From Lake Alfeld to the Seebach Gorges

After dawdling along Lake Alfeld, you climb up following the Issenbach Canal. Crossing a moraine reminds you that you are on granite terrain. Arriving at the Issenbach Refuge, you can enjoy a picnic on a grassy terrace facing the Sewen Valley or, further on, a meal at the Baerenbach farmhouse inn. Then the climb along the Seebach is magical, with its small, steep-sided gorges and numerous small waterfalls.

Details

n°36992232

Creation:
25 Jul 2023

Last update:
29 Sep 2023

Last review:
08 Sep 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 7.54 km
Average duration: 3h 10
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 341 m
Descent: - 339 m
Highest point: 829 m
Lowest point: 524 m

Country: France
Areas: Vosges mountains, Vallée de la Doller / Masevaux
District: Sewen (68290)
Start/End: N 47.815191° / E 6.874292°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3520ET, 3619OT, 3619OTR, 3620ET
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Description of the walk

Alfeld Lake car park

(S/E) Climb up to the lake and cross the dam. Once at the end, turn right onto the^GR® 531 (marked with a blue rectangle) towards the Refuge d'Issenbach (828 m). You will come to a fork in the path.

(1) Look for the Blue Rectangle trail on the right, which will be the return route, and continue straight ahead on the trail that runs alongside a small canal and then joins a track. Follow this track to the left for about 500 m until you reach a trail junction.

(2) Leave this track and take the path on the left which climbs up the valley (marked with a blue rectangle) and crosses a moraine. Further on, the path widens and arrives at a crossroads.

(3) Ignore the path branching off to the right (marked with a blue triangle) and continue straight ahead to the Issenbach Refuge, where you can enjoy a picnic on a beautiful grassy terrace facing the Sewen Valley.

(4) Then take a faint grassy path in the middle of the meadow, which descends to the left at the foot of the refuge (bordered by a wooden fence) and quickly joins the Blue Triangle path. Follow it downhill to the left for 150 metres.

(5) As this route has been modified from the IGN map, turn right to join a track suitable for vehicles and follow it to the left. This new route will take you, after passing through a wooden fence, to the Baerenbach farmhouse inn.

(6) Before the farm, in the left-hand bend leading to it, leave the track and take the grassy path on the right (Blue Triangle) which descends to the bottom of the valley at the junction with the Blue Rectangle path.

(7) Follow the signs to the right towards Lake Alfeld. The path runs alongside the Seebach Gorges, then crosses a track and continues straight ahead to rejoin the GR®531 and the initial fork.

(1) Turn left. Ignore the lake dam and continue straight ahead to go around it, following the Blue Ring trail. You will come out on the Route du Ballon d'Alsace (D466).

(8) Follow it to the left until you reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 617 m - Car park at - Lac d'Alfeld
1 : km 0.56 - alt. 615 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
2 : km 1.2 - alt. 671 m - Fork in the path. Blue Rectangle
3 : km 2.38 - alt. 821 m - Crossroads. Towards the Issenbach Refuge
4 : km 2.7 - alt. 824 m - Refuge d'Issenbach
5 : km 3.07 - alt. 753 m - Fork to the right, modified route
6 : km 3.7 - alt. 728 m - Ferme-auberge du Baerenbach
7 : km 5.1 - alt. 526 m - Crossroads. Blue Rectangle
8 : km 7.26 - alt. 628 m - D466
S/E : km 7.54 - alt. 617 m - Return to car park

Notes

(4) At the Refuge d'Issenbach, there is a beautiful picnic area on a grassy platform with large tables available.
There is also an indoor table in case of bad weather.
There is also a large wooden water fountain where you can refill your water bottles or give your dogs a drink.

Alternative route: you can retrace your steps to (3) and turn left onto the Blue Triangle marked trail.

Worth a visit

Granite terrain

Numerous boulders litter the route. You will find crystals of quartz (white or translucent), feldspar (pinkish white, grey, yellow or green) and mica (black). These crystals were formed during the slow cooling of a pocket of magmatic rock buried in the Earth's crust. Subsequent tectonic movements and erosion eventually brought these rocks to the surface, thanks to the magic of time and the forces of nature.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5

Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5

Ease of following the route
4 / 5

Route interest
4.7 / 5

Titine@90

08 Sep 2025 at 16:36 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant in the middle of the forest
And a few stretches of meadow
Without any difficulty

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User 24476177

21 Jul 2025 at 12:46 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

Reliable signposting
Please note that around the Auberge d'Isenbach, we had to take an unmarked path where cows were grazing freely

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Magali_J88

28 Apr 2025 at 10:31 7200 • Edited: 28 Apr 2025 at 10:32 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed late Sunday morning.
A few people at the lake but not many on the trail.
Difficult to find your way around the lake (lack of signposting, description and route could be improved).
Some elevation gain but nothing insurmountable.
Beautiful landscapes to discover.

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fourny90

31 Mar 2025 at 09:20 7200

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

You have to arrive early because it is a popular walk.
It's a shame that there are sections on forest roads that remind us of the existence of cars!
Be sure to stop at the Issenbach refuge to enjoy the surroundings.
Views of the Wissgrutt, the Grand Langenberg and the Ballon d'Alsace.
On the way back, there are some very pleasant waterfalls.

No particular difficulties.

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Jonathan67

12 Aug 2024 at 12:38 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route, with a magnificent finale in the gorges. However, it is a little difficult to find the path below the Issenbach Refuge, as it disappears into the field on the right as you descend.

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philipperob

20 May 2024 at 08:11 7200 • Edited: 20 May 2024 at 08:53 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk. Lots of waterfalls at the time of year we did it. Most of the route is in the shade.

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Lola du Doubs

08 Apr 2024 at 13:37 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike, but very busy on Sundays and poorly marked route.

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Author

randokarine
62 Walks

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