Beaver and Salmon Without Borders project
During the bike route of about 40 km in the middle of the tri-border area Germany – France – Switzerland, the Rhine and its surroundings are presented to you as a vibrant natural area at 11 stations.
As part of the project Nature Experience Without Borders, we invite you to experience the nature of the tri-border area!
Get on your bike and learn a lot about the way of life of salmon, beaver & co.
The route is also signposted as the "Little Tri-border – Bike Path".
The circular ride across the tri-border area gives you the opportunity to get to know the Rhine in all its facets.
From the nature reserves Krebsbachtal, Rhine Island and Petite Camargue Alsacienne, to the tributaries Wiese and Kander, and once across the cities Basel, Huningue, and Weil am Rhein – discover true treasures, nature in unexpected places and numerous animals and plants in diverse habitats!
At the eleven stations of the route, you will receive exciting information about the Rhine and its two native inhabitants, beaver and salmon.
The history of these two animal species in the tri-border area is directly connected with that of the great river. Both the "builder" beaver and the agile migratory fish salmon felt very comfortable in the original floodplain landscape of the Rhine with its many side arms and natural flood areas. Due to the straightening and construction of the river in the 19th century and intense hunting, the habitats of the animals were lost and populations were so decimated that beaver and salmon were long considered extinct in the Upper Rhine region. Only recently, extensive renaturation measures, reintroduction projects, and the construction of migration aids have created a situation in which renewed expansion is possible.
On your circular ride, you will experience first-hand how our two friends salmon and beaver disappeared and how today an attempt is being made to realize a coexistence of humans and animals.
A varied and versatile route for all bicycle enthusiasts, nature lovers, and animal friends!
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Safety information
The route partly crosses highways, so special caution is advised here.
Tips and suggestions
The "Beaver and Salmon Without Borders!" project is a trilateral bike route supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as well as the Swiss Regional Development Fund (NRP) within the INTERREG Upper Rhine Program.
This is where the project is based: www.natur-erlebnis.org
Responsible party:
Trinational Environmental Center TRUZ/CTE e.V.
Department of Cross-border Nature Conservation
Mattrain 1
D-79576 Weil am Rhein
Phone: +49 7621 / 1614971
Email: nature@truz.org
Website: www.truz-naturschutz.org
There are two local branches of the Black Forest Association that are members of TRUZ and we jointly carry out nature conservation actions.
Roadbook
The circular route can be started at any point and can be traveled in both directions.
It runs along the Rhine through the urban area of Basel, past the mouth of the Birs and over the dam at the Birsfelden power plant. Then it goes a short distance through the Wiese landscape park and then crosses the border into Germany to the Friedlingen district of Weil am Rhein. Just outside Weil, we follow the edge of the Krebsbachtal nature reserve and pass through the villages of Haltingen and Eimeldingen. After that, we briefly follow the small river Kander and then return to the Rhine at the Märkt dam. Over the dam, we reach the Rhine island, where we follow the bike path across the island. At the other end, we then ride by the Kembs power plant over the Rhine side canal into France. There, the route follows the Canal de Huningue for several kilometers. Along the way, we pass the old lock house, which today marks the entrance to the Petit Camargue Alsacienne nature reserve. At the canal mouth in Huningue, we reach the Rhine again and finally return to Switzerland and Basel after a short ride.
Along the route, there are numerous places to stop, for example at the Märkt dam and in the villages Basel, Weil, Huningue, Saint Louis, etc., that are passed through. In addition, there are many benches and suitable places to rest and take a break.
Zwischenstopp für Vögel und Fische!
Lachsaufzucht in der Petite Camargue Alsacienne
Willkommen auf der Rheininsel
Freie Fahrt für Fische
Umgehungsstraße für den Biber!
Mehr Raum für Natur an der Kander!
Wäsche waschen mit Blick auf Bachforelle und Köcherfliege!
Beobachtungen an der Wiese: Wasseramsel, Graureiher und sogar der Biber!
Treppen für Lachs und Biber!
Die Birs, ideal für den Baumeister Biber!
Public transport
– By train, the stations Weil am Rhein and Haltingen are recommended.
From the Weil stop, cross the Peace Bridge and then turn right into Lustgartenstraße; then you are already on the route. The Haltingen station is even located directly on the route.
– The stations Basel SBB and Basel Badischer Bahnhof are also only a few minutes by bike from the route and have connections to long-distance transport.
From Basel SBB, cycle over the station square heading north, through De-Wette Park into Elisabethenstraße. At the next intersection, turn right into St. Alban-Graben street and follow it to the Wettstein Bridge, where you can then begin the route by the Rhine.
From Basel Badischer Bahnhof, you can start the trip directly; east of the tracks, you reach directly the intersection “Egliseestraße”/“Im Surinam” that is on the route.
Get Timetable to destination
Directions
The route is very accessible both by car and train. Recommended starting points include, for example:
Parking
– Parking lot at the Märkt dam, take the A5 exit Weil/Hüningen, then drive along "Alte Straße" to the parking lot and you can start the route directly from there.
– Parking lot at the lock house "Parking de la Maison éclusière" on the French side directly at the Petit Camargue Alsacienne station.
Coordinates
Book recommendation by the author
Author’s map recommendations
Equipment
The route passes through three countries.
So don't forget your identity documents.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

User Questions