Four Lakes Circuit in the Vosges

de fr

A walk in the Alsatian Vosges from Lac Blanc to Lac Vert and back via Lac des Truites and Lac Noir. These are three circular routes that follow on from one another, so much so that there are two points where you can shorten the route.

- Note added following a comment on 19 August 2026.
>Please note : the route passes through an area where access is prohibited; the path between Gazon du Faing (14) and Lac Noir (15) is closed.
- Updated by the author on 21 August 2026

Details

n°172683
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.93 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,073 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,103 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 4,278 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,127 ft
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Photos

Lac Blanc
Tray
Lake forlet
Forlet Lake

Description of the walk

Meet at the Lac Blanc car park. This can be reached via the Col du Bonhomme. Leave the D415 at the Col du Bonhomme and take the Route des Crêtes (D148) to the Col du Calvaire, then head towards Orbey via the D4811 to Lac Blanc.

(S/E) Leave the car park on the left until you reach a wide track.

(1) Take the second path on the left. The path climbs steeply in hairpin bends before reaching the first three-way junction above the Rochers du Hans.

(2) Turn right and continue to the source of Lac Blanc.

(3) Turn left, then right at the three-way junction, until you reach the Chemin des Crêtes, which forms part of theGR®®5.

(4) Turn left and carry on straight ahead until you reach the Soultzeren three-way junction at Gazon du Faing.

(5) Turn right and follow the path (GR®®5) to Taubenklangfelsen, keeping to the left until you reach the Gazon de Faîte.

(6) Carry on, keeping to the right at each junction, until you reach a small car park on the Route de Crêtes (D61) at Dreieck.

(7) Take the path (GR®®5) furthest to the right for 300m, then leave theGR®®5and head down to the left along a small path towards Lac Vert until you reach a fork overlooking the access road to the lake.

(8) Take the path on the left to Lac Vert and walk round it on the left-hand side until you reach the forest track leading to the lake.

(9) Turn left, then immediately right, and follow this road, turning left until you reach the second bend. Take a small path on the right which will lead you uphill to the Gaertlesrain farm. Go round the farm on the right and continue along the path.

(10) Walk past the Erichson mountain hut. Keep to the right until you reach a house.

(11) At the three-way junction, take the path on the right and continue straight on until you reach Lac des Truites.

(12) Walk along the right-hand side of the lake and continue along the Hirsteren circular forest route for 1 km towards Altenkraeh.

(13) Before the Altenkraeh farm, head left uphill for 300 metres and take the path on the right until you reach the crossroads for the Haufewannkopf.

(14) Leave the Haufenwannkopf on your right and carry straight on along the Pique path until you reach the heights above the Black Lake

(15) Leave the Chemin de la Pique and take the Lac Noir Circuit path on the left, which will take you down to the lake.

(16) At the cross, rejoin the path that runs along the lake on the left. Go straight on at the three-way junction above the power station. After passing under the high-voltage power line, keep left at the three-way junction and head uphill until you reach a wider path.

(17) Turn left and head uphill until you cross a forest track. Carry on straight ahead until you reach a three-way junction. Take the left-hand fork, go under the high-voltage power line, then keep to the right, following this path until you reach a forest track.

(18) Turn left and continue along this forest track towards the D4811 county road. 50 m before you reach it, take the path on the left until you come to a three-way junction.

(19) Turn right onto the path which will take you back to the Lac Blanc car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,474 ft - Car park - Lac Blanc (massif des Vosges)
  2. 1 : mi 0.04 - alt. 3,474 ft - Junction for the uphill path: turn left
  3. 2 : mi 0.45 - alt. 4,058 ft - At the Hans Rocks junction, turn right
  4. 3 : mi 0.81 - alt. 4,193 ft - At the fork by the lake’s source, turn left
  5. 4 : mi 0.97 - alt. 4,259 ft - At the junction with the GR5, turn left
  6. 5 : mi 1.86 - alt. 4,275 ft - At the Gazon du Faing junction, turn right
  7. 6 : mi 2.64 - alt. 4,268 ft - At the Gazon de Faîte junction, turn right
  8. 7 : mi 3.29 - alt. 4,029 ft - Dreieck car park, keep to the right
  9. 8 : mi 4.15 - alt. 3,501 ft - At the fork, turn left towards the lake
  10. 9 : mi 4.88 - alt. 3,481 ft - At the forest track junction, turn left - Lac Vert ou de Soultzeren (Vosges)
  11. 10 : mi 5.34 - alt. 3,829 ft - Chalet Erichson
  12. 11 : mi 5.51 - alt. 3,743 ft - At the three-way junction, turn right
  13. 12 : mi 6.27 - alt. 3,530 ft - Junction at the - Lac des Truites
  14. 13 : mi 6.9 - alt. 3,556 ft - Junction before the Altenkraeh farm
  15. 14 : mi 7.45 - alt. 3,681 ft - Altenkraehkopf
  16. 15 : mi 8.28 - alt. 3,340 ft - At the three-way junction, turn left
  17. 16 : mi 8.53 - alt. 3,133 ft - Cross. Change of direction - Lac Noir
  18. 17 : mi 9.56 - alt. 3,386 ft - At the fork, turn left
  19. 18 : mi 10.11 - alt. 3,360 ft - At the forest track junction, turn left
  20. 19 : mi 10.77 - alt. 3,478 ft - At the three-way junction, turn right
  21. S/E : mi 10.93 - alt. 3,468 ft - Lac Blanc car park

Notes

Food and drink available at the Lac des Truites farmhouse inn; Alsatian specialities.

