St. Georgen in the Black Forest combines hiking opportunities with a distinctive focus on technology: the German Phonograph Museum is dedicated to the town’s phonograph industry and the mechanical recording and playback of sound. The Brigach also shapes the town’s geographical identity: it rises in St. Georgen and is one of the two headstreams of the Danube. At the same time, the town lies on the Rhine–Danube watershed. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between nature, the history of technology and the Black Forest Railway as different points of interest.
Hiking trails and seasonal lift conditions
A guide published in 2024 lists 220 kilometres of hiking trails in St. Georgen, including the 16-kilometre St. Georgen Heritage Trail. The figures describe two different scales: 220 kilometres refers to the trail network, while 16 kilometres refers to a single route. As information about the network and route details may change, check the latest tour information before setting out on your hike.
The signposted hike to the Brigach spring starts at Klosterweiher and leads to the spring near Hirzfarm. The Oberer Schlossberg ski lift is at an altitude of 975 metres and is considered suitable for families because of its low elevation difference. Operating conditions are seasonal; if you plan to use the lift, check the conditions before your visit.
Phonograph history and special details
The German Phonograph Museum presents the history of St. Georgen’s phonograph industry and the development of mechanical sound recording and playback. It was established in 1972, when the private phonograph collections of two St. Georgen residents were brought together. The museum therefore brings together the history of a local industry and the development of sound playback technology.
Another historical highlight is the Kobisenmühle, a listed and restored farm mill in St. Georgen. The Schwarzwälder Genusswerkstatt makes chocolate in the shape of records. The record motif thus connects the themes of sound recording and food in an unusual way.
St. Georgen by rail and in its landscape setting
St. Georgen has the highest-altitude station on the Black Forest Railway. The journey itself can also be part of the travel experience: the Black Forest Railway passes through 39 tunnels and over viaducts, offering an impressive landscape experience along the way. Together with the source of the Brigach and the town’s position on the Rhine–Danube watershed, this gives the choice of destination a clear geographical context.
When looking for a hotel in St. Georgen, you can start by deciding what matters most to you: hiking, phonograph history or the train journey. The local attractions appeal to different interests and give your stay a clear focus.
More things to do in the Schwarzwald-Baar district
Visitors looking to explore the wider Schwarzwald-Baar district will find other distinct hiking and cultural attractions. The 109-kilometre WasserWeltenSteig premium hiking trail runs entirely through the Schwarzwald-Baar district on the German side, from Germany’s highest waterfalls in Triberg to the Rhine Falls near Neuhausen. On a different scale, the 2.5-kilometre circular trail around the oval Kirnbergsee lake also crosses the dam wall.
Fasnet is another part of the regional picture: the Swabian-Alemannic Fasnet in the Schwarzwald-Baar district was added to Germany’s nationwide UNESCO Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2014. The carnival there lasts six days, from Schmotziger Dunnschtig to Ash Wednesday. These attractions add distinct regional hiking and cultural perspectives to the things to do in the town.
Discover more destinations: Villingen-Schwenningen, Königsfeld in the Black Forest, Mönchweiler, Nußbach, Kappel, Bräunlingen, Donaueschingen, Gremmelsbach.
View the broader travel guide: Schwarzwald-Baar district.
