Black Forest High Road
🇩🇪 Germany
The Schwarzwaldhochstrasse (Black Forest High Road) is one of Germany's oldest and most scenic tourist routes, running 60 kilometers along the ridgeline of the northern Black Forest from Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt. Established in the 1930s as the B500 federal road, it traverses elevations between 800 and 1,164 meters, weaving through dense coniferous forests, past glacial lakes called tarns, and alongside panoramic viewpoints that stretch across the Rhine Valley to the Vosges Mountains in France.
The route passes landmarks including the Mummelsee, a dark glacial lake steeped in legend, and the Hornisgrinde, the highest peak of the northern Black Forest at 1,164 meters. Unlike many alpine roads, the gradients here are gentle and the road is wide, making it accessible to all drivers. The surrounding forest is crisscrossed with hiking and cross-country skiing trails, and traditional Black Forest guesthouses offer regional cuisine and the famous Black Forest cake.