Myriad trails wind through the hills, leading willing hikers into secluded parts of the forest. Skiing is wildly popular, and the longest slope is at Feldberg, near Titisee. The main entry points to the Schwarzwald are Freiburg, in the center; Baden-Baden to the northwest; Stuttgart to the east; and Basel, Switzerland to the southwest. Several rail lines encircle the perimeter, while only two cut through. The best way to access more towns without train service is to take the train to the closest station and then hop a bus to your destination.
The towering spruces, broken only by a few, still lakes, blanket the region’s mountainous landscape and lonely, largely untouristed mountain villages. The best source of information for the area is the Schwarzwaldverein office in Freiburg, Schloßbergring 15. (☎0761 38 05 30; www.schwarzwaldverein.com.)
The Hochschwarzwald (High Black Forest) is so named for its vertical, not lateral, dominance. At 1493m, Feldberg is the Schwarzwald’s tallest mountain. The tourist office, Kirchgasse 1, offers information about Feldberg and other ski slopes in the area. (☎07655 80 19; www.feldberg-schwarzwald.de. Open Tu-F 10am-6pm, Sa-Su 10am-noon.) The easiest way to get to the Feldberg is to catch a bus from Titisee. (Bus #7300. 15min., about 6 per day, €2. Dec.-Apr. also a Skibus, €13 per day.) Those who prefer to get to the mountain on foot can take the train to “Feldberg-Bärental,” where the Westweg Pforzheim-Basel picks up. From the station, follow the blue circle trail to the glacial Feldsee (2hr.), then pick up the red diamond Westweg to the Feldberg (2hr.). The Feldbergbahn ski lift will carry you part of the way (€5.60, children €4.20; lift open daily 9am-5pm). On a clear day, the Swiss Alps are visible, along with an unfenced drop into the Feldsee. Paths extend from the top, including trails to Titisee. The 30min. hike back down to the ski-lift station is magnificent in the early summer, when it winds through the meadows of fragrant white Edelweiß (“white noble,” a mountain flower) and wildflowers. The tourist office is in the ground floor of the Feldbergerhof hotel. At 1234m above sea level, Feldberg’s Jugendherberge Hebelhof (HI)
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