We're lucky enough to have a National Park close to Alsace, on the doorstep of our German neighbors: the Black Forest National Park allows you to hike in magnificent wilderness. Can I give you a lift?
What is the Black Forest National Park?
Created in 2014, the Black Forest National Park(Nationalpark Schwarzwald) is located in Baden-Württemberg and covers around 10,000 hectares of unspoilt landscape, including dense forests, deep valleys and peaks topping out at over 1,000 meters.
What’s special about a national park is that it’s a place where nature is left to evolve naturally, providing a habitat for a diverse range of flora and fauna, including the peregrine falcon and the European owl here.
Here, you can admire unspoilt, untamed nature, in which humans only intervene in emergencies (diseases that could spread, fallen trees on hiking trails, etc.).
What to do in the park
Hiking and cycling
Thenumber-one activity in a national park is obviously hiking, whether on foot or by bike! Be careful, though: you can’t go just anywhere: only trails are allowed, so as not to disturb the flora and fauna. An important rule that must be observed!
Some trails are reserved for hikers, others for cyclists and others for horses. Finally, there are others for winter hiking. They vary in length and difficulty, so there’s plenty to choose from!
For my part, I visited the National Park twice. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much luck with the weather, as it was more rainy and foggy than sunny, but it was already very beautiful, so I can only imagine what it would be like in more clement weather!
Before you set off: some trails may be temporarily closed (for example, during the breeding season of certain species). So it’s best to find out beforehand: visit this page.
Are dogs allowed?
Dogs are welcome in the park provided they are kept on a leash and stay on the trails.
Visit to the National Park Centre Museum
The National Park Centre (Nationalpark zentrum) is located in Ruhestein, in the heart of the southern part of the Park, the starting point for many hiking trails. It is a magnificent building whose architecture blends particularly well with its surroundings, and houses a museum.
I really recommend a visit. You’ll find both a permanent and temporary exhibition, climb the building’s tower to admire the view of the Black Forest and enjoy a pleasant break in the rest room, overlooking the forest. It’s a beautiful place, both educational and soothing!
I really enjoyed the permanent exhibition, with its modern museography and its many insights into the Black Forest and its biodiversity. The tour is suitable for adults and children alike, and you can benefit from all the explanations in French or other foreign languages, thanks to an ingenious system that’s particularly well designed.
Guided tours of the park
One of the missions of a national park is education. Guided tours in the company of park rangers are therefore organized on a regular basis (in French on certain dates, although there aren’t many of them) and enable you to learn a great deal about the flora and fauna, as well as the landscapes you observe. It’s always worth it!
Gourmet break at Ruhestein Schänke
After a good hike, there’s nothing like a lunch or snack break, is there? The Ruhestein Schänke, located in Ruhestein (opposite the park center) is a good address. I ate maltauschen, the region’s typical ravioli, and a slice of blueberry meringue pie.
Park access
Several towns offer easy access to the Black Forest National Park. Bus routes have been set up to facilitate public transport to the park from towns such as Freudenstadt, Baiersbronn and Baden-Baden, among others.
From Alsace, this also means you can easily reach the park by a combination of train and bus. A superb initiative!
This article was written as part of a paid collaboration with the Baden-Württemberg Tourist Office. my writing freedom. This article contains affiliate links.