Gernsbach-Kaltenbronn - raised moor

Kaltenbronn information center

The former forester's lodge on the Kaltenbronn now houses an information center about the Kaltenbronn moorland. The information center is a popular destination for hikers and school groups. Guided tours and events are offered year-round.

Kaltenbronn raised bog

The Kaltenbronn raised bog lies southeast of Gernsbach, above the district of Reichental, in the middle of a vast forest area in a pristine landscape of cirques and boulder fields. It belongs to the Gernsbach municipal forest.
The raised bog, situated at an altitude of over 900 meters, has been a nature reserve for over 60 years. Its development can be traced back approximately 10.000 years. 
These lakes are called raised bog pools. The Wildsee is the largest raised bog pool in Germany.
 
The raised bog landscape

At the end of the Ice Age, impermeable layers of Bunter sandstone, combined with high rainfall, led to the formation of marshes on the Kaltenbronn plateau. A fen initially developed. Only through the continuous thickening of the peat layer did it become a raised bog (which has nothing to do with the altitude). The peat layer has now grown to approximately 8 meters thick.
In a raised bog, the peat layer continues to grow. The upper layer of vegetation loses its connection to the groundwater. Only a few plant species can survive on the nutrient-poor rainwater alone, resulting in a species-poor but unique environment.

The Hohloh Tower

The Hohloh Tower, formerly called the Kaiser Wilhelm Tower, is located at 984 meters above sea level.
The original tower, built in 1856, was made of wood and stood 15 meters tall. The new tower, built in 1887, was constructed of stone and stood 20 meters tall. It was extended in 1968 due to the height of the surrounding trees and now measures 28,6 meters.
Hurricanes Wiebke (1991) and Lothar (2001) swept across Kaltenbronn and solved the problem in their own way. Today, the forest is growing back naturally, but the view from the tower is unobstructed in all directions.
Those who climb the tower are rewarded with a magnificent view over the Murg valley, the Black Forest and, in good visibility, as far as the Vosges Mountains in France or the Alps.

The tower is open daily from 09:00 AM to 18:00 PM.
Contact person: Mr. Herzig, Chairman of the Black Forest Association, Gernsbach local group, Tel. 07224 655590.

Hiking on the Kaltenbronn

Kaltenbronn, as the nature reserve is commonly known, is one of the most beautiful hiking areas in the Black Forest, despite or perhaps because of its protected status. The tranquility of the endless forests is particularly palpable along the shores of the lakes. The benches along the boardwalk offer a perfect vantage point to experience nature in all its splendor.

Through clever visitor management, information signs, the dismantling of some paths and the restriction to boardwalks with railings, the introduction of pollutants was limited despite high visitor numbers.

The Westweg, a Black Forest high-altitude trail from Pforzheim to Basel, passes directly by the moor on its second day's stage.

Raised bogs - a sensitive ecosystem

The plants of raised bogs are true "survival artists," as they have to cope with an extreme habitat: wet, acidic, nutrient-poor, and cool. Only a few "specialists" can thrive here. These include sphagnum mosses, bog rosemary, cotton grass, cranberry, and the bog hawker dragonfly.
Even the presence of lime dust on shoes can alter this system. For this reason, boardwalks were constructed and the calcareous material on the surrounding forest paths was replaced with low-lime gravel. Feeding the ducks or discarding food scraps is also prohibited. Any introduction of nutrients can change the ecosystem.

History of the nature reserve

The history of the raised bog can be traced back a long way.
Construction of the first road through the moor began as early as 1701.
In 1708 a facility for timber rafting was built, followed by a drainage system in 1829.
In the middle of the 19th century, part of the raised bog was burned and reforested.
There were also two attempts to use the moor for peat extraction, the last time in 1919.
In 1927/29, part of the moor was declared a protected forest, and in 2000 the moor was largely granted the status of a nature and forest reserve.
Today the protected area covers an area of ​​399 hectares, divided into the Wildseemoor nature reserve and the Hohlohsee nature reserve, and lies at an altitude of 880 to 980 meters above sea level.

Book recommendation about the raised bog, the forest and the imperial hunt 

Beautifully situated - behind the former grand ducal hunting lodge of 1869, which today houses the Kaltenbronn information centre, there has been a large display enclosure with native red deer since 1958.
A bench invites visitors to linger and observe the stag and hinds.
The path along the wildlife enclosure leads directly to the Wildsee moor.