The Rock of the Dabo region

de fr

Set off to discover the sights around the Rocher de Dabo, a historic site dating back to Celtic, Roman and medieval times. The Rock of Dabo is a must-see site in the commune. From its height of 664 metres, it offers one of the most spectacular panoramic views of the Hautes Vosges Gréseuses, stretching from the Alsace plain to the east, the Vosges mountains to the south and the Lorraine plateau to the north-east.

Details

n°230143
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.54 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 222 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 221 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 633 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 462 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Stalactites near the rock
The rock seen from below
Hike on 14/08/2016

Description of the walk

(S/E) Place de l'Église in the centre of the village. Take Rue du Château to the crossroads.

(1) Take the path marked with blue signs to the junction with the D45a.

(2) Follow the signs to the rock. Take the footbridge, cross the tarmac road and continue straight ahead to the rock. (€2 admission fee during the summer season)

(3) Descend the rock via the same path until you reach the edge of the forest.

(2) Turn right, then quickly left onto the path (redGR®53rectangle). Follow these markings, passing near the Rosskopf hunting lodge, until you reach a hairpin bend.

(4) Turn 180° to the right, following the red-white-red rectangular markings, and you will reach the Croix du Loup.

(5) Continue straight ahead, following the same markings. Pass Heid to reach another crossroads.

(6) Go down the path on the left, walk along the cemetery, then join the Place de l'Église (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 464 m - Church square in the centre of the village
  2. 1 : km 0.79 - alt. 522 m - blue signposts
  3. 2 : km 1.37 - alt. 561 m - Turn right towards the rock
  4. 3 : km 1.76 - alt. 631 m - Dabo rock
  5. 4 : km 3.43 - alt. 615 m - Turn right at 180°
  6. 5 : km 3.77 - alt. 583 m - Croix du Loup
  7. 6 : km 5.11 - alt. 512 m - Crossroads after Heid
  8. S/E : km 5.54 - alt. 464 m - Church square in the centre of the village

Notes

Most of the trails used are maintained and marked by the Club Vosgien, which has 120 sections spread across departments 54-57-67-68-88-90.
To support them, please consider joining one of the sections near you.
Village of Dabo: grocery store and restaurants at the start and finish.

Worth a visit

Saint-Léon Rock and Chapel: since prehistoric times, this 30-metre high, 80-metre long and 26-metre wide block of sandstone has been a place of worship. The first building is thought to have been a Roman temple dedicated to Mercury. In the 10th century, the Count of Dagsburg-Eguisheim built a fortified castle here, which was converted into a castle in the 12th century. It was destroyed in 1679 by the troops of Louis XIV. A descendant of Count Dagsburg-Eguisheim became Pope Leo IX in 1048.
In the 19th century, a chapel was built in memory of the only Alsatian pope in the history of the Vatican, and a tower was added to allow a 360° view of the Vosges mountains and the Lorraine plateau. Through a series of successions and alliances, the county was sometimes part of Lorraine, then Alsace, France, Germany, Catholic, and Lutheran.

(5)Croix du Loup: Walk 20 metres back and forth to discover the cross and one of its legends.

 Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 27 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 22995206

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

great route with magnificent views and paths between the rocks.
Please note that parking at the church is in a blue zone with a two-hour maximum, which is a shame. Other parking options should be indicated for the start of the route.

Machine-translated

erikouchka
erikouchka

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I did it in winter with two children (aged 11 and 16). It's quite a climb but it's doable.
With the heat in summer, it must be more challenging.

Machine-translated

lemarcheur65
lemarcheur65 ★

Hello claudonp

When you leave a comment, it says:

Visorando prefers to guide hikers using a description and an extract from an IGN map rather than using signposts, which it has no control over. When answering this questionnaire, please focus your comments on the quality of the description and the route, without mentioning the signposts.

Looking at the route, the percentage of road is very low.

Machine-translated

DESSINGER
DESSINGER

you are really the only one among all the comments to rate this tour as disappointing in terms of interest.
I assume it's because of the paved road, otherwise what did you dislike?

Machine-translated

claudonp
claudonp

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : Yes

Please note that parking is recommended for two hours..
And lots of paved roads 😕

Machine-translated

cl.leve
cl.leve

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant route, magnificent view from the summit with places to eat.

Machine-translated

F.Mucky
F.Mucky
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful climb right from the start.
Once you reach the rock, allow €2 for admission to the church and its tower.
Superb, unobstructed view from the top.
You can enjoy a drink and/or a meal at the restaurant on site.
An interesting hike, well worth doing.

Machine-translated

MaryDélilia
MaryDélilia

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

First hike with Visiorando was great! Easy to use, we discovered a beautiful little hike, half in the sun and half in the shade of the forest. I recommend it!

