Parking at Feldberg — The Honest Guide for Hikers, Skiers, and Overnight Guests

Why parking at the Feldberg deserves its own guide

At 1,493 metres, the Feldberg is the highest hiking area in the Black Forest and at the same time the largest ski area between the Vosges and the Alps. On sunny weekends in summer and on snowy February days, tens of thousands of day visitors arrive — and they all need to park somewhere. On top of that, the mountain lies within a nature reserve, which means new parking spaces cannot simply be built wherever you want.

Before every season, we receive emails with the same question: “Where should we park?” The honest answer depends on what you want to do — hike, ski, walk to the Feldsee, or simply enjoy the mountain from the observation tower. This guide organises the main parking options, explains what to expect at the central lots, and lists the points that really matter in winter.

The most important parking lots at a glance

There is not one single “main parking lot” at the Feldberg, but several large lots around the mountain — each with its own purpose and its own audience. The following five cover almost every purpose:

• Parkhaus Feldberg (Seebuck) — 1,200 spaces, Dr. Pilet-Spur 2; the central car park for hikers and skiers, and for the Haus der Natur too.
• Car park at the Caritas-Haus (B317, Feldberg Pass) — start for the Feldsee via the Seesträßle and for the Wasserfallsteig.
• Rinken hikers car park (Hinterzarten) — free according to hochschwarzwald.de; access to the Feldsee.
• Kunzenmoos hikers car park (Feldberg-Bärental) — satnav: Seebachweg, 79868 Feldberg; access to the Feldsee.
• Parking in the villages — Bärental, Altglashütten, Falkau.

The exact location of each is shown on hochschwarzwald.de or directly on OpenStreetMap. All lots are signposted in both directions along the B317 once you reach the Feldberg plateau.

Parkhaus Feldberg at the Seebuck — for hikers, skiers and the Haus der Natur

Parkhaus Feldberg (Dr. Pilet-Spur 2, 79868 Feldberg; operated by SABA) is the central car park on the mountain, with 1,200 spaces. Level 4 leads straight out to the lift ticket offices at the Seebuck and the Grafenmatt; the Feldbergturm is about 40 minutes away on foot from here, or a few minutes by Feldbergbahn. The Haus der Natur on the B317 — visitor centre of the nature reserve and starting point of the Feldbergsteig — has no free parking spaces of its own and explicitly refers visitors to the garage; the Feldberger Hof bus stop is right in front of it.

What you should know:

• Parking fee. Charged; the daily rate changes and is shown on the machines and on hochschwarzwald.de. According to the operator, standard rates apply in summer, with no discounts. With the KONUS guest card, the picture shifts — many overnight guests simply take the bus instead of parking.
• Capacity. 1,200 spaces — yet still full early on sunny summer weekends and on peak days in the ski season.
• Access. Along the B317 at the Feldberg Pass, parking is only permitted in the marked parking areas.
• Best strategy. Arrive early at weekends; during the week it is relaxed.

For the hiking routes that start directly at Haus der Natur, we have a full overview on The five most beautiful hikes at the Feldberg.

Parking for the Feldsee — four starting points, then on foot

We found no officially named car park for the Feldsee in any official source — not from Hochschwarzwald Tourismus, the Naturschutzzentrum or OpenStreetMap. The Feldsee can only be reached on foot; Hochschwarzwald Tourismus recommends starting at the Feldbergbahn valley station or the Feldberg-Caritas bus stop. The Raimartihof, the inn right at the lake with no public road access, lists four starting points (distances to the Raimartihof at the Feldsee, never to the shore):

Park at	To the Raimartihof at the Feldsee	Note
Parkhaus Feldberg (Seebuck)	approx. 2.5 km, 170 m elevation difference, via Dr. Pilet-Spur and Karl-Egon-Weg	not for pushchairs or bikes, sure-footedness needed; with a pushchair via Ernst-Maurer-Weg and Seesträßle approx. 4 km
Car park at the Caritas-Haus (B317, Feldberg Pass)	approx. 2.9 km, 110 m elevation difference, via Seesträßle and Raimartihofweg	suitable for pushchairs
Rinken hikers car park (Hinterzarten)	approx. 3.0 km, 100 m elevation difference, via Seewaldstraße and Raimartihofweg	suitable for pushchairs; free according to hochschwarzwald.de
Kunzenmoos hikers car park (Feldberg-Bärental)	approx. 3.8 km, 160 m elevation difference, via Raimartihofweg	suitable for pushchairs; satnav: Seebachweg, 79868 Feldberg

At the lake: swimming is banned in the nature reserve, for dogs too. If you want to swim, go to the Titisee or the Schluchsee instead — see Swimming in the Upper Black Forest: Titisee and Schluchsee.

