The Colorado of Bitcherland from Haspelschiedt

A beautiful walk in the Northern Vosges to discover the Colorado of Bitcherland.

Details

n°37572921
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.23 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,145 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,135 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,312 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 889 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Car park in front of Haspelschiedt Pond, on the fishing side.

(S/E) With your back to the car park, follow the path on the left for a few metres, then turn left and follow the Eppenbrunn path (unmarked) to the first junction.

(1) Caution! Leave this path now to avoid the army camp and follow the path opposite, which climbs towards the Hauersberg. After a left-hand bend, join a path on the right; further on, take a path on the right to reach a Yellow Cross-marked trail.

(2) Follow the path, marked with a Yellow Cross, on the right to Roppeviller. Walk past the church and continue to the Rue Principale.

(3) Follow it to the right to the end of the village, then enter the forest and continue along the same path to the next junction.

(4) Turn right (cross the border), then further on, turn right again and follow the path leading to the Altschlossfelsen Süd.

(5) Turn left and follow the Altschlosspfad; ignore the next path branching off to the left (this path leads to the Altschlossfelsen Nord), then, further on, you’ll reach the junction with the Pfälzerwald Weisses Kreuz/Grenzweg.

(6) Turn left (marked with a Red Disc) and follow this path, ignoring the paths branching off to the right and left. After the Rastpaltz Bannholz, continue along this same path until you reach a bend; follow the path round to the right to reach the Rocher de Diane.

(7) Continue along the same path, marked with Red Discs, until you reach the next junction.

(8) Turn left and follow this path downwards back to Roppeviller. You’ll come out onto the main road you took on the way there and, after 100 m, reach the junction you passed on the way there.

(3) Turn left and, following the route in reverse to the one taken on the way there, pass in front of the church and the cemetery. After these, follow the path towards Neudoerfe, marked with a Yellow Cross, until you reach the fork you passed on the way there.

(2) Continue straight on, following the Yellow Cross signposting, and head for Neudoerfe.

(9) Turn left and head for the car park at Haspelschiedt Pond (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 899 ft - Car park at Haspelschiedt Pond (fishing side)
  2. 1 : mi 0.27 - alt. 1,001 ft - Junction – go straight on
  3. 2 : mi 1.19 - alt. 1,227 ft - Junction common to both the outward and return journeys
  4. 3 : mi 2.08 - alt. 968 ft - Junction common to both the outward and return journeys – Church of the Assumption of the Virgin (Roppevillet)
  5. 4 : mi 3.03 - alt. 1,102 ft - Junction – turn right
  6. 5 : mi 3.43 - alt. 1,217 ft - Altschlossfelsen Süd
  7. 6 : mi 4.42 - alt. 1,047 ft - Junction with the Pfälzerwald Weisses Kreuz/Grenz route
  8. 7 : mi 5.27 - alt. 1,152 ft - Diane’s Rock
  9. 8 : mi 5.56 - alt. 1,299 ft - Junction – turn left
  10. 9 : mi 8.03 - alt. 896 ft - Neudoerfel. Walk alongside the - Schwartzenbach (ruisseau) - Affluent de l'Horn
  11. S/E : mi 8.23 - alt. 899 ft - Car park at Haspelschiedt Pond (fishing side)

Notes

There are several benches and tables along the route where you can rest and have a picnic.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 46 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 16538607
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We did this walk starting from Haspelchied. The start point indicated at point 1 was indeed blocked off. It’s a path that crosses military land, and there was a barrier stating ‘live fire in progress’. We turned back and set off from point 9, rejoining the route at point 2
A lovely walk with our dog. We didn’t see any other walkers on this section up to Roppeviller, which is the ‘official’ starting point. After that, we met loads of people. However, once we’d passed point 5, we came across lots of Germans walking the route in the opposite direction.
The walk took us 6 hours, including breaks.

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remjaquet
remjaquet

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

It’s not too difficult to follow the route. It’s best to trust your instincts and you’ll get through it without any problems. On the German side, it’s better signposted. A lovely walk, best done during the week so you can take some great photos without any crowds.

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Yves LAUGEL
Yves LAUGEL

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

It is no longer possible to start the walk
This is a path on military land
We’ve had to alter the route

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Coquelicocotte
Coquelicocotte

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The start of the walk was inaccessible, as it led straight onto military land.
It might be useful to specify in the description whether the path goes uphill or downhill if the app isn’t available (due to network issues, low battery, etc.)
The walk is magnificent

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Thecla
Thecla

The path at the start doesn’t go through the restricted area at all – that’s military property – you must have got it wrong!

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Luky67
Luky67

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The route indicated from the car park is incorrect, as it passes through the military camp, to which access is strictly prohibited. You must go round the camp by leaving the car park and then take the tarmac road on the right (marked with Yellow Crosses), which joins the route at point 2 further up.

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User 29532581

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A great hike, starting from Ropperviller; the path is fairly busy, the scenery is stunning, and it’s suitable for beginners

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Thecla
Thecla
• Edited:

The path at the start doesn't go through the restricted area owned by the army at all; I think you must have got it wrong!

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Tkiene
Tkiene

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The first section is off-limits to walkers as it is on military land.
You need to follow section 9 on your map

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Thecla
Thecla

It’s certainly a very popular spot, but I’ve personally been there twice with hardly anyone else around. The path at the start doesn’t go through the restricted area at all – that’s military property – so you must have got it wrong!

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fredchristine14
fredchristine14
• Edited:

Yes, I’ve experienced the traffic jam on a weekday with hikers who thought they were all alone in the countryside

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PARUSSOM
PARUSSOM

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 02, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Nothing of interest before Ropperviller, and to make matters worse, the route there is impassable as it’s in a restricted military zone! Once on the French side, there are quite a few walkers and cyclists! Upon reaching the famous Colorado, which is entirely in Germany, there are dozens of walkers with children, dogs running free, and regular stops for people to pose and take selfies! A 1.5 km traffic jam on an ordinary Thursday! Just imagine what it must be like at the weekends! Return via a typical northern Vosges forest track to Ropperviller and along the same route as on the way there to get back to the starting point!

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Djef57
Djef57

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful circular route that allows you to cover a few more kilometres than the classic route.
Done in the wrong season, the colours are a little less vivid but still worth discovering. Advantage yesterday and during the week, very few people, only two people encountered... perfect for taking your time.
To be repeated in spring.

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fredchristine14
fredchristine14

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Too many elderly people slowed us down, which was very frustrating. They were French, a large group, so you can imagine the traffic jams, even though it was a weekday and not yet the school holidays.

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jeanluc.evelyne
jeanluc.evelyne

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

beautiful hike, accessible to experienced walkers. Easy to moderate level

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