VAN-COMPARATOR Guide
The Black Forest by Campervan: Schwarzwaldhochstraße, Lakes and Villages
The B500 ridge road, the Titisee, the Triberg waterfalls and Baden-Baden: a 4-to-5-day campervan itinerary from Freiburg im Breisgau, stage by stage.
Dark fir forests, farmhouses with vast sweeping roofs, ridge roads and glacial lakes: the Black Forest is southern Germany distilled, and perfect campervan country. Ideal starting point: Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany’s sunniest city, at the foot of the massif.
Freiburg and the Schauinsland
Before climbing, wander Freiburg’s old town, its Bächle (little channels of running water along the streets) and its cathedral with the openwork spire. The Schauinsland (1,284 m), reached by a road of hairpins, gives a first panorama over the massif and, on clear days, the Alps.
Titisee, Schluchsee and the Feldberg
Head east to the Titisee, the massif’s most famous glacial lake, then the larger, calmer Schluchsee. Between the two, the Feldberg tops out at 1,493 m — the Black Forest’s highest point, with easy summit walks and high-altitude parking spots, precious in summer for sleeping cool.
Triberg: waterfalls and cuckoo clocks
At the heart of the massif, Triberg stacks its waterfalls over 163 m of drop — among Germany’s highest — and claims the title of cuckoo-clock capital: the neighbouring valley holds the world’s largest cuckoo clocks.
The Schwarzwaldhochstraße to Baden-Baden
The finale plays out on the B500, the ridge road between Freudenstadt and Baden-Baden: 60 km along the summits, viewpoints in quick succession, a stop at the Mummelsee lake. On arrival, the thermal baths of Baden-Baden reward stiff-shouldered drivers.
Practical notes
A loop of about 300 km over 4 to 5 days. The roads are excellent but winding: a mini-camper (€45 to €90 a day) or compact campervan (€75 to €150) is far more enjoyable here than a large RV. Wild camping is banned — the stopover network is dense, see our stopover guide and our wild camping rules for Europe. In winter, snow equipment is compulsory on the heights. Compare rentals out of Freiburg or Stuttgart on Van-Comparator to lock in the best total price.