Caritas-Haus car park on the B317 — Feldsee and Wasserfallsteig

The public car park at the Caritas-Haus lies on the B317 at the Feldberg Pass. From here, the Seesträßle leads to the Raimartihof at the Feldsee (approx. 2.9 km, suitable for pushchairs), and the Wasserfallsteig starts opposite the Hebelhof. What parking costs and how many spaces there are is shown on the signage on site; along the B317 at the pass, parking is only permitted in the marked areas.

Parking in the villages

Bärental, Altglashütten, and Falkau each have their own public parking — and for many day visitors that is the overlooked argument: you park for free or cheaply in the village and take the bus or train, with the KONUS guest card, up to the mountain.

• Bärental. The Dreiseenbahn stops at Feldberg-Bärental station; from there bus line 7300 runs to the Feldberg.
• Altglashütten. Administrative seat of the municipality, several small lots near the village centre. The bus connection works here too.
• Falkau. Quiet, with several spaces near hiking trails. From Falkau, separate hiking paths lead up to the mountain without crossing through classic day-tourism crowds.

If you plan to spend the whole day at the ski area or at Haus der Natur, this strategy does not necessarily save time — but if you want to avoid the stress of the high-season main lot, it gives you an alternative.

Parking in winter — what really matters

In winter, parking at the Feldberg works differently than in summer. Three points:

• Winter tyre requirement and snow chains. In Germany, a situational winter tyre requirement applies — when conditions are wintry, you must be appropriately equipped. On the approach roads to the Feldberg (B31, B317), this is regularly the case in winter. On very snowy days, snow chains may be useful or required on individual access roads. Current regulations and traffic conditions are available on the websites of the Baden-Württemberg police and ADAC.
• Car parks at the ski area. At the Seebuck, the operator’s website shows the free spaces in the Parkhaus live; from level 4 you reach the lift ticket offices. Further parking areas: Herzogenhornbahn (Parkster app), Grafenmatt, Feldbergpasshöhe.
• Illegal parking. According to the operator, vehicles blocking emergency access routes or bus stops are towed at the owner’s expense; along the B317, parking is only allowed in marked areas.

What does parking cost compared to the bus?

This is where it gets interesting — and exactly where the KONUS guest card argument lives.

If you arrive as a day visitor by car, you pay a daily fee at one of the main lots. If you stay overnight with a participating provider, you usually receive the KONUS guest card for free — and with it you travel free on all buses and regional trains in the Black Forest (2nd class); mountain railways are excluded. Instead of parking in the Parkhaus Feldberg, you simply travel up by bus or via the Dreiseenbahn and save the parking fee completely.

For many of our guests, this means in practice: their own car stays parked at the free apartment lot for a day or two, and outings run on the KONUS guest card. That is also convenient because it saves the stress of finding a parking space on peak days.

A caveat: the precise list of included services and participating lines can change seasonally. The current overview is on hochschwarzwald.de.

Charging an electric car at the Feldberg

If you arrive with an electric car, you will find a growing number of charging points in the Upper Black Forest; we deliberately do not name specific locations here because they change.

Rather than name specific locations and operators that can change month by month, we recommend:

• Plan before the trip with a charging app such as EnBW mobility+, Plugsurfing, or the Tesla app.
• If you stay longer, ask us when you book — we will tell you the current situation.
• On peak days, availability is a real issue, especially in winter — anyone dependent on fast charging should plan alternatives in Titisee, Hinterzarten, or Freiburg.

Parking at the accommodation — Black Forest Dream

At Black Forest Dream, our guests have free parking directly at the house at Brünneleweg 4 in the Feldberg village of Neuglashütten. For many of our car-arriving guests, this is one of the most low-key but practical pluses:

• No daily fee for your own car during your stay.
• No parking search on arrival — you drive right up to the apartment.
• No distance to your luggage — ski bags, hiking rucksacks, and prams are in the apartment, not in a parking garage.
• A cleared parking area in winter — no snowed-in pile in the morning.

For day trips to Haus der Natur, to Lake Schluchsee, or to Titisee, you can either take the car (parking fee on site) or use the KONUS guest card on the bus and save both — the search and the fee.

