Dietlinger Wasserfall, Waterfall in the Hotzenwald, Black Forest, Germany

Dietlinger Wasserfall is a waterfall in the southeastern Hotzenwald, the southernmost part of the Black Forest, where the Großbach drops over 70 meters in several steps. The upper main fall plunges almost vertically into a 20-meter-deep rock basin; about 100 meters downstream the stream turns north and slides 22 meters into the lower gorge, which reaches roughly 100 meters in depth. The fall steps are coated with calcareous sinter, and the reddish-brown walls are made of porphyritic dike rock cutting through gneiss.

The Großbach carved this gorge into resistant porphyritic dyke rock that cuts through the softer gneiss of the Hotzenwald. Its notably smooth fall steps are coated with tufa, calcium sinter precipitated from water rich in calcium hydrogen carbonate picked up from Muschelkalk beds in the stream's catchment. The gorge lies within the Schwarza-Schlücht-Tal nature reserve.

The waterfall draws walkers and nature enthusiasts who want to experience the raw, unspoiled landscape of the Black Forest. The steep gorge and surrounding forest create a place where visitors can feel close to the region's wild natural character.

The site is reached via a secured serpentine path from Dietlingen, which can be slippery in wet weather conditions. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and allow time to explore the different levels of the falls at their own pace.

The gorge lies within the Schwarza-Schlücht-Tal nature reserve, where forestry is impossible on the unstable block and scree slopes. The Großbach carries fertiliser runoff, so light foam sometimes forms on the water.