Machine-translated

fschmittstutz
fschmittstutz

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

We took advantage of the beautiful cold weather on 20 January to discover the Dabo rock. This route was very pleasant, mostly sheltered from the wind in the forest and often in the sun with unobstructed views. Not very fit, especially when walking on snow, this route was just perfect 😉 We'll do it again in spring or summer! Thank you for sharing!

Machine-translated

Feuilloman
Feuilloman

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A well-documented hike, with enough shade to be done in the late morning, when the sun is at its strongest. One comment: at one point, the route indicated did not match the description in the summary. No big deal. The app is very well designed, though

Machine-translated

Fab Bog
Fab Bog

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice little walk. The view from the top of the tower is really worth it!

Machine-translated

tchequemat
tchequemat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Machine-translated

cloclorando
cloclorando

Following the Club Vosgien signposts takes a little longer but is more enjoyable.

Machine-translated

Muesli62
Muesli62

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful place, especially if you climb to the top of the tower.
However, on the way down from the rock, at the edge of the forest, the route isn't very clear: there are signs indicating that the route has been changed, so you don't know which one to take... Should you go behind the hunting lodge or continue towards the village of Dabo via the small road (with some very pretty houses to see, by the way...)?
In short, I would say that the easiest thing to do is to follow the signs for the Club Vosgien: circuit du rocher.

Machine-translated

palaco32
palaco32

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route, not too difficult, with plenty of shade. Beautiful view from the rock.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Discover the Dabo region: the god Baldur

Visorando member
À la découverte du pays de Dabo : le Dieu Baldur
↔7.85 km ↗+213 m ↘-209 m ◔2h 50 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Dabo (Moselle)
Set off to discover the sights around the Rock of Dabo, a historic site dating back to Celtic, Roman and medieval times. This hike around the Ballerstein massif offers a concentration of the most beautiful sights: remarkable rocks and sandstone cliffs, views of coniferous forests and the surrounding villages, and bucolic trails rich in history and legends. You will enter the kingdom of Baldur, the Celtic god of light.

Walking The legendary rocks of Ballerstein, Sickert and Dabo

Visorando member
Les rochers mythiques du Ballerstein, du Sickert et de Dabo
↔15.29 km ↗+574 m ↘-574 m ◔6h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Dabo (Moselle)
As you walk along these superb paths lined with remarkable sandstone cliffs, you enter the mysterious land of the Dabo region, which has been marked by a strong Celtic presence. The remarkable sites of Ballerstein, the territory of Baldur, the Celtic god of light, Sickert and Dabo bring together a large number of geological curiosities, traversed by shady, bucolic paths and alternating with several magnificent panoramas.

Walking Discovering the Dabo region: the Table de la Paie and the Jaegerhof

Visorando member
À la découverte du pays de Dabo : la Table de la Paie et le Jaegerhof
↔11.42 km ↗+322 m ↘-316 m ◔4h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Dabo (Moselle)
Set off to explore the sights around the Dabo rock, a historic Celtic, Roman and medieval site.

Walking Discovering the Dabo region: the Saint-Martin boundary stone

Visorando member
↔8.86 km ↗+288 m ↘-290 m ◔3h 20 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Dabo (Moselle)
Set off to explore the sights around the Rocher de Dabo, a historic Celtic, Roman and medieval site. Magnificent trails, druidic stones and cosmo-telluric waves, valley floors where streams and rivers meander.

Walking A 360° view around the Rock of Dabo

Visorando member
Un 360° autour du Rocher de Dabo
↔16.56 km ↗+572 m ↘-565 m ◔6h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Dabo (Moselle)
Starting from an old mill in the hollow of a valley, set off to discover the magnificent Dabo Rock. As you hike, you will see it from different angles. You will be charmed by the magnificent landscapes and local heritage.

Walking From the Col de la Schleif to the meeting point of the Spitzberg and the Hengst

Visorando member
↔17.07 km ↗+455 m ↘-455 m ◔6h 10 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Dabo (Moselle)
This is a very beautiful hike starting from the Col de la Schleif, which will allow you to discover the Rocher du Dabo from the surrounding peaks. A shorter version of the route is also possible.

Walking The Spiztberg

Visorando member
↔14.26 km ↗+299 m ↘-293 m ◔4h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Dabo (Moselle)
Discover the sights around the Rocher de Dabo, a historic site dating back to Celtic, Roman and medieval times. A short climb takes you to the Backofenfelsen rock, which offers a memorable view. Forest paths and trails take you up to the highest points of the Dabo forest.

Walking Col de la Schleif - Schneeberg - Urstein - Hengst

Visorando member
Col de la Schleif - Schneeberg - Urstein - Hengst
↔18.15 km ↗+679 m ↘-666 m ◔7h 05 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Dabo (Moselle)
Circuit around one of the highest peaks in the Northern Vosges, with magnificent landscapes on both sides (Lorraine and Alsace).

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.