The Hohneck loop via Schlessroth and Le Gaschney

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Dangerous and very technical hiking trail over 2 km. It should not be recommended to the vast majority of amateur hikers. You can quickly find yourself in difficulty.
Poor signposting and the app didn't work for part of the hike due to a lack of network coverage.
The route does not correspond to the GPS directions....

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Date of your route : May 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk, a little challenging, with lovely trails and beautiful views.

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Date of your route : Mar 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

This hike is absolutely magnificent. I felt like I did five hikes in one thanks to the breathtaking scenery: snow, forest, trails... (Be careful though, as there is still a lot of snow at higher altitudes and the first half hour of the hike is very difficult and dangerous).
The problem, in my opinion, is the signage. The first part is almost completely unmarked, and several of us had to cut through the forest, hoping to eventually come across the lake. I then got lost several times while following the signs (when there were any). I ended up walking 12 km instead of 7 and took 5½ hours instead of 3½.
Don't forget your hiking boots and walking sticks. I quickly regretted not bringing them (luckily, I found two in the forest).
In short: I loved it! But be careful with the route, especially at this time of year when the signs are still covered in snow.

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Date of your route : Oct 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike on a beautiful day with stunning autumn colours.
Magnificent landscapes throughout the hike.
No difficulty, but it takes a little longer than 3 hours and 55 minutes if you stop to take photos.
The signage has changed slightly and the description is a little incomplete, but the GPS track is very useful, especially after the descent from Gaschney.
Thanks to the Vosges club for its facilities.

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Date of your route : Sep 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent hike, not to be missed.
The first descent is a bit technical but still accessible. The rest of the hike is easy going.

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Date of your route : Jul 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The first part of the hike to Schiessrothried Lake is quite technical, so you need good footwear, but the rest of the route follows pleasant trails with beautiful scenery. On the descent, you can see chamois on the left. We didn't use the detailed hike information, but the route is very well marked and easy to follow. Please note that the GPS track for the hike is not entirely accurate, particularly on the section that climbs back up towards Shaeferthal.
In summer, there are quite a few people on the route, so it's best to set off early in the morning.

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Date of your route : Jun 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pretty hike in one of the most beautiful sites in the Vosges. It starts to get very busy at the beginning of summer, so I would recommend doing it early in the morning if possible. The hike is short but intense in terms of elevation, and you need to be careful on the first part of the route, which is very uneven.
However, the Vosges hiking club has made the most difficult sections easier to navigate.

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Date of your route : Apr 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike in the middle of April. The first part of the route is the most difficult, as rain made the rocks very slippery. Good hiking boots are essential, and other equipment is also recommended. The rest of the hike is superb, with beautiful views of the entire Vosges mountains.
I would rate thishike as difficult rather than moderate as indicated, as the distance is 9.5 km and the start is challenging. This is not a hike for beginners.

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Date of your route : Jul 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route down into the Wormsa Valley, a fairly wild and enchanting trail.
There is a farmhouse inn (Schiessroth, I think) on the route, serving delicious, hearty local dishes☺️… it's hard to leave after a creamy siesskas (the best!)
Climb up to Honeck then return to the starting point.
A very enjoyable time and beautiful scenery!

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Date of your route : Aug 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I did this hike on Tuesday, 10 August 2021, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with my German Shepherd cross Patou and my GPS, which prevented me from getting lost (my friend GPS)
It took me about 6 hours with several short breaks (I took advantage of the scenery).
I started at the top of Hohneck at point 7 and not at the bottom as indicated on the map (then 1, 2, etc.)
The descent from 1 to 2 was difficult at first, but I was expecting it as I had seen the comments.
There were some difficult rocky sections where the path and the stream merged into one... the dog showed his chamois side (unless it was his ibex side)
i didn't have any particular problems, I repeat that I had the Visorando app with GPS. (The dog didn't have any problems either.)
You do indeed have to follow the blue triangle from 1 to 2
i didn't pay too much attention to the signposts, and the description isn't entirely accurate either (thank goodness for GPS)
When I got to the top of the Hohneck, there were quite a few people, but I didn't see many people on the rest of the route, nor any chamois.
I stopped at the Schiessroth inn and the Schallern inn.
The Gaschney inn was closed (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
As has already been said, this is a medium-level hike.
So beginners should stick to easy trails (the same goes if you're taking someone who isn't up to it)
Those who want to skip stages will hurt themselves.
Thanks to the whole team at Visorando.
Magnificent scenery, a beautiful hike, I just want to do it again (and so does the dog)

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Date of your route : Jul 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike, easy and enjoyable.

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

Hello
A beautiful walk, but the distances were incorrect and the weather was poor. From point 7 to point 3, it is 5.8 km and takes 2.5 hours. From point 1 to point 2, there are blue triangle signs followed by blue rectangle signs, then we cut from point 3 to point 6 to return to point 7, for a total distance of 8.1 km and 2 hours from point 3 to point 7.
this makes for an 8.1 km walk and takes around 4½ hours, which is a walk rather than a long-distance run like we saw people doing on the paths.
From point 1 to point 2, the path was full of stones and served as a stream at times, making it slippery
From point 3 to point 6, we saw a small transhumance, which was really nice.
Despite everything, it was a beautiful walk
We saw lots of chamois in the morning and from 4pm onwards

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Date of your route : Jun 21, 2020
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 no problems, based on the information provided on the website.
The first part requires a little attention. The difficulty is moderate.
The route offers superb views and is very varied.
We saw chamois, mothers and their young.
I would recommend doing this hike at sunrise to fully enjoy the mountains.

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We are sorry to hear about this accident and wish your wife a speedy recovery. I have added a warning to the description of this hike

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Date of your route : Aug 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

This trail is rated as moderately difficult. However, I believe that the public should be informed of its dangerous nature, even in August, and that hiking boots are required. I followed the suggested route with my wife and daughter. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the blue rectangular sign at Hohneck. So I followed the blue triangle markings to descend to Lake Schiessrothried. It was a real ordeal, steep and rocky. My wife tripped on one of the rocks. We had to call for help (no mobile phone reception, not easy). She ended up in Colmar hospital with a head injury. Yet this route is used by couples with children on their backs. It's reckless. At the very least, the public should be warned about these difficulties and this type of route should be reserved for very experienced hikers.

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