Col de la Schleif - Schneeberg - Urstein - Hengst

Date of your route : Nov 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We started the hike at the Rosskopf mountain hut in Engenthal le Bas and then returned directly from the Wetzlach pass.
A beautiful hike with stunning views.
Long and tough climb to Schneeberg (path badly damaged on the last section).
This section involves a change of route and takes us past the Schneeberg refuge.
The path to the Höllenwasen pass is difficult to follow due to the blue cross markings, which are barely visible on the trees or even non-existent.

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Date of your route : Oct 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike to do, with lovely views and very pleasant trails

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Date of your route : Jun 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

You've got to do it

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Date of your route : Feb 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The loop starts from the village of Wangenbourg (easier to reach from Strasbourg), which means a slightly steeper climb, but the village is well worth a visit. Be careful in winter, as the steps to the top of Lottefels are frozen, as are the rocks. The view from the top is very limited as it is surrounded by trees!

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Date of your route : Feb 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike between Alsace and Moselle, the route follows part of the GR53 trail. The signposting is good, there are no difficult sections, and it follows numerous forest paths. There are several viewpoints along the way, and it is fairly sheltered, making it ideal in all weather conditions

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Date of your route : Sep 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A great hike, my first in the Vosges mountains. The paths are pleasant and very well marked, so we never had any doubts about which direction to take.
The view is magnificent, but you have to work for it, with a steep climb to reach the top of the pass (area between waypoints 5 and 6). The ascent is sometimes rough (rocks, roots), so you need hiking boots!
There are several places suitable for bivouacking or stopping for a snack. There is quite a lot of sun exposure when you are not in the forest, so bring a hat!
I recommend!

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Date of your route : Jun 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

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Date of your route : Mar 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Start from Wangenbourg, heading towards Scnheeberg, and finish with the descent from the Col de la Schleiff. The Backoffenfelsen is a must-see viewpoint for its view of Dabo. There is also a beautiful viewpoint at Lottelfels, where (too) many hikers and mountain bikers stop for lunch. No fewer than 10 tables and benches at the Col de la Schleiff provide a place to rest, making this a very popular spot. If you want to have lunch here, you will need to modify your route; otherwise, it is a good place for a coffee break. Enjoy your hike!

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Date of your route : Mar 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful, varied route, including a trip to the Schneeberg!

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Date of your route : Jul 24, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A big THANK YOU to whoever posted this. The route is really nice and allows you to link up 980 m and 950 m (Urstein).
I did it at trail running pace in 2 hours 40 minutes, but with one change: I went straight to the Wetzlach Pass, then down to Schneematt (a pretty bog and former moraine) and then back up to the Schneeberg Pass, where I joined the suggested route.

Superb views. I recommend it.

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Thanks for the tip. Good point, I've added the Schneeberg Pass.

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Date of your route : May 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed in good weather, starting from Wangenbourg. The description should mention that you first reach the Schneeberg pass before heading to Schneeberg (Lottenfels) by turning left at the pass – following the red rectangle the whole time. But with a GPS and the track, there's no problem.
The hike is pleasant, with beautiful views even though you are in the forest the whole time. Quite a few people in the Schleif Pass area in the afternoon – basically from Urstein to Schleif and clearly not necessarily concerned with social distancing... picnics with more than a dozen people... We unintentionally extended the Scheilf to Wangenbourg circuit by taking the GR instead of the path indicated on the advice of a "local". Fine, but we added 3 or 4 km....

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Date of your route : Aug 26, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Unfortunately, there is no longer any water flowing at Schleif. Very good description of the route. Very pretty views along the route. Well-maintained paths and signposts.

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Date of your route : Apr 21, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

We did this hike in beautiful sunshine and reached the summit of Schneeberg, where we had a wonderful view of the Northern Vosges. At the end of the hike, we had a magnificent view of the Rocher de Dabo.

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Date of your route : Sep 15, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

From Schleiff, when you reach the road near the forest house, there is no need to go past it, as this will lengthen your journey. A small path climbs up just opposite where you exit the forest. A few metres higher up, you will come across a beautiful track which you follow on the left, marked with red and blue rectangles. Very pleasant. The rest is well signposted, except for Urstein, which we never found.

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