system , and don’t you dare think about bolting– they have video cameras.

Here’s what you need to know to decide whether the Schnapsbrunnenweg is worth it for you.

Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 or 2: Which Loop Should You Hike?

Sasbachwalden has two Schnapsbrunnenweg loops, and both start in the village.

Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 is the northern loop and the one I hiked. It’s about 7.4 km (4.6 miles) with 281 meters of climbing, and Black Forest Tourism rates it easy. It climbs through the Gaishöll waterfalls, passes six fountains, and returns through the vineyards into the village. Plan on about 2 hours and 10 minutes of walking, plus time at the fountains.

Schnapsbrunnenweg 2 is the southern loop, at about 12 km. It covers more distance and more climbing, with viewpoints over the Rhine valley, including the Hörchenberg lookout. AllTrails lists it at about 8 miles with roughly 1,700 feet of gain and 4 to 4.5 hours of hiking.

How to choose: Pick Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 if you’re short on time, stopping partway through a driving day like we were, or hiking with kids or mixed fitness levels. Pick Schnapsbrunnenweg 2 if you want a full day on the trail, bigger views, and more distance between fountains, which makes pacing yourself much easier.

Schnapsbrunnenweg Map

Both loops are waymarked with a bottle symbol and the route number, but it helps to have a Schnapsbrunnenweg map on your phone, especially for the one turnoff inside the waterfalls. Here’s my Komoot track of Schnapsbrunnenweg 1. The official route map is on the Black Forest Tourism page linked in the sources at the end of this post.

Why Hike the Schnapsbrunnenweg in Sasbachwalden?

There are countless hikes in the Black Forest with great views but this one combines hiking with local distilling culture.

In about 7 km, you climb past the Gaishöll waterfalls on steps and footbridges, come out above the forest onto open hillside, and get beautiful views of the Rhein, then walk back down through vineyards into a village of half-timbered houses.

Each one is run by a local family or guesthouse, and the selection changes from stop to stop, so it’s an easy way to taste what’s actually made in Sasbachwalden without booking a distillery tour.

It also works for a wide range of hikers:

• Families: Most fountains stock soft drinks, Haus Zink has a small playground, and Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 is short enough for kids.
• Solo female hikers: The route is well signed, much of it follows paved lanes and gravel paths close to the village, and it’s a popular trail, so you’re rarely far from other hikers.
• Road trippers: Sasbachwalden is just off the A5 near Achern, so it fits into a driving day between the Benelux or northern France and Bavaria or Switzerland, just as it did for us.

For more on hiking alone, check out my solo hiker’s guide to Lago di Sorapis in the Dolomites.

How the Schnapps Fountains Work (and How to Pay)

The system is simple once you’ve seen it. At each schnapps fountain:

• Read the sign. Most fountains post a price list, along with youth protection notices required under Baden-Württemberg law.
• Choose your drink. Small bottles sit in the running spring water. Some fountains also have a cabinet or a fridge.
• Pour your own shot. Some fountains leave glasses out, but the tourist office recommends bringing your own small glass.
• Pay in the cash box. There’s no staff and no card reader, so bring coins and small bills.
• Sit for a while if you like. Several fountains have benches or picnic tables with a view.

Some stops offer more than schnapps. At the Decker family’s fountain, we found a fridge stocked with beer, other drinks, and soft drinks, plus pretzels and chips.

Something to take note of is that the schnapps stops are listed as open year-round and stocked year-round, though a few may be empty in snow or frost.

The Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 Route, Stop by Stop

Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 is marked with a sign showing a bottle and the number 1. The official route starts at the Kurhaus “Zum Alde Gott” in the upper Kurpark.

1. Kurhaus to the waterfalls. From the upper Kurpark, the path climbs past the swimming pool and follows paved lanes up Murbergstraße, past the Fässlewirt restaurant and the hikers’ car park, to the lower entrance of the Gaishöll waterfalls.

