10 Best Waterfalls in the Black Forest

The Triberg Waterfalls, one of Europe’s highest waterfalls, is a 15-minute walk away from the pretty town of Triberg in the heart of the Black Forest. Cascading from a height of 163 metres (535 feet), the Triberger Waterfalls claims the title of being the highest falls in Germany.

Take a hike up to the viewing platform to get up close and feel the spray of these mighty falls, and enjoy a drink and snack at the café and gift shop at its base. Fed by the fast-moving Gutach River, the 7-tiered falls are illuminated until 10 pm each night.

The Menzenschwander Waterfall is a 30-minute walk from the trio of little villages which make up the Menzenschwander health spa area in the Sankt Blasien district of the Black Forest. You’ll find the waterfall in a gorge, surrounded by ancient forest with plenty of leafy hiking trails to explore.

Small but charming – and absolutely worth a visit – the falls at Menzenschwander are around 30 metres (100 feet) high and from May to October they are illuminated at night for 3 evenings each week.

Geroldsau Waterfall is a small waterfall fed by the Grobbach stream, just a 15-minute drive from the spa and casino town of Baden-Baden in the Black Forest. Look out for the small sign on the road marked ‘Zum Wasserfälle’ which leads down to the falls and viewing platform from the road.

Look out for the stunning rhododendron blooms which are at their best here during spring and early summer. Don’t miss the little restaurant at Bütthof, above the falls, just a few minutes’ walk away.

Allerheiligen Waterfalls, or the All Saints Waterfall, is a popular tourist stop-off close to the town of Oppenau in the Black Forest. The ruins of the abbey, which originally dated back to the 13th century (though the parts remaining are from the 1500s), are a few minutes’ walk away.

The trails around the falls offer up plenty of charming wooden bridges and picturesque viewpoints, providing opportunities to capture memorable photographs. Centuries of water falling has formed basin-like holes in the rocks below the falls, earning them the nickname, Büttensteiner Waterfalls ("Tub Stone" waterfalls).

Todtnau Waterfalls is just a 15-minute walk from the nearby ski resort of Todtnauberg, which is also famous for once being home to the philosopher Martin Heidegger. These falls tumble 97 metres (318 feet) at their peak, see them at their best from above on the Hängebrücke östlicher Brückenkopf, a pedestrian suspension bridge which towers above the falls, 120 metres (393 feet) high and 450 metres (1,476 feet) long.

Fed by snow melt or rainfall, the best time to visit the Todtnau Waterfalls to see it at its full power is in late spring or during the rainy season in autumn.

Burgbachwasserfall is a single-drop 32-metre (105-foot) waterfall deep in the heart of Bad Rippoldsau-Schapbach, in the Black Forest. Choose to either take the short 10-minute walk from the car park or the circular hike, which is ideal for moderate hikers and takes just under an hour while offering up superb views.

No matter which route you choose, if you bring something to eat you can enjoy the cooling air at the base of the falls, which is well-equipped for visitors with a gazebo, picnic area and loungers.

The Gaishöll Waterfalls are a series of waterfalls in the Sasbachwalden municipality in the Northern Black Forest on the western slopes of the Hornisgrinde mountain. The lush greenery here is so thick and deep, it is often compared to the rainforest!

Take the family-friendly hike through nature over 13 wooden bridges and up 200 stone steps to get close to the cascading falls. Make sure you wear good shoes as it can get slippery underfoot, and for the best experience, avoid holidays and weekends when it can get busy.

The Zweribach waterfalls are in the heart of an area of ‘Bannwald’, or protected forest, in the Simonswald valley of the Black Forest. A treat for experienced hikers only, this waterfall is only accessible by way of a steep, rocky trail that’s often covered in water.

For those with the experience – and equipment – to make the trip, you’ll be rewarded with a double-headed waterfall that thunders down the granite hills to the valley below, surrounded by idyllic ancient forest views in this untouched nature reserve.

The Gertelbach Waterfalls are a 10-minute drive from the heritage municipality of Bühlertal in the Black Forest. While the Gertelbach Waterfalls may not deliver powerful thundering water flow, what it offers instead are vivid green mossy rocks and an ideal opportunity for photographers to capture stunning contrast slow-shutter shots over the water.

Follow the trail along the river and cross the bridge in the middle of the falls for the best photos here. If you want more powerful falls, time your visit after it’s been raining to experience the best water flow.

The Holchenwasserfall is in the protected Central/North Black Forest nature reserve in the beautiful Bad Peterstal-Griesbach municipality. This ice-cool waterfall cascades 8 metres (26 feet) over 2 points in the heart of the forest.

If you’re tackling the strenuous 10-km (6-mile) Himmelssteig hiking trail, the Holchenwasserfall is around the halfway mark, and very welcome for its adorable honesty bar with schnapps, beers, lemonade and other refreshments cooled by the waterfall! If you’re just visiting from the nearby car park, don’t forget to take some change to enjoy a drink from this unique bar.