Le Petit Ballon from Linthal

From Guebwiller or Markstein, head towards Linthal and park in the car park between the church and the town hall.

Markings: White-crossed rectangle

(S/E) With your back to the town hall, walk down the road, pass the church on your left and ignore the crossroads. Continue for a few dozen metres after the church to find the start of a path on the right.

Yellow triangle markings

Take this path, quickly ignore a path on the left and climb uphill. Skirt a bend in the road and continue straight ahead (ignore a grassy track on the left at the same level). Further up, take a sharp right turn and you will reach the road.

(1) Take the path opposite. Cross the road a second and then a third time to take Chemin Buttighoffer. Ignore two tracks coming from the left and arrive at a Y-junction.

(2) Continue on the track on the left. Again, ignore two paths going up to the left and another going down to the right. At the fourth path, keep left. Then stay on the track furthest to the right and leave the forest to arrive at the houses of Obersengern.

(3) Stay on the second track on the right. Continue uphill at the next intersection, then keep left again at the next one to cross a track with a hairpin bend: turn onto the uphill track towards the refuge. Then leave a flat track and continue uphill. Enjoy the beautiful views of the region. The track briefly enters the woods. Keep left at the fork to reach a crossroads at a place called Durbahl.

(4) Turn right towards the refuge. At the edge of the woods, take the path uphill to the left, which offers splendid views of the region. Turn left before the refuge to reach a track.

Markings: White-crossed rectangle

(5) Keep right on this track and take the path uphill towards the Col du Hilsenfirst. Arrive at the multiple crossroads at the pass.

Markings: Yellow rectangle of the^GR®532

(6) Turn right to follow the ridge to the first fork.

(7) Leave the path on the right. Cross a stony area and go over to the other side of the ridge. Pass a refuge and then, at the Y-junction, take the path on the right. Le Petit Ballon is in sight. You will arrive at a junction with several paths.

(8) Leave the Rothenbrunnen refuge on your left, leave the^GR®532and take the path climbing straight up the slope towards the summit (blue diamond markings).

(9) Enjoy the remarkable panoramic view of the surrounding area. From the viewpoint, take the path furthest to the right (marked with a yellow and white rectangle). It makes a wide right turn downhill to reach a fork and rejoin the^GR®532.

Yellow rectangle markings

(10) Take the path downhill. At the edge of the woods, ignore a path going down to the right and take this path instead. Turn sharply right to reach another fork.

Red triangle markings

(11) Descend to the left. Cut across a track, continuing straight ahead and passing two buildings, to reach another track.

(12) Take the left-hand track. Ignore a track descending to the right and then two others ascending to the left.
Make a first turn left then right. Cut across the track again. Join it further down, make a turn to rejoin the downhill path further on. Then ignore a grassy track leading off to the right to rejoin the main track.

(13) Take the rightmost track. Continue along the track, which becomes a path and then a road serving the houses, until you reach a fork.

(14) Continue downhill to the church (S/E).

The hike is more difficult in the opposite direction.

Food and accommodation are available at the Refuge du Hilsen (5) and the Refuge du Rothnenbrunnen.

Enjoy the magnificent panoramic views, especially at Petit Ballon. (9). You can go there especially for sunrise/sunset.