The Gaishöll Waterfalls (Sasbachwalden Wasserfälle)

The Gaishöll waterfalls, known locally as the Sasbachwalden Wasserfälle, are the most dramatic stretch of the Schnapsbrunnenweg and its one real climb. The trail follows stone steps and wooden footbridges up a narrow, wooded gorge beside the falls. My Komoot track flagged the steepest grade at 38% through this section, and in October rain the falls had a bit of power behind them, and the steps were slick, so take your time.

About halfway up, at a covered seating area called Gaishöll-Mitte, the route turns left toward Murberg. It’s the only turnoff inside the waterfalls, so watch for it.

If you only have an hour, you can walk up through the falls from the hikers’ car park and back without doing the full loop.

For another easy waterfall hike, check out my guide to hiking to the Cascate Saent, a fall hike near the Dolomites.

2. Fischer’s fountain. Soon after you leave the forest, the first schnapps fountain appears on the left, with seating and a wide view over the vineyards. This was our first stop.

3. Rösch’s fountain. The next fountain is at Gästehaus Rösch, on the right. We walked past this one to save time, but it’s listed as a self-service stop open around the clock.

4. Brenner Decker (detour). Level with the RelaxHotel Tannenhof, a short path drops about 50 meters to the Decker family’s fountain, and it’s worth the detour. Along with the schnapps, they keep a fridge stocked with beer, soft drinks, and snacks like pretzels and chips. This is where we bought a €3 schnapps cup, since we hadn’t brought our own. Also note the video cameras. The honor system works because people pay, so drop your coins in the box.

5. Haus Zink. About 200 meters farther, Haus Zink has covered seating, a small playground, and a public toilet. This is also the stop with the schnapps vending machine and the ID check that didn’t work for us (more on that below).

6. The farm fountain and the Fatima Grotte. One more fountain sits on the right at the farm, just before the narrow path down to the Fatima Grotte. This was our fourth stop, and where we turned around.

7. Back through the vineyards (the half we didn’t hike). Past the grotto, the official route climbs through orchard meadows, crosses to the edge of the neighboring village of Lauf, and returns through the Bachmatt vineyards into Sasbachwalden. There’s one more fountain on the way back, the “City Schnapsbrunnen,” tucked beside a small bridge off Talstraße near the end of the loop.

A Warning for American Visitors: The ID Machine

My Schnapsbrunnenweg Experience

I’ll be honest: I didn’t plan this one well. I got confused about where to stay, the hotels close to Sasbachwalden were more expensive than I expected, and by the time we’d sorted out a room and driven in, it was late afternoon on October 17. We had dinner reservations at 7 p.m., and it was raining.

We didn’t have time for the full loop, and we didn’t really want to do it in the rain.

We decided early to go as far as we could comfortably and then turn around.

The climb up through the Gaishöll waterfalls was the most work of the day, but it’s short.

Once we came out of the forest, Fischer’s fountain appeared with a view over the vineyards.

Over our four fountains, I tried mirabelle plum schnapps, raspberry schnapps, apple schnapps (Apfelschnaps), and Eierlikör, a creamy German egg liqueur. Mirabelle is a small yellow plum grown in this part of Europe, and fruit brandies like these are what Black Forest distillers are known for, so it felt right to try them straight from the source.

The other thing I learned quickly is that you have to pace yourself. I could hardly handle the alcohol content anyways (they range from 25% and higher)

The shots are small, but the fountains come close together on the first half of the route, and it adds up faster than you’d think on a steep, wet trail.

We also had one designated driver, who stopped at one shot because we had to drive to dinner afterward. If you’re arriving by car, decide who’s driving before you reach the first fountain.

We reached the farm fountain above the Fatima Grotte, walked down to the grotto, and turned back the way we came, for about 4 miles out and back. This is where we had some delicious Eierlikor, which reminded me of a bombardino.

Would I do it again? Yes, with a better plan. I’d book a room in Sasbachwalden well ahead of time, start in the late morning, and leave enough time to finish the loop through the vineyards on a dry day. With that kind of planning, the Schnapsbrunnenweg makes a fun half-day in the Black Forest.

How Much Does the Schnapsbrunnenweg Cost?

