Black Forest Blog

A wonderful way of getting to know the Black Forest is a hike along the 'Schluchtensteig', a hiking trail in the southern Black Forest. This trail was not opened until 2008 but is already one of the most popular hiking trails in the Black Forest.

The Schluchtensteig crosses the South Black Forest regional park along the southern edge of the Black Forest. It not only takes in the impressive gorges of the Wutach, Gutach, Rötenbach, Haslach and Wehra (photo) but also regularly ascends to mountain tops and other lookout points which provide a view of the gorges below and the mountains of the High Black Forest and the Swiss Alps. The trail also runs past Lake Schluchsee, the largest lake in the Black Forest. The high plateaus around the villages of Dachsberg and Ibach present an interesting contrast.

The Schluchtensteig is not a footpath, it often runs over narrow trails, over rough and smooth and sometimes up steep tracks and ladders. It is therefore advisable to wear good quality hiking shoes. The hiking trail is passable from May to approx. November. Hiking on the Schluchtensteig is not recommended with snow and ice.

Anyone who wants to hike over the full length of the trail can divide it up into six stages of approximately 20 km each. Needless to say, shorter sections can also be tackled depending on the available time and fitness.

Places along the Schluchtensteig

• Stühlingen


• Blumberg


• Lenzkirch


• Schluchsee


• St. Blasien


• Dachsberg


• Ibach


• Todtmoos


• Wehr

Who gave Lake Titisee its name? One of the legends (maybe its even true) say the Roman general Titus, who camped here with his troops, gave it his name, because he was so impressed by the beauty of the lake. The first authenticated reference to it, however, dates back to the year 1111 in documents belonging to the neighbouring village Saig, in which the names 'Dettesee' and 'Titinsee' are found; the today's name Titisee came into use about 1750.

Sure is: the Titisee is one of the most popular places for tourists in the Black Forest, Germany. Every year thousands of people enjoy the great landscape, the possibilities for water sports like swimming, wind-surfing, sailing or a pedalo ride. A very nice option for enjoying the Lake Titisee and the surrounding Black Forest landscape is a sightseeing tours by one of the pleasure boats. Since the waterfront promenade in Titisee-village was converted to a pedestrian zone, the 'Seestrasse' is considered the loveliest street for strolling and shopping in the Southern Black Forest.

The nicest view on Lake Titisee is without any doubt from the lookout tower on Hochfirst mountain (see photo).

Lake Titisee is located in the Southern Black Forest, 30km east of Freiburg in the south-west of Germany. The approach by car is possible from the autobahn A5, exit Freiburg-Mitte, from there the B31 direction Donaueschingen. Or from the autobahn A81, triangle Bad Dürrheim on the B31 direction Freiburg. The basin for lake was formed during the last ice age, just 10,000 years ago. A glacier extended from the Feldberg to the present-day lake. The basins gouged out by the glacier and the terminal moraine now form the basin of Lake Titisee. The lake is 850 m above sea level, 2 km long, just under 1 km wide and approx. 40 m deep.

Titisee village is also a climatic therapy resort and worth a visit all year round. Vacationing guests will find a selection of accommodation ranging from rustic, well-equipped inns to comfortable apartments and luxurious first-class hotels.

The city of Triberg is located directly on the Black Forest railway line and is famous for Germany's highest waterfalls, which have an overall drop of 163 metres over 7 cascades. More than half a million people visit this spectacle of nature every year.

There are three entrances to the waterfalls, which are reached via asphalted paths, steps and footbridges. You should be a reasonably good walker of course, and the paths are totally unsuitable for prams and pushchairs. However, you can reach the lowest and largest cascade of the waterfall relatively easily from the main entrance.

The area around the entrance to the waterfalls is reminiscent of Disneyland; here and in the town centre, a large number of shops offer the even larger number of tourists cuckoo clocks, woodcarvings, souvenirs as well as Black Forest ham and kirsch. These are high quality craft products for the most part, although there is no shortage of plastic cuckoo clocks 'made in Taiwan'. The Black Forest Museum, which is well worth seeing, can also be found directly by the lower entrance to the waterfalls.

Anyone who wants to escape from the hustle and bustle can easily do so - the countryside around Triberg is fantastic, and after a few hundred metres you will see and hear nothing more of the crowds.

More about the Triberg Waterfalls

A very special attraction are the Triberg Waterfalls in wintertime, when the spray caused by the splashing water freezes to thick ice crusts around the cascades (see photo, shot in January 2009).

We have introduced a new service at www.black-forest-travel.com which enables you to book your hotel room in the Black Forest online. You can choose your hotel, check the availability and make the reservation in only 3 steps via the page 'Book Black Forest hotels online'.

You will find hotels from all over the Black Forest on the reservation page, e.g. Baden-Baden, Freiburg and Titisee-Neustadt, and all categories from the small family hotel to the 5-star luxury hotel. You can also search for a variety of facilities, e.g. indoor swimming pool in the hotel, wellness offers, WLAN Internet connection or no-smoking accommodation.

You will also find a detailed description of the facilities available in the respective hotel, as well as the location and prices, information about how to get there, a map, photos and hotel reviews by other guests. After you have decided on your hotel, you can complete your reservation in only a few minutes. You will immediately receive confirmation of the reservation and the requisite information by e-mail.

We wish you an enjoyable stay in the Black Forest!

-> Book Black Forest hotels online

Spring has (finally) arrived in the Black Forest and just in time for Easter! People and nature can now enjoy the first warm days after the long, hard winter, 24° C was recorded in the upper reaches of the Rhine River. The cherry trees are in full bloom and have turned the entire countryside into a sea of spring flowers. Today's Good Friday spring weather tempted countless thousands out of the house to go for a walk or set off on their bicycles and motorcycles or go for a drive.

The motorcyclists who travelled just 5km from the springlike conditions in Sasbachwalden to the Black Forest High Road were flabbergasted when they had to park their motorcycles at the Mummelsee lake beside metre-high snow banks. After taking the few steps from the parking area to the lake, they then discovered that it was still frozen over – but this didn't stop the visitors from lining the banks to enjoy the sunshine.

Incidentally: Skiing is still in full swing on the Feldberg Mountain in the High Black Forest, almost all the ski-lifts are in service and the piste is in good condition. The end of the season is scheduled for the 19.04.

Photos (both taken 10 April 2009):
Top: Flowering cherry tree near Gengenbach
Bottom: Sunbathers beside the ice-bound Mummelsee lake