Outdoor Adventures for the Whole Family in Germany’s Black Forest

The Black Forest region, in Germany’s southwestern corner, is best known for its charming Old World villages of half-timbered houses, colorful Christmas markets and hand-carved cuckoo clocks. Less known, though, are the abundant hiking trails and other outdoor adventures that make it an attractive summer destination for families.

Walking and hiking trails are everywhere: alongside streams and lakes, through cool green forests, between cultural sights and to mountain tops for sweeping views. In Feldberg, there’s even a Gnome Trail, an interactive storybook hike through the forest with engaging pictures and signage in multiple languages.

Walk through the treetops 60 feet above the forest floor in Bad Wildbad on the Sommerberg Treetop Walk. This elevated path in the Nature Park Schwarzwald Mitte/Nord climbs to a lookout tower, more than 120 feet high and with sweeping panoramas of the Black Forest hills. Interactive learning stations and challenges engage young visitors, who especially like the tunnel slide descent.

In contrast to the treetop experience, a hike through Ravenna Gorge, a short train ride away from Freiburg, takes you into the depth of the dramatic gorge, past waterfalls and through an ancient valley that was once a main route through Germany.

You can hike the 5-mile route with a guide or on your own with a handy app that takes you step by step in English. Along with exploring the gorge, the app can also take you to historic sites and to the world’s largest cuckoo clock. This hiking trip is not suitable for children under age 10. Take a lunch and stop for a picnic by a waterfall.

To see all of the 535-foot waterfall in Triberg, you’ll have to climb the trail alongside it. Plunging from pool to pool, only bits of the falls are visible from each of several viewpoints, but it’s well worth it.

At the southern edge of the Black Forest, near the Swiss border, the large lake of Titisee is popular for families, who find something for everyone at Badeparadies Schwarzwald, a water park with waterslides and 18 pools, saunas and a spa.

Family-friendly lodging is abundant, and the lake offers swimming and wading pools in the clear, glacier-fed waters at lifeguarded Titisee Beach. Explore the lake in rented electric rowboats, pedal boats, car-boats, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, or relax aboard a guided lake cruise.