Schönach sits at the start of a network of waymarked hiking trails through the central Black Forest, the region of dense fir and spruce forest, farmsteads, and open hilltop meadows that gives the area its character. The trails from the village range from easy valley walks to longer ridge routes with views toward the Rhine plain and the Swiss Alps.
The Westweg, one of Germany's classic long-distance trails, passes near Schönach, connecting the northern Black Forest near Pforzheim with Basel in the south over 285 km. Day walkers can join sections of it near the village. In winter, the same terrain is criss-crossed by cross-country ski trails — Schönach has a tradition as a Nordic skiing venue and the altitude generally guarantees good snow from December through February.