Hohneck - Three Lakes - Frankenthal - Col de Falimont - Le Hohneck

Parking at the Hohneck Summit Inn is accessible from the Route des Crêtes.

(S/E) Head towards the paths below the inn on your right, with the car park on your left and the inn in front of you. At the path marked with a red and white rectangle (variant of^{the GR®5}), turn right towards the Col du Wormspel. You will reach a flat area with a signpost.

(1) Leave the^GR® variant and follow the Sentier des Névés marked with a yellow cross until you reach the road leading to the Kastelbergwasen inn.

(2) Cross the road and continue straight ahead. A little further on, turn right and follow the blue rectangle trail (^GR®531) which joins the trail coming from Kastelberg (a variant of^{the GR®5}).

(3) Follow it to the left towards the Firstmiss Inn. Leave it on your right. Pass in front of the "Louis Hergès" Refuge and reach the small pass of Rainkopf with its multiple directions.

(4) Take the path furthest to the left (Yellow Horse) which passes below Rainkopf and leads to Lac d'Altenweiher. When you reach the lake, turn right towards the dam. Cross it and, at the end, turn right. Pass in front of the shelter, ignoring the path on the right (yellow cross) which descends to Sapin de Kolben. After about 100 metres, you will reach a crossroads.

(5) At the junction, leave the main path and turn left, following the shared directions (yellow cross and blue cross). Very soon, at the fork, leave the yellow cross markings on your left and follow the blue cross markings on your right. A more difficult section begins here, with lots of rocks. Further on, ignore a small path leading to the Kastelbergwasen Inn and continue straight ahead until you reach a crossroads with a wide track.

(6) At the crossroads, cross the track and take the Blue Cross marked path opposite towards the Kerbholz Refuge. At the refuge, climb the embankment, which offers a beautiful view.

(7) With the refuge on your left, ignore the Rectangle Bleu path that leads into the forest opposite and turn immediately right, staying on the Croix Bleue trail. As you descend, ignore the two paths on the right and continue to the next junction, which is quite close.

(8) Turn right (Blue Cross) towards Lac de Fischboelde. Further down, at the crossroads, follow the "difficult path" sign towards the lake. Continue downhill to the road and turn left. At the foot of the dam, climb over the rocks to reach the dyke.

(9) Cross the footbridge, ignoring a path on the right. At the shelter, take the^GR®5on the right (Red Rectangle). The winding climb leads to Schiessrothried Lake, following the Wormsa and its small waterfalls. When you reach the lake, turn right towards the dyke.

(10) At the end of the dyke, ignore the track on the right and, almost directly opposite, take the path marked with a blue rectangle and a red rectangle. Shortly afterwards, turn left (red rectangle) and climb the winding path. At the top, the path crosses a meadow and reaches the Ferme-Auberge de Schiessroth.

(11) At the crossroads, ignore the road leading to Gaschney and the paths on the left leading to Hohneck and take the Blue Triangle marked path opposite. This section avoids the long descent on tarmac. Further on, a parallel branch appears. Stay on the path furthest to the right. You are now on a magnificent balcony overlooking the resort of Gaschney. Continue straight ahead, pass under the ski lift and go through a gate. Reach the inn and go around the back.

(12) Ignore the path leading to Schaeferthal (Red Triangle) and descend to the right along the few hairpin bends that lead to the track leading to the Schallern Farm.

(13) Turn left and follow the track for a while. At the end of the straight, a hairpin bend to the right leads to another hairpin bend a little further down.

(14) Leave the track and turn left (towards Blaufels, Blue Rectangle,^GR®531). Continue along the single path. Pass close to a picnic table. Continue straight ahead until you reach the start of the "difficult passage" of Blaufels, marked by red dots on the IGN map.

(15) It has been equipped by the Club Vosgien de Munster with stairs, handrails, footbridges and small metal steps in the rocks. There is no great danger, even if the path sometimes runs close to the edge of the slope. Continue climbing to the Auberge de Frankenthal.

(16) Pass in front of the inn, ignore the path on the right and you will quickly reach the fork at the cross.

(17) Go through the gate on the left and follow the path leading to the Col de Falimont and the Hohneck (yellow sign). Wooden pontoons allow you to cross the wetland. Then the slow, winding climb begins. Reach the Col de Falimont.

(18) At the top of the pass, depending on your location in the car park, either turn left (Sentier des Névés) or continue straight ahead (as indicated on the map) along the^GR®5(red rectangle) to the large crossroads, then turn left and continue climbing to the car park (S/E).

Hike similar to hike no. 49904 but with more details about the route, with a different start via the Sentier des Névés and avoiding the tarmac road leading to Gashney (suggested by hikers).

Hike completed personally on 16-08-2022 in good weather.
IBP index = 104 (very difficult for a hiker of average fitness).
Departure at 5:15 a.m. and return at 1:15 p.m. for a total of 8 hours (including 15'+5+'10+10' breaks).
Some sections on the rocks become very slippery in wet weather.
Traditional equipment for a day in the mountains: hiking boots, walking sticks, 3 litres of water. Most of the route is shaded.
The building in Kerbholz is private property and closed to the public.

There are several farmhouse inns where you can buy food and drink.