Rothenbachkopf circular and the Schafert Farm Inn

Start from the Col du Herrenberg car park, to the right of the Route des Crêtes, coming from Markstein.

(S/E) Take the track southwards, keeping the road on your right. At the junction, turn right towards Markstein, via the summit of Schweisel, on the Red Rectangle marked trail.

(1) At the summit of Schweisel, continue straight on, still on the Red Rectangle trail.

(2) At the foot of the Schweisel summit, follow the Yellow Cross trail to the right, which crosses the ridge road and descends through the stubble fields towards the Schafert Farm Inn.

(3) At Schafert, turn right, then right again, and continue straight on along the Blue Disc forest track, which leads into the woods and climbs towards the Ski Club Mulhouse refuge and the Hus farmhouse inn, crossing a track just before and continuing straight on.

(4) Before Le Hus, turn right, reach and cross the Route des Crêtes,

(S/E) Pass by the starting point and follow the Red Rectangle trail heading towards Mittlach.

(5) Just before the ruins of the Herrenberg Farm, turn left onto the Yellow Triangle trail which leads to the Steinwasen Inn, directly below the Batteriekopf, crossing a road.

(6) From the Steinwasen Inn, then climb up the Red Disc path on the left to the summit of the Rothenbachkopf

(7) At the Rothenbachkopf, turn left twice, heading due south, onto the summit path towards the Col du Herrenberg, which passes the Batteriekopf.

(8) At the Batteriekopf, continue straight south, joining the Red Rectangle trail marked with a White Rectangle.

(9) Once you reach the Cabane du Neurod, continue straight on along the same path, then turn right to reach the car park (S/E).

Shelter available at the Neurod hut between Batteriekopf and Col du Herrenberg.

Schafert Farm Inn: 03 89 82 25 46

Hus Farm Inn: 03 89 82 27 20

Steinwasen Inn: 03 89 77 62 68

The landscapes offered by the peaks of the Great Central Ridge of the Vosges are magnificent and ever-changing.