Hautes-Vosges ridge and Alsatian side of the Hohneck

Discover the Hohneck ridge and its Alsatian side, with its panoramic views, flora and fauna, on well-maintained forest trails in a well-preserved environment. A breath of fresh air to be enjoyed without moderation!
Please note: this hike is not possible in winter (see practical information below).

Details

n°121046

Creation:
18 May 2015

Last update:
14 Dec 2022

Last review:
15 Oct 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 13.55 km
Average duration: 5h 50
Difficulty: Difficult
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 677 m
Descent: - 684 m
Highest point: 1,362 m
Lowest point: 927 m

Country: France
Area: Vosges mountains
District: Stosswihr (68140)
Start/End: N 48.03758° / E 7.01628°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3618OT, 3618OTR
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Description of the walk

(S) Departure from the summit of Hohneck. After taking the time to admire the view from the orientation table, follow the^GR®5(red rectangles) towards Col de Falimont (located north-west of the summit).

(1) Continue north on the^GR®5towards Les Trois Fours (note that the ridge between Falimont and Les Trois Fours is a great place to spot chamois).

(2) Before Trois Fours, leave the^GR®5on the right and take a path (blue triangles) towards Sentier des Roches. After a long descent along winding paths, the trail will lead you to a wide path where you will rejoin the^GR®531.

(3) Take this marked path (red and white) on the right and continue to Frankental.

(4) Continue straight ahead on the^GR®531.

(5) At an intersection, leave the path (blue triangles) to the right towards Schaeferthal and continue on the^GR®531towards Gaschney. This path, also known as the Sentier de la Bloy, roughly follows a contour line. It is quite technical but well equipped (footbridges, stairs, chains).
After about 2 km, you will find yourself back on the^GR®531. Pass under a ski lift (altitude 978 m) and reach the Gaschney ski resort. Pass in front of the Ferme-Auberge du Gaschney (an excellent place to stop for lunch).

(6) Turn right onto the D310 road and continue for about 200 metres.

(7) At the fork, leave the path on the right and continue on a path on the left, towards Schiessrothried, still on the^GR®531.

(8) At Mohrenloch, leave the path and take a wide track on the right to Lac de Schiessrothried.

(9) Cross the dyke. 100 metres further on, leave the^GR®531, which heads towards Kerbholz, and take the path on the right (blue triangles) that leads to the ridge via Wormspel. After an hour of steep climbing on a stony, rocky path, which you should take at your own pace, you will reach the ridge.

(10) Turn right and climb for another twenty minutes or so to reach the summit of Hohneck.

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,362 m - Hohneck summit, departure point - Le Hohneck
1 : km 0.66 - alt. 1,294 m - Col de Falimont (1295m)
2 : km 1.95 - alt. 1,225 m - Before Les 3 Fours, leave the GR°°®°°5 on the right
3 : km 3.5 - alt. 1,021 m - GR°°®°°531 Take this marked path on the right
4 : km 4.99 - alt. 1,031 m - GR531 junction - Schaeferthal trail - Auberge du Frankenthal
5 : km 7.13 - alt. 983 m - Arrival on the trail before Gaschney
6 : km 8.25 - alt. 995 m - Turn right onto the D310 road - Gaschney (le)
7 : km 8.42 - alt. 1,012 m - At the fork, continue left on the GR531 - Gaschney (le)
8 : km 9.58 - alt. 977 m - Morhenlock, on the right
9 : km 11.39 - alt. 938 m - Intersection GR531 - Wormspel Trail - lac de schiessrothried
10 : km 13.03 - alt. 1,279 m - Arrival at the Wormspel ridge
S/E : km 13.55 - alt. 1,362 m - Summit of Hohneck

Notes

Please note: the Blaufels trail from point 4 to point 5 is closed from 1 November to 30 April each year (prefectural decree of 18 May 2022).

Water points: Frankenthal, Le Gaschney, Lac de Schiessrothried.
Shelters at Frankenthal, Le Gaschney and Lac de Schiessrothried.
Good high-top waterproof shoes, equipment for hiking in medium-altitude mountains (rain cape, gloves, walking sticks, fleece, Gore-Tex)
Despite the availability of restaurants, bring some snacks (cereal bars, fruit jellies, etc.) and drinks.

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

Réserve Naturelle Nationale Frankenthal Missheimle - more information

Worth a visit

Nature hike: take the time to enjoy the panoramic views along the route. Chamois are omnipresent on the ridge, but you may also encounter them elsewhere. They are not particularly shy, and if you are up early and quiet, you will easily be able to observe and photograph them.

The Col de Falimont, Rochers de la Martinswand, Frankenthal, Lac de Schiessrothried and Vallée du Wormspel will be the highlights of the day.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 16 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5

Route interest
5 / 5

vtx

15 Oct 2025 at 17:06 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

completed in mid-October, starting from Gaschney to avoid finishing with the (rather steep) climb to the ridges.
Although the weather forecast predicted bright sunshine, I arrived at the ridges in fog swept by an icy wind.
Once out of the fog, the descent offered a magnificent view of Frankental and the Petit Honeck.

I followed the GPS route and recorded two or three deviations of about 50 metres, but these had no consequences.

Thank you to the author for taking me off the beaten track.