Common mistakes and tips

From the emails we receive before and after stays, a few recurring points emerge:

• Arriving too late on peak days. On sunny ski weekends the Parkhaus Feldberg fills up quickly; check the live display of free spaces on the operator’s website before you set off.
• Wrong lot for the purpose. For the Feldbergturm, the lifts and the Haus der Natur, Parkhaus Feldberg at the Seebuck is the right place; for the Feldsee, park at the Caritas-Haus, at Rinken or at Kunzenmoos and walk.
• Forgetting the KONUS guest card. Many day visitors pay parking fees on the mountain even though they could have a free bus and train pass via the KONUS guest card included with their valley accommodation. Your booking confirmation usually states whether the card is included.
• No winter tyres in winter. Above Titisee, the approach roads can still have snow in April. Anyone coming from more southerly regions tends to underestimate this.
• Charging not planned. If you depend on fast charging, check before the trip whether the next available station is on your route — at the mountain, the network is more sparse than in Freiburg or Karlsruhe.

Our honest recommendation

If you arrive as a day visitor just for hiking or skiing, budget for a daily parking fee at the main lots and come early on peak days. If you are more flexible, park more cheaply or for free in a village and take the bus up.

If you stay overnight with us or another KONUS provider, the answer is clear: the car stays at the apartment, the outings run on the card. You save on parking fees, stress, and time on the approach roads — and come back relaxed in the evening.

And in winter: pack winter tyres and patience. The Feldberg in the snow is worth it.

Frequently asked questions about parking at the Feldberg

What does parking at the Feldberg cost?

Parkhaus Feldberg at the Seebuck (1,200 spaces, operated by SABA) charges a fee; the exact daily rate changes and is shown on the machines on site and on hochschwarzwald.de. According to the operator, standard rates apply in summer, with no discounts. For the car park at the Caritas-Haus and the Kunzenmoos hikers car park, the signage on site applies; hochschwarzwald.de lists the Rinken hikers car park as free.

Where do I park at the Feldberg for hiking?

For most hiking trails, Parkhaus Feldberg at the Seebuck is the starting point — the Haus der Natur, where the Feldbergsteig begins, has no free parking of its own and refers visitors to the garage. For the Feldsee, park at Parkhaus Feldberg, at the Caritas-Haus on the B317, at the Rinken hikers car park or at the Kunzenmoos hikers car park and walk from there. If you park in the villages, take the bus on to the Feldberger Hof stop.

Are there free parking lots at the Feldberg?

In the villages of Bärental, Altglashütten, and Falkau there are public parking spaces whose charging is regulated by the municipality — whether an individual space is free of charge is stated on the signage on site. The central car parks on the mountain are paid; hochschwarzwald.de lists the Rinken hikers car park in Hinterzarten as a free car park from which hikes to the Feldsee, among others, are possible. Overnight guests with the KONUS guest card most comfortably use the bus instead of parking on the mountain.

Do I need snow chains to reach the parking lot in winter?

Germany has a situational winter tyre requirement — under wintry conditions you must be properly equipped. Snow chains are usually not mandatory on the main roads, but on very snowy days or individual access roads they can be useful or required. Check the current situation on the websites of the Baden-Württemberg police and ADAC.

Are there charging stations for electric cars at the Feldberg?

Yes, the Upper Black Forest has a growing number of charging points; we deliberately do not name specific locations here because they change. Plan ahead with a charging app and consider alternatives in Titisee or Freiburg if you depend on fast charging.

Is parking at Black Forest Dream included?

Yes, all Black Forest Dream guests have free parking directly at the house at Brünneleweg 4. The parking area is cleared in winter and can accommodate larger vehicles. In addition, as an overnight guest you receive the KONUS guest card, which lets you use buses and trains in the region for free.

Where do I park for the Feldsee?

We found no officially named Feldsee car park: the Feldsee can only be reached on foot. To the Raimartihof at the lake it is about 2.5 km from Parkhaus Feldberg, about 2.9 km from the public car park at the Caritas-Haus on the B317, about 3.0 km from the Rinken hikers car park and about 3.8 km from the Kunzenmoos hikers car park. The region recommends starting at the Feldbergbahn valley station or the Feldberg-Caritas bus stop. Swimming is banned in the nature reserve.

Stay with us

Are you planning a Feldberg holiday and want safe, free parking at the door? In our apartments you stay right in the Upper Black Forest — self check-in, mountain views, infrared sauna, free parking included, and 7% cheaper than on Booking.com.

• Komfort apartment (App-20) — free parking included
• All arrival options to the Feldberg
• Feldberg by train — the honest guide
• Book directly — 7% cheaper than Booking
• Frequently asked questions — self check-in, dogs, sauna