Let yourself be enchanted — hiking in the mystical Black Forest
Hiking Collection by Nationalparkregion Schwarzwald
8
Tours
28:24 h
58.2 mi
9,575 ft
Thick fog billows over the ground between dense fir trees, swallowing almost all sound. The air smells of damp earth. The dry leaves rustle between your feet. Gradually, a dark contour emerges from the veil of mist. It takes a few more steps until you recognise a dilapidated ruin in front of you. You wonder who used to live here? And who might still be haunting the old walls today?
As you ponder your thoughts, the first rays of sunlight break through the mist and create an ethereal light. Sounds enchanting, doesn't it? Reason enough to lace up your hiking boots and discover the Black Forest National Park Region even in supposedly gloomy autumn weather. It’s this time of year when a wild and mystical atmosphere prevails in this wonderful low mountain range.
In this Collection, we present seven hikes that show you some enchanted corners of the Black Forest, a setting that provides the perfect backdrop for legendary tales. Many myths surround the lakes, castles and rocky outcrops along the hiking trails. You’ll discover the lore isn’t as far fetched as it seems, when you wander through the dense Bannwald forest near the Hornisgrinde, discover the Kaltenbronn high moor or follow the Kappelrodecker Witch’s Path.
On the Legend Trail in Allerheiligen or the Four Castles Trail near Pfalzgrafenweiler, it would hardly be surprising if a knight suddenly rode through the trees. At the many vantage points, the autumn sun often shines in your face, while in the valley the dense fog stubbornly persists, with forested mountains rising above. Sound surreal? Sounds like the Black Forest.
But don't worry. The trails are all safe and easy to hike with children. All these Tours are designed to be circular routes that offer plenty to discover along the way. After each hike, you can usually find a welcome at a cosy inn. If your thirst for myth hasn’t been sated by the trails, the innkeepers can usually tell you one or two legendary stories too.
On The Map
Tours & Highlights
- Difficult05:3511.1 mi2.0 mph2,225 ft2,225 ftExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
Enchanting forests, mystical legends and wonderful views await you on the almost 18-kilometer-long Hexensteig near Kappelrodeck. As the name of the hike already tells you, the witches are your constant companions. But don't worry, the mages are kind to wanderers per se. The starting point of your tour…
- Difficult04:278.72 mi2.0 mph1,475 ft1,525 ftExpert Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
It gets wild on this tour - you hike over rooted paths, through dense forests and to the fantastically situated Wildsee. The path runs mostly along the Westweg and offers you the complete Black Forest program - including beautiful views over the Rhine plain to the Vosges.
The starting point of the 14…
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- Easy01:062.23 mi2.0 mph350 ft400 ftEasy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
This short hiking tour takes you over 250 steps along the seven cascades to the monastery of All Saints. Although the tour is only four kilometers long, there are numerous legends about godless priests, brave riders, desperate girls, angels and the devil. The boards along the way tell you exactly what…
- Intermediate03:598.73 mi2.2 mph975 ft975 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Four castles next to each other - nobody knows today why the complexes were built so close together. On this 14-kilometer circular hike, they offer you all the more to discover. And maybe you'll come up with your own story about the four castles along the way.
The starting point of the round is in Pfalzgrafenweiler…
- Intermediate03:528.94 mi2.3 mph575 ft575 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Such a moor landscape is at its most beautiful when the fog hangs over the damp ground and the trees draw black contours in the white wall. The high moor area of Kaltenbronn is perfect for a hike on a gray autumn day. The moor was formed during the last ice age around 10,000 years ago. What happened…
- Intermediate03:316.63 mi1.9 mph1,700 ft1,700 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
This almost eleven-kilometer hike takes you along the half-height of Sasbachwalden to the legendary Brigittenschloss. There are several stories about the castle ruins. Among other things, a black, veiled female figure is said to be up to mischief in the walls, apparently the ghost of the evil Brigitte…
- Intermediate02:234.97 mi2.1 mph825 ft825 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
This hike, which is almost nine kilometers long, combines pleasure and history. On your way to Windeck Castle you will have beautiful views on wonderful hiking trails. Arrived at the castle ruins, you travel back to the Middle Ages - imagine what the walls could tell.
It starts in Kappelwindeck, a district…
- Intermediate03:326.84 mi1.9 mph1,450 ft1,450 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Rooted paths, mysterious wooden figures and wild rock formations - the eleven-kilometer Black Forest Trail offers you the complete Black Forest program. Enjoy the wonderful forest air while you hike little by little uphill. You will be rewarded with fantastic views of the neighboring Black Forest valleys…
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Collection Stats
- Tours8
- Distance58.2 mi
- Duration28:24 h
- Elevation9,575 ft
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