No other low mountain range in Germany offers such diverse opportunities for hiking with family, friends and your dog in nature and the forests as the Black Forest.

Whether in the northern Black Forest in Alpirsbach, Loßburg or on the Black Forest High Road, or in the southern Black Forest near Titisee and Schluchsee, or even in the high Black Forest.

Stretching 160 kilometers in length and up to 60 kilometers in width, covering a total area of ​​11,100 km², the region boasts a hikeable natural and cultural landscape with diverse flora and fauna, including a pristine wilderness area encompassing a national park and several nature parks. The highest mountain is the Feldberg, reaching over 1400 meters.

Dense forests in the hills and valleys of the Northern Black Forest with wonderful viewpoints over the treetops and deep-cut valleys, which you can reach just as easily when with children in the Black Forest are on holiday with your dog

On clear days, the Black Forest offers unparalleled panoramic views, stretching as far as the Alps in the southern Black Forest. One of the highlights is the Black Forest National Park, where nature is left to its own devices. On the sloping hillsides of the western edge of the Black Forest, it transitions into the charming and sun-drenched wine region of Baden, encompassing the Ortenau, Breisgau, Kaiserstuhl, and Markgräflerland. With such diverse landscapes, variety and enjoyment are guaranteed on a hiking holiday in the Black Forest . Our tip: an ideal destination for a November holiday , combining it with sauna and wellness treatments during the off-season.

In total, you can expect a signposted network of hiking trails spanning approximately 24,000 kilometers. Welcome to Germany's largest hiking region . Here's our absolute insider tip for hiking enthusiasts on vacation:

Looking for an adventure? This tour is also ideal as a night hike . Equipped with headlamps, amateur hiker Sebastian from the Black Forest will guide you safely to the hut and back (up to 5 people). If you are interested in a hike to the Teisenkopf in the Northern Black Forest with Sebastian, please let us know when booking. We will then provide you with his contact details for arranging the hike.

Hike details:

Ascent: 1.5 hours - Descent: 1 hour. Requirements: average fitness level sufficient, approx. 350 meters of elevation gain (2 options, one of which is slightly more demanding in terms of fitness)

Equipment: sturdy footwear, drinks, and possibly a Black Forest snack for the hut (unstaffed)

• Winter hiking
• Schramberg Castle Trail
• Hiking on the raftsmen's trail
• Westweg hike on the Black Forest Hochstrasse
• Hike to Brandenkopf from Oberharmersbach
• to the Grandfather Christmas tree in Freudenstadt
• the Feldbergsteig trail in the southern Black Forest

Come on, hikers! A hidden gem among the hiking trails in the Northern Black Forest awaits you. Even if you're taking a few days to relax during your hiking holiday, you shouldn't miss a hike up one of our unique panoramic mountains. With a little effort, the route is manageable even with your children . Your dog is sure to enjoy the beautiful trail too. The breathtaking views, the picturesque forests of our region, as well as secluded paths and unspoiled nature make the hike up the Teisenkopf unforgettable and make you forget the effort of the climb.

Detailed directions for the hike:

To reach the starting point of our tour, we drive from Alpirsbach to the village of Schenkenzell, about 5 km away. During our short drive there, we cross the border and venture into our neighboring state of Baden. In the center of Schenkenzell, we turn right towards Reinerzau/Wittichen. After about 300 meters, we turn left just before the village sign, cross the Kinzig River, and follow the road until we find a large gravel area on our left. This will be the starting and ending point of our tour.

Alternative route: You can take the train to Schenkenzell. From the train station, walk towards Reinerzau; you will reach the starting point of the hike in 20 minutes.

Once our shoes are laced and our backpacks packed, we continue along the still-paved path towards "Nachtloch," a wildly romantic Black Forest house which we reach in just a few minutes. A sign reading "danger" warns us of the dog living there, who nevertheless greets us very warmly. We leave Nachtloch to our left and follow the path straight past a sandstone rock. You can occasionally spot such rocks during your hiking holiday in the Northern Black Forest .

Further along, the path narrows, and if you're wondering whether you're on the right track, the answer is "yes!" After about 200 meters, we follow a 180° bend until the suddenly appearing meadow path transforms back into a familiar forest road. We frequently hear small streams along the path, meandering idyllically through the dense undergrowth.

We follow the moderately steep path until the forest track leads to an asphalt road towards a large farm complex, which we can see on the right after a few meters. The cattle grazing in the pasture there only pay us brief attention, as we are quickly identified hikers

On the now almost level hiking trail, we keep right at the next fork until, after a few meters, we see a wooden signpost with the inscription "Teisenkopf" for the first time. The path then leads us back into the forest. A signpost informs us about the remaining 1.8 km of hiking to our destination.

Continuing along the path with only a slight incline, we pass a picturesque half-timbered house, which would be perfect as a postcard motif from the Northern Black Forest, until we reach the Mattenweiher pond, which has been prepared by the Black Forest Association of Schiltach.

The tranquil pond invites you to take a short break, and the children can play for a while. On a large open area, the Kuhberg, where several paths intersect, we now have to decide whether to keep left and hike directly to the Teisenkopf in one kilometer, or to take the somewhat more challenging but undeniably more scenic circular hiking trail (2 km), which we reach through two signposted trees.

Option 1: Short hiking route

We keep to the left and follow the path until we reach the secluded Kohlbrunnen spring. Passing it, we keep to the right and climb moderately steeply to a green clearing. There, we keep to the left until we reach the Teisenkopf Tower.

Option 2: More scenic circular hiking trail

We walk between the marked trees and follow the footpath, which initially leads moderately steeply uphill. After finding a sign that reads "Don't worry, the path will soon be better," the path winds its way uphill for the next 10 minutes, sometimes very steeply, until it meets a forest road.

After a short breather, we keep to the right and after about 10 meters, another path leads off to the left towards "Bonatsküche", a sandstone formation that makes you wonder how such mighty rocks found their way here.

But the stone remains silent, keeping its adventurous secret to itself. Following the path, we reach another rock formation, and after a few steps, the trail leads us onto a well-maintained forest road. We keep left on this road until it forks after about 500 meters. A signpost points us to the left, towards Teisenkopf.

After another 300 meters, a first panoramic view of our beautiful Black Forest landscape opens up. A few meters further on, we follow the signs for "Teisenkopf" (sharp left) to a green clearing with signposts. We cross this and thus reach the Teisenkopf Tower, which was completely renovated by the Schiltach-Schenkenzell Black Forest Association in 2013 to mark its 100th anniversary.

To enjoy the unique view of the picturesque surroundings, we climb to the second floor of the tower. On a clear day, our view extends from the Swabian Alb to the Brandenkopf, one of the highest mountains (945m above sea level) in the central Black Forest.

Descent back on the hiking tour:

After the obligatory entry in the hut logbook, we follow the path back to the clearing and keep right towards Mattenweiher. On the way there, we pass the Kohlbrunnen spring, which provides welcome refreshment on hot days. The path then leads us back to Kuhberg. The descent follows the same route as the ascent. 

Wonderful natural landscape for a hiking holiday.