Ruhestein lies on the Black Forest High Road, which links Baden-Baden and Freudenstadt.

The winding road between Baiersbronn-Obertal and the Ruhestein was used once, on 21 July 1946, for a mountain motor race, the Bergrennen Obertal-Ruhestein, during which 3 participants lost their lives.

Around Ruhestein lies one of the two parts of the Black Forest National Park which was opened on 1 January 2014.

Visitors are led along an 800-metre-long educational and experience trail, which takes them over steps, bridges and boardwalks through the 10 hectares of devastated forest, and enables them to observe how the forces of nature operate and how such areas recover naturally after storm devastation.

West of Ruhestein the only klettersteig in the Northern Black Forest runs up the Karlsruher Grat.