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User 19522221

02 Jun 2025 at 11:51 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike from Hohneck, alternating between pine forests and beautiful views, with a picnic break near the lake. The real challenge is the final climb just after the lake, which is short but steep. We were a little disappointed with the signage along the route, which was not always very clear or was missing in places. Fortunately, we were able to find our way thanks to the Visiorando app

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JulienC

21 Feb 2024 at 18:31 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Completed yesterday in 4 hours and 10 minutes. (We are in our thirties and in normal physical condition.) The hike is very beautiful, but at point 7, we preferred to climb up to Schiessroth to enjoy the view rather than go around the summit through the forest. From Schiessroth, we descended via the winding path (red rectangle) to point 9. Correction to the description: the technical section with footbridges, steps and chains is between points 4 and 5. This section can be done in winter provided there is no snow, as is currently the case. The last section, from the lake to the ridge, is indeed challenging! To be redone in spring...

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RSL

31 Oct 2022 at 10:11 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 31, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb hike in glorious autumn sunshine.
The climb up to Honeck at the end is quite tough, but it's well worth the effort.
Superb route and reliable.

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gpapy59

13 Jun 2022 at 09:38 7200

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

or change the signs along the route or change the description; the colours are no longer up to date, but it is a very beautiful hike

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ColdelaSchlucht

22 Sep 2020 at 13:10 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello,

The route you suggest is well designed and allows visitors to discover remarkable trails and observation sites.
Unfortunately, the route shown on the Visorando map does not indicate the Club Vosgien markings.
Would it be possible to add them or indicate them in the route description?
These markings would make it easier to find your way around this mountain range, where almost all the trails have different shapes and colours.

Thank you in advance for your response.

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katiorek

05 Sep 2020 at 13:52 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb hike, varied in every way!
Frankental is a dream spot for a picnic, and the Bloy trail is truly picturesque and very beautiful (surprisingly uncrowded). At Gaschney, we climbed back up via the Petit Hohneck (red triangle trail) because we didn't have the energy left for the last steep climb. A good option would be to start this hike at Gaschney and begin with the most difficult part (so we'll have to do it again :-)).
Breathtaking views at Hohneck!

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ady68

06 Jul 2020 at 22:02 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike. We started the walk at Gaschney, so that we could climb Hohneck in the morning rather than at the end of the route! Beautiful trail to Lake Schiessrothried and magnificent climb (rocky and challenging) to the Wormspel ridge. This hike is best done in good weather. We had a little rain in the morning and quite a bit of fog at Hohneck, so no panoramic views or chamois... In the afternoon, the sun came back out, allowing us to enjoy Frankenthal (Marcairie du Frankentahl... unfortunately closed that day...) and the superb La Bloy trail.

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warusfelp

26 Aug 2019 at 10:51 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

the first part is superb, with very pleasant woodland
the climb up to Hohneck is quite challenging indeed

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Ph.Guilpain

12 Mar 2019 at 11:53 3600

Hike between Gaschney and Hohneck on 27 May 2018.
Pleasant and wild at Wormspel. The chaos in the forest after Schießrothried is impressive.

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abig

20 Oct 2018 at 11:57 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

the children loved it

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jackybion

18 Sep 2017 at 18:45 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb!
The chamois were there, a little detour via Martinswand to spice up the route (but be careful...!), the majestic Frankenthal, where you can watch climbers scaling Martinswand from below, ending with the beautiful climb up Wormspel, which is just right. In short, it was great!

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lepapou

06 Jul 2017 at 08:06 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 05, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike.

As varied as the flora and fauna: of course, we saw chamois (Col de Falimont and Frankenthal) and countless varieties of flowers, including wild lilies! And "La Vosgienne" cows and calves.

The Frankenthal reserve is a true paradise on earth.

The route is fairly easy, but the climb up to the ridge is challenging: for experienced hikers.

This hike is a must in good weather.

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Jenny67

10 Apr 2017 at 10:33 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Had a superb hike yesterday.
I agree with the previous comments: save your energy for the end, it's a steep climb!
We were lucky enough to spot a chamois, a first for me in the Vosges.
The route is varied and a real treat!
The signage allows you to change your route: we didn't go down to the lake, but climbed back up to Hohneck more directly.

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mad et chris

26 Sep 2016 at 17:42 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

a very beautiful hike to do in good weather; some sections are difficult and require constant attention and, of course, proper footwear. The description of the hike is perfect.

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Other walks in the area

Hohneck - Altenweiher Lake

Departure from Stosswihr (Haut-Rhin)

This route will allow you to discover the landscapes of the Hohneck massif with beautiful views of the Munster valley and you may even spot chamois on the slopes of the snowfield trail. Please note that some sections of this hike are particularly difficult, especially the descent from Rainkopf and the ascent from Séestaedtle to Kerbholz. Avoid this route in wet weather, as the rocks are particularly slippery and a fall could be fatal.

The Hohneck The Frankenthal-Missheimle National Nature Reserve IBP 65

Departure from Stosswihr (Haut-Rhin)

The aims of this hike are to observe chamois in the Wormspel, dip your feet in the clear waters of the Schiessrothried lake and enjoy the beauty of the Frankenthal-Missheimle Nature Reserve. And if you can stop at a farmhouse inn, then it's a perfect day! A variation of this hike, passing through the Falimont Pass, is suggested in the practical information section. The BloyGR®®531trail between (6) and (7) is closed from 1 November to 30 April by prefectural decree dated 18 May 2022. 06/02/2023: Hiking prohibited until further notice by municipal order due to rock and stone falls on theGR®®531.

Le Hohneck - Sentier des Roches: alternative route with a circular figure-of-eight loop

Departure from La Bresse (Vosges)

Starting from the summit of Hohneck, the route will take you to the Sentier des Roches, "the" hike to do in the region. Its route through the rocks offers splendid views towards Alsace.Please note! This hike is not accessible in winter (see practical information below)

For more walks, use our search engine .

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

Author

Bressaud
12 Walks

Visorando member

District: La Bresse (88250)

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