Options for shortening the walk:
- At waypoint (5), you can head straight back down to Lac Noir (15) and return to the starting point.
- 300 m after the waypoint (5), you can head straight back down to Lac des Truites (12) and return to the starting point.

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 82 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
LoloG
LoloG

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely route taking in the four lakes of the Hautes Vosges. The route is clearly described and features some lovely climbs and challenging descents. We stopped off at the farmhouse inn by the Lac des Truites to enjoy a delicious “Siesskass”.

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User 8258638

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb hike, starting in the opposite direction from Lac Vert and taking a detour after the Erickson refuge through the peat bog to reach Lac du Forlet. The route is magnificent and very quiet, but it’s best done towards the end of summer when there’s less water in the peat bog.

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JSAM
JSAM

Hello everyone, I am well aware of the problems currently being experienced on the 4 Lakes route between points 12 and 14.
I have therefore made the necessary changes to get round these issues on the route.

Best regards to you all.

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lemarcheur65
lemarcheur65 ★

Hello Althior
Thank you for your comment.
I’ve copied and pasted it into the introduction and amended the description in wp13.
The author should amend their route.

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Althior
Althior

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Please note : the route passes through an area where access is prohibited; the path between the Faing grassy area (checkpoint 13) and the Black Lake is closed.
A detour is possible by heading towards Haufenwannkofp to the south-east. It may even be better to take this route from Lac du Forlet to avoid the climb up to the Faing lawn.

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Seb@1976
Seb@1976

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello, it’s a lovely route, and it’s quite well signposted. That doesn’t stop you from going the wrong way now and then, though. I’ll be going back there soon.

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User 15231120

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A challenging day’s hike, with varied and magnificent scenery; I absolutely loved the Lac des Truites, which lies in an idyllic valley. A magnificent heathland covered in heather in summer.

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User 7845406

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely route with not too many people about – perhaps because it’s still early in the season – but with four beautiful lakes to explore and stunning views of the Ballons d’Alsace.

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User 14895774

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike that is likely to be very busy in high season as it is accessible by car from several points. Suitable for experienced hikers.

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User 25339913

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 23, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

It really is a challenging hike due to the technical nature of the paths, with plenty of rocks, a few sections requiring a bit of scrambling, and steep climbs towards the end… not for beginners.

The GPX track was inaccurate; the line wasn’t on the path, and the return trail to Lac Noir is closed!!

Magnificent views, too many people for my liking, especially up to the Gazon du Faing...

Worth doing if you’ve got strong knees

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User 14955432

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Completed in February, crampons recommended.
Passage closed in the second half of the route due to forestry work, detour required.

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Sonneur
Sonneur

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This route, which I put together as a hiking guide, was completed as part of a reconnaissance hike. It is the result of combining different sections of the route marked out by the Club Vosgien. It was completed in an anti-clockwise direction.
The IBP rating for this circuit is 82, meaning that it requires a good level of fitness.
Special feature: after the climb from Lac Noir, the descent to Lac Blanc can be described as technical or even difficult, as it takes you through a maze of rocks with a few via ferrata sections.
This circuit is not recommended in wet weather or when the ground is wet.
It does, however, offer magnificent views of the Alsace plain on one side and the Vosges mountains on the other, as well as a bird's eye view of the Lac Vert, Lac des Truites, Lac Noir and Lac Blanc lakes.

Best regards,
Jean Fiacre Fiacre
Leader of the Sonneurs de la Côte association.

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MASSET94320
MASSET94320

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Varied route, pleasant but very busy.

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ghnassia
ghnassia

Very beautiful route! The first part is challenging. Rock climbing up to Hans Castle. Short aerial section. Diverse landscapes for the rest! And fairly easy! All the farm inns were closed! Too bad, except for the very nice Vosges club. They serve drinks and pies

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User 25658249

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I loved this hike. There were a few good climbs along the route, but with good shoes and stamina, they weren't insurmountable! The section on the grass at the end is really beautiful. The trails are very varied throughout.
You can shorten the route if you start to feel tired 😉
Personally, I didn't do the green lake as I've already been there several times on my last hikes. Not too crowded, except around the lakes.

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The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.