From Wassmatt to Boenlesgrab

The starting point for this hike in the Petit Ballon massif is at Wassmatt, at an altitude of over 800 m, which reduces the elevation gain. After reaching Buchwald with its hundred-year-old beech trees and panoramic view of the Wasserbourg valley, the Alsace plain and the Black Forest, the route takes us to the peaks and then plunges through the forest to Boenlesgrab. The return journey, which is more peaceful, passes through Dreischoepf and Hanspen before reaching Wassmatt again.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.18 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 386 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 379 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,149 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 825 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Car park located at the entrance to the path leading to Wassmatt.

(S/E) Take the road from Wasserbourg to Petit Ballon and climb up to Ried.

(1) Pass the Ried inn and follow the red disc trail. The path turns into a trail that crosses the path leading to Schweng before reaching the Petit Ballon road at the Buchwald farm inn.

(2) Pass in front of the Buchwald farmhouse inn and follow the path marked with red discs and yellow rings until you reach a three-way junction. Continue on this route by taking the middle path.

(3) After a short climb, descend to Strohberg.

(4) Climb the mountain via the Red Diamond trail until you reach the junction for the Schellimatt Refuge (Dynamo).

(5) Follow theGR® 532 marked with a yellow rectangle down to the Col de Boenlesgrab. The path, which is steep and rocky in places, leads to a track that takes you to the inn.

(6) Follow the Green Triangle trail behind the inn to the hamlet of Drei Schoepf.

(7) Keep left to follow the path marked with a yellow easel that passes behind the Hanspen houses.

(8) The route turns into a path, crosses the small Hanspenbach stream and reaches a fork.

(9) Follow the path on the left, still marked with yellow signs, to the Wassmatt farmhouse inn
and return to the starting point at the entrance to the path leading to Wassmatt (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 831 m - Car park located at the entrance to Wassmatt
  2. 1 : km 1.17 - alt. 895 m - Auberge du Ried
  3. 2 : km 2.75 - alt. 996 m - Petit Ballon Route
  4. 3 : km 3.65 - alt. 1,075 m - Three-way junction
  5. 4 : km 4.09 - alt. 1,087 m - Strohberg farmhouse inn
  6. 5 : km 5.15 - alt. 1,131 m - Schellimatt junction
  7. 6 : km 7.04 - alt. 866 m - Boenlesgrab Inn - Col de Boenlesgrab
  8. 7 : km 9.08 - alt. 856 m - Drei Schoepf
  9. 8 : km 9.56 - alt. 865 m - Hanspen
  10. 9 : km 10.09 - alt. 850 m - Fork
  11. 10 : km 10.78 - alt. 838 m - Wassmatt farmhouse inn
  12. S/E : km 11.18 - alt. 832 m - Car park located at the entrance to Wassmatt

Notes

There are various inns and farmhouse inns along the route: Wassmatt, Ried, Buchwald, Strohberg and Boenlesgrab.

Worth a visit

The route passes by remnants of the Great War.

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.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
bruno68z
bruno68z

For a group, if you have two cars, you can leave one at Wassmatt and the other at Ried to avoid walking uphill on the road.

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User 7791169

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route through forests and pastures. You pass five farm inns, which is great if you're feeling peckish or thirsty.
The forests are sometimes dense, sometimes sparse and sometimes clear. A beautiful route in the heart of nature, surrounded by peace and quiet. The only downside is that you have to take the tarmac road from the starting point to point 1.

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Zielinsky
Zielinsky

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Well done! Excellent!
Late July: easy parking, shade, generous views, comfortable tracks and trails, abundant vegetation, melodious cowbells and beautiful 'Vosgiennes', mountain scents, a German cable car from 1915, and... no less than five farmhouse inns! And maybe a P'tit Ballon for the road...!
A must (among others, of course) for connoisseurs of the Vosges.
That said, here and there, pay attention and check the description against the terrain (the fork towards Boenlesgrab is not signposted, except for a yellow rectangle). And today, there is forestry work starting from Schellimatt: take the detour to the right towards Chemin du Ruhfelsen = an extra kilometre, but easy.

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Papinouxe
Papinouxe

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful day, lovely views, passing by numerous farmhouse inns (note that many are closed on Mondays), a few slightly rocky sections, but overall easy going.

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groupe67
groupe67

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike, with a short detour up to the Petit Ballon.
Magnificent view from the heights, ideal weather, not too hot, average number of visitors with a few people.
A very nice day for us, a hike to be repeated.

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JP EXA
JP EXA

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, with several sections through wooded areas, but also others with magnificent landscapes and views of the Munster Valley, the Alsace plain and Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle. Very busy near the farm inns, but otherwise quiet.
Just be careful at the start at the Ried farmhouse inn: take the path down to the car park behind the farm.

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skyniel
skyniel

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A fairly easy, interesting route with several farmhouse inns for breaks.

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D.Brion
D.Brion

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy hike. The descent from Schellimat is just a little more challenging. Setting off in the mist creates a beautiful atmosphere.

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jackybois
jackybois

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike in grey weather. The route is accessible to all and ends with a delicious meal at the Wassmatt farmhouse inn. Departure at around 9am to arrive at the inn at around 12.30pm. (Please note: booking is essential.)

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