If you are not hiking the route as part of a multi-day tour, you can plan your journey by public transport here: Getting there – local public transport
Stage 3 begins at the end of stage 2 – at the intersection of Albtalweg and Zum Lehnern in Häusern.
(S) Follow the "Zum Lehnern" path out of the village towards St. Blasien. Shortly after the house with the number 12, the paved path ends and you continue across a meadow. At the first intersection, turn left and follow the Albsteig sign (white diamond with a green border, a blue band in the centre resembling a heart and the word "Albsteig" on the right).
(1) Cross the Schönenbach stream, follow the Albsteig trail to the left at the next fork and you will come to the Windbergbächle stream. Follow this upstream into the Windbergschlucht gorge. Cross the Windbergbächle stream several times until you reach the Windberg waterfall at the end of the gorge.
(2) After the first highlight of the day, hike down to the left above the waterfall towards St. Blasien. Here, hike a short distance on the Schluchtensteig trail, the fourth stage of which ends in St. Blasien coming from Schluchsee. The Albsteig trail takes you past St. Blasien.
(3) You will have wonderful views of the cathedral with its round dome and the adjoining Jesuit monastery.
(4) You walk along the Philosphenweg for a while, soon cross the Muchenländer Straße, turn sharp left onto Hans-Thoma-Weg and then take the next sharp right.
(5) After a while, you will come back down to the Alb. There, cross the L149 and turn left. Then turn right again and you will come to the car park of the local outdoor swimming pool. In the rear left corner of the car park, the Albsteig trail leads you over a bridge into the forest towards a T-junction. Here, turn right. Now continue straight ahead for quite a while.
(6) At a fork, keep right, always following the Alb.
(7) You will reach the Glashofsäge sawmill. The Bernauer Alb and Menzenschwander Alb rivers converge on the sawmill site to form the Alb. At this point, the Albsteig splits into a western and eastern route.
For some time now (as of January 2024), the western route has been closed due to the risk of rockfall (see also the latest information on the route), so the diversion is initially via the eastern route.
Turn right here, walk through the sawmill and turn left at the third junction ("Klusenweg"). Now follow the Menzenschwander Alb (on your right) upstream, past a weir, keep left at the fork in a narrow forest path and you will come to the "Altenrondstraße" (L146).
(8) Cross this road and walk on the other side, passing the Menzenschwand sewage treatment plant on your left. Behind the sewage treatment plant, turn left again and follow the Albsteig signposts until you reach a crossroads in the forest.
(9) At this point, turn left and follow the diversion towards Bernau-Weierle.
(10) You will come to the "Kaiserhausstraße" at a car park. Follow this road to the left into the village, cross the L149 and continue straight ahead on the "Todtmooser Straße". At Albweg, turn right and walk parallel to the Bernauer Alb out of the village. Stay on Albweg for the next 2 km.
(11) You will pass a Kneipp facility, cross the Bernauer Alb, turn right and arrive at Gewannstraße (K6523). Here, turn right, cross the Bernauer Alb again and turn left at the next opportunity.
Keep parallel to the Bernauer Alb, pass Riggenbach (on your right) and Innerlehen (on your left) until you reach Rathausstraße (K6524).
(12) Now turn right, cross the Bernauer Alb and walk along Sportplatzstraße into Bernau village.
(13) Cross the Dorf-Hauptstraße, walk right past the Hans-Thoma-Grundschule ("Schulweg"), then turn left onto Dorfstraße and shortly afterwards right onto Scheibenfelsenweg. After about 70 metres, the Hans-Thoma-Weg branches off to the left from the Scheibenfelsenweg. The path leads through flower meadows to the Scheibenfelsen.
(14) This is a great vantage point overlooking Bernau and the Bernauer Valley. Continue uphill along Hans-Thoma-Weg. The Albsteig signposts will help you find your way.
(15) Cross the Krunkelbachweg and continue along Hans-Thoma-Weg, which leads you to the right shortly after crossing the road. Follow the path to the right again, then right again and immediately left.
(16) You hike below the Kleines Spießhorn over green alpine meadows to another viewpoint on the Milchberg (1,293 m).
(17) Now you descend a few metres in altitude.
(18) The Krunkelbachhütte is the perfect place to take a break. From the Krunkelbachhütte, the Albsteig trail leads you a few metres downhill before the ascent towards Herzogenhorn, the highest point on your tour, begins.
Follow the Krunkelbachweg trail to the left and then turn right. At the next fork at the Krunkelbach signpost, keep to the right. Then continue straight ahead over the Krunkelbachsattel. At the signpost for Zinken, you will meet the Herzogenhornweg, which you follow to the right and then into a left-hand bend. At the next fork, keep right and then right again at the next fork.
(19) Once you reach the Herzogenhorn (1,416 m), you will have a magnificent panoramic view of the Feldberg, the Black Forest and the Alps on a clear day. The most difficult part is now behind you. From the Herzogenhorn, turn right and follow the Albsteig again. The trail now descends steadily.
(20) You pass the Herzogenhorn State Training Centre and finally reach your stage destination at the gate to the Albsteig on the Feldberg Pass (E).