Discover Ühlingen-Birkendorf: Forests, Trails and Culture

Ühlingen-Birkendorf can be explored from many different angles: long hiking trails, a large forest area, a local carnival tradition and culture in a Baroque staircase. For families and other travellers, this variety offers a great starting point for planning each day.

Hiking Trails and Protected Forest

The municipality’s network of hiking trails covers more than 180 kilometres, around 117 kilometres of which are circular routes. If you are looking for a specific circuit, these routes give you a clear direction for planning an excursion. The destination signs in Ühlingen-Birkendorf help hikers and cyclists find their way, indicating nearby and more distant destinations along with distances in kilometres. The signposting system was completed in 2020.

A guided tour through the Schwarzahalden protected forest follows narrow, sometimes steep paths for around five kilometres and takes approximately three hours. Its length, trail conditions and duration are therefore important considerations for your plans. Check the current arrangements for the guided tour before your visit.

The Schwarzahalden protected forest covers more than four square kilometres and is part of the Black Forest Biosphere Reserve, recognised by UNESCO in 2017. In addition, 93 hectares of state forest lie within the Ühlingen-Birkendorf municipal area. This offers two different perspectives on the forest: the large protected area and the guided tour, with its defined time commitment.

Local Life, Traditions and Culture

A foot-washing station with park-like green spaces was built in Hürrlingen in 1982. If you are planning a visit, it is a good idea to check the local conditions in advance. Hürrlingen also hosts the foot-washing pool festival every year. The Hürrlingen fire brigade and the HüRi carnival association take turns organising it each year. If you want the festival to shape your travel dates, check the specific dates before making plans.

In Riedern, the Ölberg Chapel, beneath the sacristy, is accessible from the outside and is dedicated to the Agony of Jesus. The “Kultur im Treppenwinkel” concert series in the Baroque staircase of the Propstei St. Leodegar in Riedern offers a different cultural highlight. If a concert is important to your stay, it is worth checking the dates. The Narrenhüsli Ühlingen is a museum featuring figures associated with the local carnival tradition. Together, these places represent different themes: religious dedication, concert culture and carnival.

A Discovery for Families

The digital Ühlingen village rally starts at the town hall in Ühlingen and is designed for families with children aged six and over. As a family-oriented way to explore, it differs from the several-hour guided forest tour. Check in advance whether the digital rally is currently available.

When choosing accommodation, it may help to plan your trip around the experiences that interest you most, whether that is a hike, a cultural event or the local carnival tradition. The difference between a guided tour with a set duration and a family rally can also shape your plans for the day. This way, you can begin your search with the activities that will genuinely influence your trip.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Altenburg, Häusern, Dachsberg, Küssaberg, Bonndorf Im Schwarzwald, Höchenschwand, Wutach, Lottstetten.

See the main travel overview: Waldshut.