A signposted circular trail, the Minster of the Wiesental and a high altar dating from 1520 offer tangible starting points for hiking and culture in Schönau in the Black Forest. When choosing where to stay, you can weigh up whether you would rather spend your time on a route with a specified duration, exploring local history or enjoying other activities.
Discover the town and its landscape
Schönau is a state-recognised climatic health resort at the foot of the Belchen. The town is also home to the office of the Black Forest Biosphere Reserve, recognised by UNESCO. These features give the location a clear connection to the surrounding landscape and natural environment; churches and local history offer further points of interest.
Hiking with specific route details
The signposted circular trail around Schönau offers a concrete basis for planning your time: it is 8.8 kilometres long, includes around 380 metres of ascent and descent, and takes approximately three hours. The route follows the Philosophenweg and passes the Letzbergweiher pond. The former Schlageter monument and a glacial polish site are also along the way. This circular route brings together the landscape and local history.
Hiking and walking routes associated with Schönau include Rund um Schönau, Philosophenweg, Stelenweg, Urwaldpfad, Wiedener Kirchweg, Wandel eines kleinen Landstädtchens and Gletscherpfad. Their names offer different starting points for choosing routes to suit your own plans. When planning the circular trail around Schönau, allow for its approximate three-hour duration and elevation changes. Trail conditions and signposting may change; check the latest information before setting out.
When snow conditions are suitable, you can use cleared winter hiking trails; a cross-country ski trail is also prepared. A guided Urwaldpfad route runs through the Schönau Bannwald forest in the core zone of the Black Forest Biosphere Reserve. The route goes from Flüh to Künaberg and back to Schönau. Check in advance whether and when the guided tour is offered, as conditions on nearby routes and the availability of the tour may change.
Churches and local history
Known as the Minster of the Wiesental, the church is considered the largest in the district of Lörrach. The Church of the Assumption of Mary was built in the Neo-Gothic style between 1905 and 1907; its tower is around 90 metres high. These architectural details offer a concrete point of reference if you would like to visit Schönau’s churches on a walk.
The town’s historic high altar dates from 1520 and is associated with a period of prosperity linked to silver discoveries. It therefore takes you back to a different era from the Neo-Gothic construction of the Church of the Assumption of Mary. These two points in time can be considered separately when exploring Schönau’s history.
The Klösterle houses the local history museum and was probably built around 1780. A guided tour of historic buildings and places in Schönau is also recommended. This lets you include additional stops connected with local history in your stay, beyond individual buildings.
More activities to plan your trip
The Wiesental Cycle Route runs from Todtnau to Basel and passes through Schönau. In addition to hiking and cycling, the destination also offers mountain biking, golf, tennis, fly fishing and paragliding. This gives you several types of activity to choose from, without having to fit them all into the same outing. For your plans, it may be helpful to choose one preferred activity as the focus of each day.
Schönau has a heated outdoor pool with beach volleyball and mini golf. As facilities may change, check which amenities are currently available before visiting. The Buchenbrändle Energy Adventure Park explores different forms of energy and their connection to climate change. Several stations offer information and activities, giving the park its own thematic approach to nature and climate.
A climb up the tower with the mayor offers a view over Schönau from above. Programme details may change, so check in advance whether the activity is taking place during your visit. Together with the hiking routes, churches and local history museum, this makes it possible to tailor your stay to different interests, without needing to fit every activity into the same day’s plans.
Discover more destinations: Rheinfelden, Wieden, Aitern, Hasel, Todtnau, Maulburg, Liel, Kandern.
For the overarching travel overview: Lörrach.
