Strolling Around Germany's Mummelsee in the Black Forest

I've always wanted to go to visit Germany, the country many of my relatives have come from. It took me 38 years of life, but I finally got there with a band of cousins and my best friend (who married one of my cousins) as we set out to explore the place a few relatives of ours still call home.

My parents went to visit this area of Germany the year before I was born. I grew up looking through their photo album and listening to the stories of this trip, as we never went abroad when I was a child, so everywhere foreign was enchanting to me.

One place that stood out to me, perhaps due to its relatively easy to remember name, was the Mummelsee.

I knew little about this place, only that it existed, and that it existed in a place my grandmother grew up near. It was a place my parents visited shortly before I was born, and therefore, would always be on my list of places to visit, should I ever find myself in the Black Forest region of Germany.

When our German cousin heard that the Mummelsee was on our list of places to see, he scoffed, calling it "just a puddle." To be honest, it's not the most impressive of lakes that you'll ever visit, but perhaps that's not the point. Its setting at the top of the mountains surrounded by the Black Forest makes it quaint. Of course, the large number of tourists for "just a puddle" suggests that there is something endearing about the place, but also in a way takes away some of the charm the lake might have without so many visitors there.

Still, whether you see it as "just a puddle," or a relaxing respite in a lovely natural environment, the Mummelsee is an easy diversion to any Black Forest trip. Being able to connect back to my family made the visit even more meaningful. Let me show you a quick glance of this alpine lake.

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Previous to heading up to the Mummelsee, we had spent an early afternoon in the town of Sasbachwalden, an incredibly cute Black Forest community with all the requisite German architecture that you imagine this corner of the world would possess. We tasted some wines, ate lunch, and then decided to ascend up the hills to the lake. My cousins had already visited the lake a few days prior, but were willing to go again for my sake, and because when in Germany, why not go see the Mummelsee?

On the way up to the lake, located a little more than 3,000 feet in elevation, you pass through very scenic vineyards with the charming communities seen below. This type of scenery is prolific in this corner of the world, and makes for very enjoyable day trips in the area.

The drive from Sasbachwalden up to the lake takes only about 15 minutes, so we arrived in no time. Of course, being somewhat of a tourist trap, the Mummelsee has all the requisite Black Forest gear for visitors looking to take a souvenir or two home with them. We decided to investigate a little more closely at the end of our stroll.

It wouldn't be the Black Forest without a giant cuckoo clock, now would it?

Even if my one German cousin is sort of right in that the lake is not as majestic as one might think, it's still somewhat impressive in that it is a remnant of the last ice age. Considered a "cirque lake," it's one of the last remaining in the Black Forest.

There are also tons of myths about the area, including mermaids and mermen who live beneath the surface. The lake is populated by many references to these myths, such as the bronze mermaid statue sitting on a rock, seen at the middle of the stroll around the lake.

The lake does feature a harder hike for those inclined to, well, steep inclined walks. The lookout tower, according to this website, takes about an hour round trip, though none of us attempted it to be able to say with any kind of authority.

There are also rentals of peddle boats too, for those who want to get out on the water. Alas, we stayed on dry land.

For those who want to spend even more time at the Mummelsee, there's even a hotel and restaurant located right on the shoreline to help you get the most out of your time at the lake.

We opted to take the stroll around the lake, which only took about a half an hour. Here are some of the scenes from the walk.

As you can see below, the path is dirt/gravel, but relatively flat the whole way around. It's a very easy hike, and a pleasant way to spend some time outdoors.

The view of the hotel from about half way around the lake.

Some points of the trail turn into a boardwalk, and there are parts of the lake with a shoreline for a bit of sunbathing and relaxing.

Around half way, you also reach the dock where you can closely admire the bronze statue of the mermaid, forever perched upon a rock, admiring the views around her.

Other carved statues populate the hike as well, emblematic of the local customs and culture.

After finishing the hike, we dipped into the hotel store to peek around at some of the souvenirs, and some of the food offerings. The store also features imitation Bollenhuts, traditional hats for women from a few communities in the Black Forest.

But what kind of good German food store would be without a pretzel or two?

...or a copious amount of sausage variety for that matter?

Across from the restaurant and near the parking lot is a souvenir shop with cuckoo clocks and other more traditional Black Forest paraphernalia.

Overall, while the Mummelsee is not likely to be the most jaw-droppingly beautiful lake you'll ever stumble upon, it's certainly worth the visit. I doubt each person will have the same personal connection to the lake as I did, but whether it's the Mummelsee or some other place that you and your family share a connection, being able to see the places spoken of throughout your childhood is a magical and meaningful way to know them, and perhaps even yourself, just a little bit better.

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Mummelsee Details

The Mummelsee is located high in the hills of the Black Forest, and is about a 30 minute drive south from Baden-Baden. There are snacks, bathrooms, and even lodging at the lake, as well as opportunities for buying all the Black Forest themed knickknacks you could ever desire. There's a good amount of parking, and some more demanding hikes than the easy stroll around the lake.

Our visit to the Mummelsee was part of a longer day trip that included stops at the farmers market in Bühl, followed by a wander around Sasbachwalden, and a final stop at the Alde Gott Winery.

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Day of this trip: July 6, 2019