Blumberg: Railway, Hiking Trails and Waterfalls
Accommodation in Blumberg
Blumberg combines an unusual railway history with hiking trails, waterfalls and sweeping views. The name Sauschwänzlebahn comes from the spiral-shaped course of the “Große Stockhalde” circular tunnel: it is reminiscent of a curly little pig’s tail. When planning your stay, you can choose from a range of different focuses—from train rides and nature trails to regional tasting stops.
Die Sauschwänzlebahn verbindet rund um Zollhaus-Blumberg Eisenbahngeschichte mit der Landschaft des Wutachtals.
Photo: Nelso Silva from Porto, Portugal via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Train Rides, Museum and Seasonal Running Days
The Sauschwänzlebahn runs on weekends during the main season, from the end of April to the end of October. From June to September, additional services run on Thursdays and Fridays. As the services are seasonal, check the operator’s current timetable before your trip. Since 1992, a railway museum has been housed in the former goods shed at Blumberg-Zollhaus station, complementing the Sauschwänzlebahn experience.
A visit to the Reiter signal box can also be combined with a running day: it is open on Sauschwänzlebahn running days, and admission is included in the fare. Before visiting, check the operator’s latest service information and weather updates. This helps keep the timetable, signal box visit and museum clearly distinct as different aspects of the railway experience.
Hiking Trails with Different Highlights
The Sauschwänzle Trail starts at Blumberg-Zollhaus station. After crossing the B27, it follows the railway line on the left as far as the road crossing at Buchberg Tunnel. Three installations along the trail share information about local heritage, tradition and the production of Black Forest ham. The route description and the installations’ themes give the hike a distinct regional connection, without requiring an additional activity.
The Schnapshäusle hike offers a different way to explore the area: the circular trail is about 4.1 kilometres long and leads to five tasting stops where regional schnapps and liqueurs can be sampled. Check the booking details before your visit. If you prefer to plan your own workout for a hike, Blumberg also has six interconnected, signposted Nordic walking routes.
The Wutachflühen impress with their steep rock towers, ferns, moss-covered stones and gnarled roots. Other nature destinations include the Schleifenbach Waterfalls: a woodland path leads to them, where the water plunges 20 metres down over three cascades. These landscapes offer a different focus from the railway line and its history.
Views and Cycling Route
At the nature cinema on Buchberg at Ottilienhöhe, wooden loungers and benches are set outdoors. In good weather, the view stretches as far as the Alps. This weather condition matters when planning your day: the view of the Alps is explicitly dependent on good weather. Cyclists can also factor Blumberg into their stage planning, as the second stage of the DreiWelten cycle route passes by the town.
When looking for a holiday apartment, you can start by considering which experiences you want to shape your stay. Seasonal running days matter for train rides; hiking, Nordic walking and the cycling stage that passes through the area offer other planning options. This lets you choose a destination to suit your interests without combining the different activities into a single route.
A Regional Perspective on the Schwarzwald-Baar District
In the wider Schwarzwald-Baar district destination, Kirnbergsee is located in Bräunlingen-Unterbränd. A 2.5-kilometre circular trail runs around the oval lake and over the dam. Kirnbergsee is part of a Special Area of Conservation; rare plants grow close to the shore.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Vöhrenbach, Schönwald in the Black Forest, Unterkirnach, Tuningen, Furtwangen in the Black Forest, Neukirch, Villingen-Schwenningen, Donaueschingen.
Back to the wider travel guide: Schwarzwald-Baar District.
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