Circular route between Roches Plates and Warthenberg

Discover the Roches Plates climbing site, the Heidenstadt oppidum, the Spitzfelsen and Kanzelfels rocks, the medieval quarry and menhirs at Frohnberg, Warthenberg Castle and the Daubenschlag rock, the Roman road, the Wasserfallfelsen, the Fairy Cave, the Witches' Circle and Saint-Michel Chapel. Beautiful views of the Northern Vosges and the Alsace plain.

Details

4495508
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.69 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 516 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 516 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 427 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 249 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Car park in front of the Saint-Jean-Saverne cemetery, Rue de la Forêt.

(S/E) Turn left onto Rue Saint-Michel and continue along this road.

(1) Turn right at the end of the street and take the path marked with a blue rectangle crossed with white. Turn left onto the path, then continue straight ahead at the fork.

(2) Turn right at the hairpin bend onto the path marked with a blue rectangle, then left when you reach the path marked with a red ring.

(3) Stop at the Roches Plates viewpoint and continue the route.

(4) At the left-hand bend, turn onto thefirst unmarked path on the right. Turn right when you reach the forest road.

(5) At the Langenthal crossroads, take the path opposite marked Rectangle Bleu towards Warthenberg.

(6) At the Heidenstadt crossroads, in front of the oppidum, turn right, then go straight ahead at the next fork.

(7) Turn right, then right again after about 100 metres, then left onto the path marked with a blue rectangle crossed out in white. At the fork, continue straight ahead.

(8) Climb the winding path on the left marked with a yellow ring towards Spitzfelsen. Turn onto the path on the left, then shortly afterwards climb the path on the right. Pass Spitzfelsen and continue along this path. At the Kanzel junction, go straight ahead to the Roman milestone, then turn back and head towards the Daubenschlag rock.

(9) Turn right onto the path, then veer left towards the Frohnberg quarry, marked with a red disc. Cross the quarry and pass the cup marks. At the Opferteller junction, take the path on the right. At the T-junction, turn left and follow this path to Warthenberg Castle. Enter the castle and go to the end of Daubenschlag Rock. Return to the castle entrance.

(10) Turn right and go around the castle and the rock. At the fork, turn right and immediately descend the path marked with a yellow ring towards Ernolsheim. Cross one path, then another.

(11) At the crossroads, turn right onto the path marked with a red cross, towards Saint Michel. Continue straight ahead at the fork.

(8) Turn left at the next fork onto the path marked with a red disc.

(12) At the crossroads, turn right, then turn right again about 50 metres further on onto the Plattenweg marked with a red disc.

(13) Turn left towards Mont Saint-Michel and Frohnberg. Turn left after about 200 metres.

(14) Descend to the left along the path marked with a red cross. Pass in front of the Wasserfallfelsen. Then turn right towards Saint-Jean-Saverne.

(15) Go straight up towards the road. Follow the road to the right for about ten metres and take the path on the left marked with a blue rectangle crossed with white. Turn left towards the Grotte des Fées. Climb the stairs and visit the cave on the right. Retrace your steps to the chapel and the viewpoint. Go back down the stairs.

(16) Descend the Antoine Ziller path and the stairs to the cemetery car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 276 m - Cemetery car park.
  2. 1 : km 0.35 - alt. 275 m - Fork to the right.
  3. 2 : km 0.93 - alt. 344 m - Rectangle Bleu trail on the right.
  4. 3 : km 2.95 - alt. 388 m - Roches Plates, viewpoint
  5. 4 : km 3.83 - alt. 395 m - Fork to the right.
  6. 5 : km 4.68 - alt. 401 m - Langenthal Cross.
  7. 6 : km 5.56 - alt. 397 m - Heidenstadt, on the right
  8. 7 : km 6.25 - alt. 388 m - Fork to the right.
  9. 8 : km 7.33 - alt. 293 m - Yellow ring markings on the left.
  10. 9 : km 8.09 - alt. 399 m - Fork to the right.
  11. 10 : km 9.88 - alt. 397 m - Warthenberg Castle
  12. 11 : km 10.81 - alt. 249 m - Red Cross markings on the right.
  13. 12 : km 12.27 - alt. 293 m - Crossroads, on the right
  14. 13 : km 12.92 - alt. 383 m - Fork to the left.
  15. 14 : km 13.86 - alt. 367 m - Red Cross markings on the left.
  16. 15 : km 14.8 - alt. 310 m - Fork to the right.
  17. 16 : km 15.15 - alt. 363 m - Antoine Ziller trail.
  18. S/E : km 15.69 - alt. 275 m - Cemetery car park.

Notes

No water source.
Picnic area at Warthenberg Castle and Saint-Michel Chapel.
Numerous benches along the route.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Djef57
Djef57

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 13, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed with a little snow, beautiful things to see...
I want to do it again in the summer to discover other colours.
Matches the description.

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Jean-Michel Joissains
Jean-Michel Joissains

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with no real difficulty. The route offers several access points to remarkable sites. I particularly recommend it to lovers of old buildings!

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PGE
PGE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello.
Great walk, forest, beautiful views, ruins, rocks, really very nice.
Please note that there is currently quite a lot of tree felling on the trails, and the trunks have not been cleared (19/03/25)...
The end at Saint-Michel Chapel is great.
In short, a must-do.

PGE

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Mélanie 67
Mélanie 67

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very easy hike!

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agnes67640
agnes67640
• Edited:

A very beautiful, shaded walk with magnificent views.

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Nono 88
Nono 88

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk in the forest, with lots to see and one or two viewpoints.

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jcgerhard
jcgerhard

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice route, but it wasn't great, it was raining.

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xerocrete
xerocrete

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, enjoyable hike that is not too difficult and allows you to discover many unusual places.
We decided to park the car at the Mont St Michel chapel car park.
From there, we followed the red route, which took us to Roches Plates. We also took a few liberties with the suggested itinerary, as we were already familiar with some of the places.
It should be noted that at point 14, the trail is marked with a red easel rather than a red cross.

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