Top 20 Natural Monuments around Bad Rippoldsau-Schapbach

The silted-up, originally almost circular lake now resembles a three-fingered hand. The south-southwest-facing "fingers" are between 80 and 110 meters long, and the northern "palm" has a diameter of approximately 40 meters. The body of water, mostly covered by floating vegetation, has a maximum diameter of just under 150 meters. Like all cirque lakes, the Ellbachsee was formed by glaciers. The last deepening of the lake basin occurred during the Würm glaciation, which ended in the Black Forest about 10,000 years ago. The Ellbachsee and its surroundings are designated as a natural monument (7.1 hectares), a geotope, and a protected forest. Source: Wikipedia

The Ellbachsee in the municipality of Baiersbronn was designated as an extensive natural monument in 1937. The protected area covers a total area of approximately 7.1 hectares. The water area is surrounded by a Bultenmoor; it forms an independent biotope for many endangered animal and plant species. Because of its high sensitivity to being stepped on, you should avoid walking on it so that this habitat is not destroyed. Compared to the other karst lakes in the Black Forest, the Ellbachsee is not particularly deep at 1 to 2 meters. Its length is approximately 190 meters and its width is approximately 40 meters. At just 0.34 hectares, the open water area is the smallest of the karst lakes in the northern Black Forest. It has now become increasingly silted up, which is reflected in a silted area of 1.16 hectares. Some downy birch trees have already settled on the peat island floating on it. The lake has a narrow outlet and breaks through the moraine. It flows into the Guten Ellbach, which flows into the Murg in Baiersbronn Mitteltal.

The Ellbachsee is home to a floating peat island, elves and water spirits 🧚‍♀️🧚‍♂️. This is probably one of the reasons why it is designated as a natural monument worthy of protection.

The lake was created around 10,000 years ago when a glacier melted, but disappeared again 3,000 years ago. In 1980/81 a natural dam was created here again. This has created a beautiful leisure and nature reserve where you can enjoy taking a longer break. Nice seating on the drainage side and a large barbecue area by the waterfall.

The Sankenbachsee is a former karst lake southwest of Baiersbronn. It silted up around 3,000 years ago and could be artificially dammed up again because it lies below the Sankenbach waterfalls and is flowed through by the Sankenbach. In the 1980s, a low barrage was built at the outflow of the Sankenbach to protect the lake from silting up. Source: Wikipedia

Big spacious cabin. Very inviting to rest. Was clean and tidy. Tables and benches in front of the hut and an intact fountain.

I recommend hiking the All Saints Falls from the bottom to the top; they look more spectacular this way, as you always have the falls in front of you. They are particularly impressive in spring and after prolonged rains; after extended dry periods, they are far less beautiful. In winter, the path, if passable at all, is often icy and not without danger. In summer, it is pleasantly cool here.

The Sankenbach waterfall, which plunges 40 meters through a Karwand step and is triggered by manually opening the wooden sluice, offers an impressive natural spectacle. Here visitors can intervene in nature themselves and let the waterfall swell. You open the slide with the wooden lever. The dammed water of the water basin then rushes into the valley.