Parks Manager

National parks near Schönthal, Bavaria

Schönthal sits inside the Cham area and reaches the same parks. See national parks near Cham for the full write-up.

Bavarian Forest National Park is the closest national park to Schönthal, Bavaria — 72.6 km (45.1 mi) in a straight line, which works out to roughly 1 hr 30 min behind the wheel.

Bavarian Forest makes a full day trip — leave early. Berchtesgaden, Saxon Switzerland, Hainich, Harz, Kellerwald-Edersee, Black Forest, Triglav, Stelvio, and Dolomiti Bellunesi are better with a night booked nearby.

Schönthal has a population of about 2,037.

National parks near Schönthal

Parks ranked by distance from Schönthal
ParkStraight-line distanceEstimated driveRealistic trip
Bavarian Forest National Park72.6 km (45.1 mi)1 hr 30 minDoable as a day trip
Berchtesgaden National Park202 km (126 mi)3 hr 25 minBest as a weekend
Saxon Switzerland National Park209 km (130 mi)3 hr 31 minBest as a weekend
Hainich National Park246 km (153 mi)4 hr 4 minBest as a weekend
Harz National Park304 km (189 mi)4 hr 55 minBest as a weekend
Kellerwald-Edersee National Park326 km (203 mi)5 hr 15 minBest as a weekend
Black Forest National Park332 km (206 mi)5 hr 20 minBest as a weekend
Triglav National Park343 km (213 mi)5 hr 30 minBest as a weekend
Stelvio National Park352 km (219 mi)5 hr 37 minBest as a weekend
Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park358 km (223 mi)5 hr 43 minBest as a weekend

When to make this trip

Bavarian Forest National Park is generally best June through September, with May and early October as the quieter shoulder either side.

Late autumn through early spring is cold and wet, with limited hut service and short daylight.

Mountain weather turns quickly and marked routes can stay snow-covered well into June.

Month-by-month detail for Bavarian Forest National Park

Seeing more than one

Several parks near Schönthal are close enough to each other to combine on one trip, so the drive from home only has to happen once.

Distances between parks near Schönthal
PairApartEstimated drive
Hainich → Harz78.7 km (48.9 mi)1 hr 36 min
Bavarian Forest → Berchtesgaden160 km (99.3 mi)2 hr 48 min
Bavarian Forest → Saxon Switzerland225 km (140 mi)3 hr 46 min
Saxon Switzerland → Hainich263 km (163 mi)4 hr 19 min

Planning a trip from Schönthal

Distances here are straight-line and the drive estimate adds a road factor on top, but mountain passes and seasonal closures can change it a lot — a route that looks like three hours in June can be shut entirely in February. Confirm road status with the park before you commit to a date.

Read the Bavarian Forest National Park guide

Other towns in Upper Palatinate

Common questions

What is the closest national park to Schönthal?

Bavarian Forest National Park. It is about 72.6 km (45.1 mi) from Schönthal, roughly 1 hr 30 min of driving.

Can I do a national park day trip from Schönthal?

Yes — Bavarian Forest National Park is within about a three-hour drive.

How many national parks are near Schönthal?

10 parks are within reach of Schönthal, 1 of them close enough for a day trip.

When is the best time to visit the parks near Schönthal?

For Bavarian Forest National Park, the closest one, generally June through September. Either side of that, May and early October stays quieter.