Circular route around the Petite-Pierre

Park in front of the Imsthal inn.

(S/E) Head right as you leave the inn, heading towards the Loosthal Forest House. Follow the markings: Red Rectangle, White Rectangle, Red Rectangle; you can veer off to the right and then rejoin the trail after a steady climb through the forest to the magnificent rocks of the Srung.

(1) Turn right back onto the^GR® to quickly reach the crossroads by the former Loosthal Forest House
Loosthal.

(2) Cross the junction and head down the road on the left to find the junction with^{the GR®} 531. Take this path, following the signpost indicating the direction of the Rothlach/Ingwiller Forest House. Please note that the markings here change to Blue Rectangles.
Important note here: stay alert as another path also leads to the Rothlach Forest House, marked with Blue Rectangles (Blue, White, Blue) and Blue Rectangles (Blue, White, Blue); do not follow this path.
Continue along the^GR® on an almost flat path until you reach the crossroads and the Rothlach car park.

(3) Turn left to cross the D7 and turn right for a few metres; you will soon find the^GR® 531 trail on your left. Continue towards Ingwiller until you reach a Y-junction in the forest.

(4) Leave the^GR® here and take the Yellow Triangle-marked path opposite. Join a road (D113), then the village of Sparsbach.

(5) Walk behind the village church to find the Yellow Cross markings. Turn left and follow these new markings. You will reach the Autel Rocher.

(6) Continue straight ahead to reach the pretty village of Erckartswiller, where you’ll meet the^GR® 53.

(7) Take this path, now following the Red Rectangle markings. Continue on and enter the forest at a place called Gerberholz. Carry on to reach another crossroads of paths further on at Kirchberg.

(8) Leave the^GR® and take the path marked with a Red Disc straight ahead. Cross the Christmas tree plantations on the small tarmac road before reaching the car park above the La Clairiere hotel. Stay on the small tarmac road to find the start of the Red Disc path on the left, follow the road and you’ll soon reach the Rocher de la Grenouille. Enjoy this beautiful spot overlooking the road leading to Ingwiller.

(9) Continue down the Red Disc trail and join the D7; follow it to the right for a few metres, taking great care with the traffic – stay well to the side of the road as it is dangerous.
At the junction, take the road on the left signposted Loosthal and follow it for a few hundred metres.

(10) Look for a path on the right that descends into the forest, marked with a Red Triangle. Continue along this path and, upon exiting the forest, you will reach a new crossroads.

(11) Take the path on the left marked with a Yellow Diamond. Join the tarmac road, and you will then reach the Auberge d’Imsthal and the car park (S/E).

Allow 2½ hours’ walking from Imsthal and Sparsbach.
Both places have two good restaurants to make your hike more enjoyable.

(2) Loosthal: The Gorna Centre now specialises in caring for animals in distress in the Grand Est region; the nature trail is nearby.