I share behind the scenes travel mishaps and adventures on the road. Visit half-timbered houses that look like gingerbread, eat Black Forest cake, and see a true winter wonderland come to life. The name dates back to the Roman Empire when they came for the mineral waters and created bath houses in Baden-Baden. Fog regularly spills over the forest like a blanket, making it the perfect setting for stories and myths. The Brothers Grimm's stories were published in and are a lot more dark than the fairytales we know today.
We drove from Heidelberg through streets lightly covered in snow on our way up to hike the forest. As we edged closer we could see the landscape change: it was full on winter wonderland mode. Towering high trees leaned over the ground with the weight of the snow, as if to whisper a secret. We pulled on our hiking boots, gaiters, and grabbed our poles to head into the thick trees and dense snow.
There was a peaceful silence broken only by the heavy breathing of our dogs as they zoomed around the sparkling white landscape. We often visited the Black Forest, for a spring time hike finishing with cake outside in the garden, bathing in the spas in the fall, drinking at wineries in the summer, or admiring a snow globe come to life in winter.
Mark Twain came here in the s and wrote about it in his book, A Tramp Abroad. I have to agree. Hiking here at sunset or taking a scenic drives transports you to a whole new world.
Nearby towns like Baden-Baden and Freiburg are on the western edge and the perfect place to grab a bite to eat or stay over night. I suggest taking a car to head to the forest. However, you can take a train to Baden-Baen, Freiburg, or Offenburg. But if you want to go hiking or see some of the smaller towns, a car is ideal. The scenic drives are worth it alone.
