{"id":12387,"date":"2026-10-27T00:58:56","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T23:58:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/de_de\/winter-suedschwarzwald\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T00:58:56","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T23:58:56","slug":"winter-southern-black-forest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonnenhof-sonnhalde.de\/en\/winter-suedschwarzwald\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter in the Southern Black Forest: snow, tobogganing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Snow in the Black Forest, in the south that means above all: altitudes between around 650 and almost 1,500 metres, forests, cross-country trails and toboggan runs. This article shows what you can do in the Southern Black Forest in winter, from tobogganing and cross-country skiing to snowshoeing, with distances from Birkendorf. If you mainly want to ski, continue reading in the article Feldberg ski area<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Ji-Elle<\/a> \/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Snow in the Black Forest: what you should know<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whether and how much snow lies is decided by the weather. Reliable guarantees are therefore not possible. The operator of the Feldberg ski area gives 27 November 2026 as the expected start of the 2026\/27 season, \u201cif the snow conditions are right\u201d; the end of the season depends on snow cover. Even small lifts such as the Brenden ski lift run, according to Schwarzwald Tourismus, only depending on snow depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, before every trip, check the current snow report of the Feldbergbahnen<\/a>. It shows which lifts and slopes are open. For cross-country trails and toboggan runs in the region, it is also worth taking a look at the pages of High Black Forest Tourism<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tobogganing in the Black Forest: toboggan runs in the south<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tobogganing needs no equipment on the mountain: a sledge is enough. Many slopes have a conveyor belt or a lift for the ride uphill, and hire sledges are available in sports shops, ski schools and some tourist information offices. The following table lists slopes in the region with length and distance from the hotel (calculated with OSRM, journey time rounded up to 5 minutes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toboggan run<\/th>Length<\/th>Note<\/th>From Birkendorf<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Brenden (\u00dchlingen-Birkendorf)<\/td>200 m<\/td>easy, next to the ski lift<\/td>around 12 km, about 20 minutes<\/td><\/tr>
Rothaus (Grafenhausen)<\/td>approx. 200 m<\/td>easy, car park at the ski lift<\/td>around 8 km, about 10 minutes<\/td><\/tr>
Altglash\u00fctten (Schwarzenbachlift)<\/td>100 m<\/td>uphill by conveyor belt<\/td>around 22 km, about 25 minutes<\/td><\/tr>
Menzenschwand (M\u00f6sle Skilift)<\/td>150 m<\/td>uphill by conveyor belt<\/td>around 28 km, about 30 minutes<\/td><\/tr>
Feldberg-Seebuck (behind the Haus der Natur)<\/td>75 m<\/td>uphill by conveyor belt 1<\/td>around 31 km, about 35 minutes<\/td><\/tr>
Bernau (Krunkelbachh\u00fctte)<\/td>3.5 km<\/td>Ride to the hut in a Pistenbully by arrangement<\/td>around 33 km, about 35 minutes<\/td><\/tr>
Muggenbrunn (Wasenlift)<\/td>300 m<\/td>uphill by conveyor belt<\/td>around 46 km, about 50 minutes<\/td><\/tr>
Todtnauberg (Bucklift)<\/td>100 m<\/td>uphill by conveyor belt<\/td>around 48 km, about 55 minutes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The sources for the slope information are Feldbergbahnen, Hochschwarzwald Tourismus and Schwarzwald Tourismus. According to Schwarzwald Tourismus, hire sledges (\u201cRodel-2-Go\u201d) are available on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Rothaus tourist information office; hire is also mentioned for the slope in Brenden. On the Seebuck you may not use the ski lifts with a sledge, only conveyor belt 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cross-country skiing in the Black Forest: trails in the High Black Forest and Rothauser Land<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the operator, the network of cross-country trails around the Feldberg ski area is 120 kilometres long, certified by the German Ski Association and uniformly signposted. Almost all trails are groomed for classic style and for skating. Trail huts and shelters invite you to take a break. For the ascents, you can buy single tickets for the Herzogenhornbahn, the Feldbergbahn, the Zeigerbahn and the Grafenmatt lifts with cross-country skis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Closer to the hotel is the Rothauser Land winter sports area (650 to 900 metres) with, according to Schwarzwald Tourismus, 70 kilometres of cross-country trails. In Birkendorf the connecting trail branches off from the B\u00fchlloipe and leads to the Bildst\u00f6ckleloipe in \u00dchlingen (difficulty \u201cmedium\u201d); it can also be skied in the opposite direction. Cross-country courses are offered by snow sports schools, for example in Bernau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snowshoeing in the Black Forest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With snowshoes you travel off the groomed paths. The Haus der Natur on the Feldberg offers hire and guided tours. On the Feldberg, the operator lists two trails:<\/p>\n\n\n\n