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Car park near Dauvillers, close to the junction of the D430 with the access road to Lac du Ballon and Ferme du Gustiberg.
(S/E) From the entrance to the access road to Lac du Ballon, cross the small bridge and take the path on the right that climbs along the right bank of the Lauch (Blue Triangle markings). You are now in the Guebwiller State Biological Reserve.
(1) Cross the carriage road to rejoin the Blue Triangle trail, which winds its way up to the large waterfall. See Practical Information.
(2) Enjoy the view of the waterfall from the small bridge, then take the stone staircase, still following the Blue Triangle markings. The slope is steeper at first but levels off as you approach the Lac de la Lauch dam. Head towards the disused buildings of the Auberge du Lac. Go around them on the left and use the tarmac access ramp to reach a small car park on the edge of the D430.
(3) Cross the D430 to find the path marked with a yellow rectangle (GR®532). After 800m of fairly steep climbing through the forest, you will come out onto the Oberlauchen stubble field. Continue climbing straight ahead until you reach the Red Triangle carriageway.
(4) Leave the yellow rectangle markings by turning right until you reach a three-way junction 300 metres further on and take the "Welschweg" which climbs slightly to the left.
(5) After 700 metres, turn completely left and climb straight up the Chemin du Grand Tetras for 700 metres, ignoring any other paths to the right or left.
(6) At the crossroads, there are three paths to choose from: the one in front of you is a dead end, so take the path that climbs to its right. This will quickly lead you to the Chemin des Américains (a variant ofthe GR®532Yellow Rectangle) and then to the left to the Col d'Oberlauchen.
(7) After stopping to enjoy the view (to the south, the Oberlauchen stubble field, the Grand Ballon, etc.; to the north, the Sondernach valley), leave theGR®532and climb gently towards "Eibelwasen" along the path marked with a red disc, which runs along the precipice.
(8) At the crossroads, leave the red disc path and ignore the blue cross path on your right which descends towards Sondernach. After 50 metres, turn right towards Col de Platzerwasen via Lauchenkopf on the blue disc trail. Climb up the grassy slope at the edge of the forest to the summit (altitude 1,314 metres: beautiful 360° view).
Descend northwards through a beautiful beech forest. Continue to the summit of Nonselkopf (beautiful view of the Hohneck balloons and its neighbours).
(9) Take a path on the left to descend westwards towards the D27. Before the road, turn left towards the south and follow a path parallel to the road for 300m. After a few clusters of trees, you will come to a fence at the edge of the forest. Go through the fence and, 10m further on, descend to the right towards the road.
Cross the D27 and 50 metres further on, join the track leading to the Salzbach farm. Follow it for 600 metres, then, before a sharp right-hand bend, take the path on your left leading towards the forest.
(10) At the crossroads, 100 metres before the forest (and 50 metres before the source of the Fecht), take the unmarked path that climbs left towards the D27. Cross the road at the "Carrefour du Lauchenkopf" sign and head towardsGR®532via Chevalet Bleu. Pass a small car park on your right and you will reach an ONF sign marking the entrance to the Guebwiller State Forest.
(11) Behind and to the right of this sign, an unmarked path descends. On the way down, you will find the sources of the Lauch on your left, a beautiful peat bog and then another stream coming from the right. Leave the path on the left and continue for 300 metres to the next crossroads.
(12) On the left, take the steeply descending forest path that leads to the marked Triangle Rouge path, then turn left.
(4) Turn right and take the same path as on the way there.
(3) Cross the D430. Head towards the information boards at the far end of the car park on the left. For a relaxing return journey, take the wide "Fernand Hanssen" path marked with a blue cross. This is the old Markstein road.
(13) In the wide hairpin bend on the right, ignore the small path marked with a blue cross (longer route) and continue downhill towards the waterfalls and the Blue Triangle to return to the large waterfall.
(2) Turn left and take the same path you took on the way up.
(1) Turn left onto the bridge and the carriageway for a quick return along the left bank of the Lauch to the car park (S/E).
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Tourist office
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