Hiking the Schnapsbrunnenweg is free, and you don’t need to register. You only pay for what you drink, and each fountain sets its own prices.

Most of the schnapps we tried cost €2.00 a shot.

We hadn’t brought our own glasses, so we paid €3.00 for a schnapps cup at Brenner Decker.

Bottles in the Haus Zink vending machine ran a bit more than that. if you can get past the ID check.

For a realistic budget, plan on about €2 per shot, plus €3 for a cup if you don’t bring your own. Four shots and a cup come to about €11 per person.

Money-saving tip: Bring your own small glass and a pocket full of coins. The tourist office recommends both, the honor boxes take cash only, and your own glass saves you the €3 cup.

How to Get to Sasbachwalden and Where to Park

Sasbachwalden is about 10 minutes from the Achern exit on the A5.

• From Achern, follow the L86 toward the Schwarzwaldhochstraße (Black Forest High Road).
• As you drive into Sasbachwalden, you’ll pass the Alde Gott winery.
• About 800 meters later, turn left into the large swimming pool car park (Schwimmbadparkplatz).
• The Schnapsbrunnenweg starts a short walk away at the Kurhaus “Zum Alde Gott.”

Parking near the Kurhaus “Zum Alde Gott” is metered.

I can’t remember the exact rate, but the system was easy to use: you can usually pay through a parking app on your phone, and if you don’t have the app, the meter takes coins.

One more reason to bring a pocket full of change for this hike.

We drove in from Belgium as the first stop on a road trip to Oberammergau. The Schnapsbrunnenweg is an easy day trip from the Kaiserslautern or Stuttgart area.

Where to Stay in Sasbachwalden

This is where I’d plan ahead. Rooms in and right around Sasbachwalden were more expensive than I expected in mid-October, and prices likely shift with the season, especially around the wine harvest, festivals, and holidays. If you want to walk to the trailhead, book early.

We stayed at Gasthof und Pension zum Kreuz in Lautenbach, a traditional guesthouse in the neighboring Rench valley, a short drive from Sasbachwalden.

We paid $217 for two rooms, about $108 per room for the night, which made it the most affordable option we found. If you have a car, staying in a nearby village like this is an easy way to keep costs down.

Next time, I’d stay in Sasbachwalden itself so I could walk straight to the trail:

• Schmuckkästle is the one I wish I’d booked. It’s closer to the trail than where we stayed, and it caught my eye from the outside. It’s the group splurge, at about $284 a night when I checked in August of 2026.
• RelaxHotel Tannenhof sits right on Schnapsbrunnenweg 1, by the Brenner Decker fountain detour, so you can start hiking from the door. Rooms were about $128 a night.
• Renatas Ferienwohnung ISABEL is a holiday apartment close to the starting point, at about $117 a night, a good fit if you want your own space and kitchen.

What to Pack for This Black Forest Hike

You don’t need technical gear for Schnapsbrunnenweg 1, but a few things make this Black Forest hike much more comfortable:

• A light rain jacket. In October, we needed one for the whole hike.
• Sturdy hiking shoes. The tourist office recommends sturdy footwear, and the waterfall steps get slippery. These are the hiking shoes I wear.
• Trekking poles (optional). There’s only one big climb, but poles help on wet steps, especially coming back down if you turn around like we did.
• Water. Pace yourself with water as well as schnapps. A Camelbak makes it easy.
• A small daypack or sling. You’ll want somewhere for coins, your glass, and any bottles you buy. I like this North Face sling.
• Sunglasses for a clear day. My Goodr sunglasses go on every hike because they don’t slip.
• Coins and a small glass. This is the one thing the tourist office specifically tells you to bring.

