DonauWelle: Donauversickerung (Danube Sinkhole) - Hiking in the Donautal
DonauWelle: Donauversickerung (Danube Sinkhole) - Hiking in the Donautal
4.7
(359)
1,201
hikers
DonauWelle: Donauversickerung (Danube Sinkhole) - Hiking in the Donautal
03:41
13.1km
270m
Hiking
On this route, you'll experience something unique in the world: Between Immendingen and Möhringen, the Danube simply disappears from the surface. On approximately 155 days a year – in spring and autumn – the river sinks completely, allowing you to hike through the riverbed dry-footed.
The water seeps away, flows southward through a constantly expanding cave system, and after an average of 60 hours, resurfaces at 10,000 liters per second in the Aachtopf, Germany's largest spring, twelve kilometers away – and from there flows into the North Sea. The water from the Danube only reaches the Black Sea for two-thirds of the year. This natural spectacle is caused by the limestone rock layers from the Jurassic period, which form a large part of the Swabian Alb.
This unique hike starts at the hiking car park in Immendingen. Right at the beginning, you'll hike through the natural phenomenon of the Danube Sinkhole. The trail then takes you through the Kirchtal valley in a gentle up-and-down direction. From a beautiful vantage point, you can see as far as Hegau and Lake Constance.
The trail continues past the Höwenegg volcanic crater with its naturally formed lake. You'll enjoy a leisurely hike through the Pfaffenwinkel forest back to the starting point. Along the way, you'll pass several lovely rest areas. If you don't want to carry your provisions, you can also stop for a break in Hattingen or at the starting point.
Last updated: May 18, 2026
Tips
Your route passes through a protected area
Please check local regulations for:
Naturpark Obere Donau
Waypoints
Start point
Parking
Get Directions
440 m
Danube Sinkhole
Highlight (Segment) • Natural Monument
Translated by Google •
Tip by
6.05 km
Michelsloch sinkhole
Highlight • Natural Monument
Translated by Google •
Tip by
7.35 km
Forest path in Naturpark Obere Donau
Highlight • Trail
Translated by Google •
Tip by
9.10 km
Höwenegg Crater Lake
Highlight • Lake
Unlike other volcanic relics and maars in the Swabian Alb, the "Höwenegg" is part of the Hegau volcanism. The main crater is the largest of a total of six eruption sites from which basalt and basalt tuff were mined. The lake visible today was formed in the former mining area.
The eruption occurred 10 million years ago. At that time, a crater lake formed, which was visited by numerous animals. Fossil finds of 13 prehistoric horses, antelopes, and rhinos attest to the subtropical climate at that time. The fossils were excellently preserved in the lake sediment.
Translated by Google •
Tip by
13.1 km
End point
Parking
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
9.01 km
3.36 km
385 m
340 m
Surfaces
5.93 km
4.83 km
1.29 km
950 m
< 100 m
Sign up to see more specific route details
Sign up for free
Elevation
Sign up to see more specific route details
Sign up for free
Weather
Powered by Foreca
Thursday 28 May
28°C
9°C
0 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 12.0 km/h
to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route
This route was planned by komoot.
Nearby routes
Trail Reviews
By train, change in Singen, to Immendingen. From there, through beautiful forests, a short stretch along the dry Danube and to the Höwenegg crater lake, then through forests again and back to the train station. Gorgeous weather with temperatures between 24°C and 26°C.
The starting point of the hike is the parking lot at the Donauverinkung in Immendingen. Here you can currently walk along the completely dry Danube river bed. An extraordinary natural phenomenon when you consider how much water the Danube has on some days. Further through the forest and past meadows and fields you will come across dolien which are also a sign of karst rock in the subsoil. Further uphill you come to the northernmost of the Hegau volcanoes: the Höwenegg with its lake in a fascinating color scheme.
Today's hike took us to the Höwenegg crater lake. The start and finish was the kiosk at the Donauversinkung in Immendingen. A really beautiful tour.
A lovely, relaxed tour starting at Nina's Ess Art. Past the Danube sinkhole, through the forest, up and down, and stopping in Hattingen for a delicious sausage salad and a sour shandy... The highlight was the Höwenegg crater. But surprisingly, there were few people there on Father's Day.
Hello! This is a beautiful hike 🥾 on the DonauWelle Donauversinkung premium hiking trail from Immendingen in the district of Tuttlingen. Best wishes, your Mammut Frank At the start and end point there is a great place to rest and have a drink with a lovely terrace at Nina's Ess Art. Price/performance is still right here 👍 https://www.ninasessart.com/ Tour description: This tour attracts with geological sensations between the karst mountains of the Alb and the volcanism of the Hegau mountains. Seepage points, sinkholes, craters - the earth beneath us is alive! The start is at the "cyclist campsite" Versinkungsstelle in Immendingen. The first part of the premium trail leads directly along the Danube or its dry stream bed. This is where the first geological feature of this tour is located: the natural phenomenon of the Danube seepage. The river sinks completely on more than 150 days a year. The water continues to flow underground and reappears in the Aach spring. From the ford at the viaduct, the trail continues along forest paths and trails to the Hauser inn at Hattingen train station. The trail leads over meadow and forest paths with views of the Hegau towards Höwenegg, one of the Hegau volcanoes. Along the way, sinkholes give an idea of the ongoing processes in the limestone, especially the mighty "Michelsloch" sinkhole on the edge of the premium trail. When you arrive at Höwenegg, you stand in front of the blue-green shimmering lake in the huge crater hole. Breathtakingly beautiful! Due to basalt mining, very little of the former Hegau cone is left. From there, it's back to Immendingen. Here, everyone deserves a calorie-rich Donauwelle after the tour. Source: https://www.bergwelten.com/t/w/8132
Move start and end point to Hattingen train station.
We are on our bikes again from Triberg in the Black Forest to Regensburg. Our motto is cycling and hiking.
"Donauwelle" Danube sinkhole Immendingen Start: hiking car park on Hattinger Weg. 🎄 Cyclist's campsite 🎄Danube sinkhole (too much water in the Danube to sink) 🎄 Hattingen. 🎄Doline Michelsloch. 🎄 Rest area with a view of the Hegau mountains (fog, no mountains) 🎄 Barbecue area Mauenheimer. 🎄 Höwenegg crater lake. 🎄Höwenegg (798m) 🎄 Forest avenue Great hike on thick, narrow forest paths. Entertaining and varied, as there are many information boards along the way. Great rest areas. The Höwenegg crater circular trail is a highlight in itself. The view of the Höwenegg crater lake has an absolute "wow effect" 5 stars⭐ for this beautiful hiking tour
Comments
August 23, 2019
On this route, you'll experience something unique in the world: Between Immendingen and Möhringen, the Danube simply disappears from the surface. On approximately 155 days a year – in spring and autumn – the river sinks completely, allowing you to hike through the riverbed dry-footed.
The water seeps
Translated by Google •
Want to know more?
Sign up for a free komoot account to join the conversation.
Sign up for free