Feldberg (Black Forest) - Environment

Environment

The Feldberg is situated south-east of Freiburg im Breisgau, surrounded by the communities of Hinterzarten, Titisee, Menzenschwand, Bernau and Todtnau. From the main peak 1,493 m there is a plateau leading 2 km in a south-east direction to the Seebuck peak (1,448 m). From this point, there is a deep valley towards the north-east which contains the Feldsee, a lake of glacial origin at about 1,000 m altitude. There are additional deep valleys around the Feldberg, such as the north-western Zastlertal and the south-western Wiesental.

The Feldberg can be reached by car via the B317 (federal highway) running from Titisee to Lörrach (Basel) across the Feldberg Pass. A train service reaches the station of Feldberg-Bärental, at 967m, the highest DB station on standard gauge track. A bus service connects with the station. The Seebuck peak (1,448m), which is topped by a tower, can be reached from the valley station by a chairlift. From this point the Feldberg peak is about 2 km away. The top of the peak is publicly accessible to walkers.

The radio systems of Bundeswehr, the French and US Army from the Cold War period have been since taken down. Today the Feldberg is discernible by the old and new television tower and the Bismarck memorial on the Seebuck.

Altogether there are more than 28 ski lifts and slopes around the Feldberg. The Feldberg peak itself is situated outside of any skiing areas. Several loipes (ski trails) around the peak and the Herzogenhorn opposite are suitable for cross-country skiing. It's all a popular area for skiing tours with slopes of alpine character.

Most of the Feldberg area is part of a nature reserve due to its subalpine vegetation. This reserve is the oldest and biggest one in Baden-Württemberg and has been under the charge of a full-time ranger since 1989. Since 2001 it's the responsibility of the Conservation Centre Südschwarzwald to look after the reserve. Within the Haus der Natur ("House of Nature") there's a permanent exhibition of nature conservation. It offers an extensive program with events in the reserve. Since 2005 there's also a new nature trail.

The Feldberg offers one of the most extensive panoramas of Germany – especially in winter at weather situations of inversion. In the west, on the other side of the Upper Rhine Graben you can see the entire Vosges Mountains from the Ballon d'Alsace up to Mont Donon and Mont Sainte-Odile. Beyond that you can also look up to the southern Palatinate Forest occasionally. In the north one can see the Hornisgrinde; in the north-east there's the entire range of the Swabian Alb including the Lemberg mountain, up to the left there's the Hegau volcano region.

In the south one can see the Alps from Alpspitze and Zugspitze in the east up to the Allgäu Alps, Verwall Alps, Silvretta, Säntis, Glarus Alps, Urner Alps, Bernese Alps and Mont Blanc in the west. Besides there are the Jura Mountains on the right next to the Alps.