The Black Forest rises from valley farmland to the dark conifer canopy of Feldberg peak. Orbit the ridge, toggle the Danube/Neckar river-source markers, and follow the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse ridge route.
Published figures: the Black Forest covers about 6,009 sq km in Baden-Wurttemberg, southwest Germany, running about 160 km north-south and 20-60 km wide, and rises to about 1,493 m at Feldberg, its highest point.
Drag to orbit and scroll or pinch to zoom. Everything renders on your device with WebGL.
Black Forest 3D Explorer
This browser explorer shows the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) as a rolling terrain relief: valley farmland and river-cut lowlands giving way to dense dark-conifer canopy on the ridges, climbing toward Feldberg, the range's highest point. The dark, near-continuous fir and spruce canopy that shades the valleys below is the origin of the range's name in both German and English.
The Black Forest sits in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg in southwestern Germany, running roughly 160 km from north to south and 20-60 km wide, for a total area of about 6,009 sq km. Its highest point, Feldberg, reaches about 1,493 m. Two of Europe's notable rivers begin here: the Danube (Donau), Europe's second-longest river, has its conventional source at Donaueschingen on the forest's eastern edge, and the Neckar rises near Schwenningen on the western flank before flowing north to join the Rhine. The Schwarzwaldhochstrasse ("Black Forest High Road"), a scenic ridge route of about 60 km, links Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt along the forest's high crest. The region is also the traditional home of the cuckoo clock, a craft dating to the 18th century.
- Toggle the Danube and Neckar river-source markers on the forest's eastern and western flanks
- Toggle the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse scenic ridge route
- Read area, elevation, river-source, and route figures in the panel
- See the terrain relief from valley farmland up to dark conifer-canopy ridges
- Drag to orbit, scroll or pinch to zoom
- Runs fully in the browser with the vendored three.js engine - no account, no upload
| Figure | Published value |
|---|---|
| Area | about 6,009 sq km |
| Length x width | about 160 km long, 20-60 km wide |
| Highest point | Feldberg, about 1,493 m |
| Location | Baden-Wurttemberg, southwest Germany |
| River sources | Danube (at Donaueschingen) and Neckar (near Schwenningen) |
| Scenic route | Schwarzwaldhochstrasse, about 60 km, Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt |
| Cultural note | traditional home of the cuckoo clock, dating to the 18th century |
For other terrain-relief explorers, open the Grand Canyon 3D Explorer (rock layers cut by a river) or the Amazon Rainforest 3D Explorer (a different kind of canopy relief, for comparison against these conifer ridges).
Everything renders on your device with WebGL. The 3D engine loads once (about 0.7 MB) and is cached.
This is an educational approximation - the terrain relief, river-source markers, and scenic route line are procedural teaching cues, not a survey map.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the Black Forest?
It covers about 6,009 sq km in Baden-Wurttemberg, southwest Germany, running roughly 160 km north-south and 20-60 km wide.
What is the highest point in the Black Forest?
Feldberg, at about 1,493 m, is the highest peak in the range.
Why is it called the Black Forest?
The name comes from the dense, near-continuous canopy of fir and spruce trees that shades the ground below, making the forest interior look dark from a distance.
Which rivers begin in the Black Forest?
The Danube (Donau) has its conventional source at Donaueschingen on the forest's eastern edge, and the Neckar rises near Schwenningen on the western flank.
What is the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse?
The "Black Forest High Road" is a scenic ridge route of about 60 km connecting Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt along the forest's high crest.
Is this a survey map?
No. It is an educational explorer using published Black Forest figures - the terrain relief, river-source markers, and scenic route line are schematic teaching cues, not a survey map.