Tips for Hiking the Schnapsbrunnenweg

• Start earlier than we did. Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 takes about 2 hours and 10 minutes of walking, not including time at the fountains.
• Pick a designated driver. Settle it before the first fountain.
• Pace yourself. The first half of Route 1 has the most fountains close together.
• Check the weather. The waterfall section is fine in the rain, just slow, and the views are better on a clear day.
• Visiting in winter? Most fountains are stocked year-round, but some may be empty in snow or frost. If you’re in the Black Forest in December, the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market is about two hours south by car.
• Hiking with a group of 20 or more? The tourist office asks larger groups to notify Tourist-Info Sasbachwalden so fountain owners can stock up.
• Bringing kids? Most fountains stock non-alcoholic drinks, and Germany’s youth protection rules apply to the alcohol.
• Best for: families, couples, friends, and solo hikers who want an easy half-day Black Forest hike with a local twist.

Looking for more easy day hikes? Check out my guide to easy day hikes in the Dolomites, including Val Venegia.

Schnapsbrunnenweg FAQ

Do you need to book or register to hike the Schnapsbrunnenweg?

No. You can hike it anytime without registration.

How long is the Schnapsbrunnenweg?

Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 is about 7.4 km (4.6 miles) with 281 meters of climbing and takes around 2 hours and 10 minutes without stops. Schnapsbrunnenweg 2 is about 12 km.

Is the Schnapsbrunnenweg difficult?

Black Forest Tourism rates Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 easy. The only real climb is through the Gaishöll waterfalls, which is short but steep.

If you’re using day hikes like this one to build up to a multi-day trek, here’s how I train for hut-to-hut hikes.

How do you pay at the schnapps fountains?

In cash, using the honor box at each fountain. Most shots cost about €2.

Is the Schnapsbrunnenweg open in winter?

Most fountains are stocked year-round, but some may be empty in snow or frost.

Can you hike the Schnapsbrunnenweg in the rain?

Yes, we did. Wear a rain jacket and shoes with good grip, and give yourself extra time on the waterfall steps.

Is the Schnapsbrunnenweg good for kids?

Yes. Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 is short, most fountains sell soft drinks, and Haus Zink has a small playground.

Why the Schnapsbrunnenweg Is One of the Most Fun Hikes in the Black Forest

The Schnapsbrunnenweg is a fun, leisurely way to enjoy the Black Forest.

You climb past waterfalls, come out onto vineyard hillsides with views over the Rhine valley, and every so often find a fountain of cold spring water stocked with local schnapps and a cash box that runs on trust.

It’s short enough for families, well signed and busy enough for solo female hikers, and easy to fit into a road trip day. Even in the rain, with a late start and only half the route done, the Schnapsbrunnenweg is a highlight of visiting the black forest.

So, did I find my cinnamon apple schnapps? No. But I got to do a genuinely interesting hike, taste mirabelle, raspberry, and apple schnapps straight from the spring-water fountains, and finally cross off something I’d been talking about since Poland. The cinnamon apple is still out there, which gives me a good reason to come back and hike Schnapsbrunnenweg 2.

Plan your stay early, bring coins and a small glass, pick your driver, and give yourself a full afternoon.

More Black Forest and Germany Guides

Planning more time in this part of Germany? These are the guides I’d read next.

• 4-Day Bavaria Itinerary, castles, the Alps and Munich, the next stop on the same road trip
• Ravenna Gorge Torchlight Hike, another Black Forest hike, this one after dark
• Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market Guide, a Black Forest Christmas market set in a gorge
• Where to Stay for the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market, where to base yourself for the market
• 7-Day Lake Constance Christmas Market Itinerary, for a longer trip in southern Germany
• Lindau Christmas Market Guide, the harbor market on Lake Constance
• Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen, my honest take on whether it’s worth a stop
• 5 Short and Easy Outings Near Ramstein and Kaiserslautern, if you’re stationed in the KMC
• All of my Germany travel guides
• All of my hiking guides, from day hikes to hut-to-hut treks

Research and Sources

This guide is based on my own hike of Schnapsbrunnenweg 1 on October 17, 2026, out and back from the Kurhaus to the Fatima Grotte. Route details, fountain locations, and seasonal notes come from the following sources:

• Black Forest Tourism: Schnapsbrunnenweg 1
• My Komoot track of Schnapsbrunnenweg 1
• AllTrails: Schnapsbrunnenweg 2 (Route 2 distance and elevation)