Urberg: Mining History and Views of the Alb Valley

Urberg combines sacred art, minerals and memories of mining with views over the Alb Valley. St. Peter and Paul Parish Church, the Gottesehre Mineral Museum and the mining trail represent different themes; the Bildsteinfelsen adds sweeping views of the landscape. You can plan your trip around a range of interests: local history, minerals and former mining, or viewpoints and longer hiking trails.

Church and Mineral Museum

St. Peter and Paul Parish Church in Urberg houses a remarkable altar dating from the mid-17th century. It is said to have come from the New Minster in St. Blasien, which burned down in 1768. In Inner-Urberg, St. Peter and Paul Parish Church dates from 1816. These dates offer different historical points of reference: the altar’s reported origin and a dated church building.

The Gottesehre Mineral Museum in Urberg displays an extensive collection of minerals. It was established in 2001 in the basement of the former schoolhouse. Alongside sacred art, Urberg thus offers mineral collections and the history of a former school building as distinct subjects.

Mining Trails and Traditional Beekeeping

The mining trail can be started at the Mineral Museum in Urberg. It links sites of former mining; the mining path near Rüttewies is incorporated into it. In the wider destination of Dachsberg (Southern Black Forest), the trail is about seven kilometres long and can also be started at the town hall in Wittenschwand. This gives you two starting points, while the trail explores mining history throughout.

The Zeidlerpfad near the Goldenhof in Dachsberg-Urberg explores a different historical theme. Information boards explain how honey was once harvested and bees were kept. In the wider destination of Dachsberg (Southern Black Forest), the trail also offers historical insights into traditional woodland beekeeping and its ecological significance. The trails therefore have distinct themes: the mining trail links former mining sites, while the Zeidlerpfad focuses on historical beekeeping.

Views, Long-Distance Hiking and Winter Tours

The Bildsteinfelsen viewpoint below the Goldenhof offers sweeping views over the Alb Valley. The Albsteig Schwarzwald long-distance hiking trail also passes the Bildsteinfelsen along its 83-kilometre route. Below the Bildsteinfelsen lies the former Gottesehre fluorspar and barite mine, which now provides a refuge for many bats. The viewpoint, long-distance trail and former mine’s current role as a bat refuge reveal different aspects of this landscape.

The Urberg community centre is a starting point for winter tours. For a trip planned around several kinds of activities, this offers a different focus from mining and cultural history: you can choose between a historical focus, views over the valley and winter activities.

The wider destination of Dachsberg (Southern Black Forest)

Looking at the wider destination of Dachsberg (Southern Black Forest) expands the options beyond Urberg. Dachsberg and Ibach have an extensive network of trails for hiking, Nordic walking, cycling and winter tours. In winter, you can explore the plateaus and forests on groomed winter hiking trails; whether the trails are usable depends on snow conditions. Dachsberg and Ibach are also members of the Black Forest Biosphere Reserve, established in 2016.

The Albsteig Schwarzwald also offers a longer route to explore: since 2017, it has been a premium hiking trail, running from the Alb’s mouth at Albbruck to its source near Feldberg. Along the way, it climbs Dachsberg and offers magnificent views. In the wider destination of Dachsberg (Southern Black Forest), the Gottesehre Mineral Museum also provides information about the abandoned mine through a film and other media; several display cases show minerals from the mine. The route and museum exhibition thus explore different aspects of the mining heritage.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Urberg, it helps to decide on your preferred focus beforehand: mining history and minerals, views and long-distance hiking, or winter tours. If you also include the wider destination of Dachsberg (Southern Black Forest), you’ll find additional hiking, cycling and winter tours.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Vogelbach, Wittenschwand.

Back to the main travel overview: Dachsberg.