The Rossberg and the Thanner Hubel

Park in the large, well-equipped car park opposite Rimbach Church (see practical information for another possible starting point).

(S/E) Cross the road to take the Yellow Saltire trail, which runs alongside the cemetery wall and, after a short climb of a few dozen metres, joins a path running parallel to the road, also marked with Yellow Saltires. Take this path to the right (direction: Lac des Perches – Riesenwald).
The path joins the road at the Auberge du Touriste.

(1) Cross the road and take Rue du Pâtre opposite, marked with red-white-red Red Rectangles (direction: Ruchberg - Belacker). Follow these markings to the Col de Rimbach.

(2) At the hairpin bend to the right, continue straight on following the markings until you reach another junction.

(3) Continue left onto the forest road, still following the same red-white-red Red Rectangle markings (direction: Ruchberg – Col de Rimbach).
At the entrance to the Ruchberg farmyard, continue along the wide grassy path to the right.
Leave it immediately after the hairpin bend and take a small path on the right which climbs quite steeply up to the Rimbach Pass.

(4) Take the path marked with a Red Rectangle (towards Belacker – Rossberg). This path quickly leaves the forest and continues along a ridge through the stubble fields.

(5) Pass the first gate and take the forest road on the left.
Then pass the^second gate and leave the track leading to the Belacker farm to follow the sign for “In memory of Lilly Kocher” on the right, along the ridge wall.
From there, you can admire, on one side, the Masevaux valley with the Ballon d’Alsace, and on the other, the Thann valley with the Grand Ballon and the Markstein. Reach the small memorial to Lilly Kocher

(6) Leave the ridge to join the path slightly below and, a little further on, rejoin the Red Rectangle-marked trail.

(7) Follow this again and walk for about 400 m on a gentle slope before tackling a slightly steeper climb to reach the Vogelstein rocks.
Just after a section of fencing in the form of a "log bridge" , leave the marked path and take a shortcut to the right (the old path, in fact, which has been replaced by a new, easier one – but best avoided in slippery conditions as it is somewhat steep and rocky) which takes you past a first viewpoint about twenty metres away, by stepping out onto the rock on the right.
Continue to the main viewpoint at Vogelstein.

(8) Continue along the path, and just as you leave the forest, take a short detour to a third viewpoint on the rock to the right.
Continue along the ridge to the right of the fence.

(9) Pass by the Vogelstein. Follow the track for just over 1 km. At the corner of the fence, continue for a few dozen metres to reach the rocks and the summit of the Rossberg.

(10) From the summit, enjoy a 360° view of the Vosges mountains, the Black Forest and the Jura, and on a clear day the entire Alpine range, from Mont Blanc to the Bernese Oberland.
Before setting off again, look for the small stylised statue of the Virgin Mary nestled in the rock.
Descend to the pass where you can see the white chalet of the Thann Ski Club, following the fence on either side, as you prefer.

(11) In front of the Thann Ski Club chalet, head up to the Thanner Hubel orientation table (marked with a red-white-red Red Rectangle). Upon reaching the ridge, walk a few metres to the right of the path to reach the orientation table.

(12) Orientation table: Take in the panoramic views! Then rejoin the marked trail which passes under the ski lift and descends to the Thanner Hubel refuge.

(13) At the Thanner Hubel refuge, turn left onto the path marked with a Yellow Cross to reach the Rossberg Farm.

(14) Opposite, take the Red Triangle marked path (towards Gsang – Belacker). You will reach the Gsang Farm Inn.

(15) Just as you leave the Gsang Farm, don’t miss the marked path (still Red Triangle, towards Belacker) which turns left at the gate.

(16) Leave the Red Triangle marked path, which leads directly to Belacker Farm, and turn left onto the Blue Triangle marked path which climbs up to Vogelstein.

Alternative: If you’re not keen on paths with unobstructed views of the ridges, and if you don’t fancy climbing a hundred metres in altitude, you can stay on the Red Triangle path, which leads to Belacker with virtually no elevation gain, but entirely through the forest.

(8) Head back down to Belacker via the same route as on the way up, but stay on the Red Rectangle marked trail instead of taking the shortcut used on the way up.
Return to the crossroads you passed on the way up.

(5) Turn left towards Rimbach via the Red Rectangle-White Rectangle-Red Rectangle marked trail to reach the junction further down, which you also passed on the way up.

(3) Return to the route taken on the way up and follow it back to the car park where you started (S/E).

• The hike has been rated as difficult solely because of its length (around 19 km), but presents no technical difficulties.

• It is possible to shorten the hike by around 4.5 km and avoid a somewhat long and monotonous approach walk along a forest track by parking at (2): (on the forest road leading to the Ruchberg farm, walk about 1 km after crossing the stream and taking the left-hand bend, just past the house on the left at the hairpin bend). However, there is only space for a maximum of 7 or 8 cars, and this spot is sometimes used by foresters to store timber or manoeuvre their vehicles; you risk both getting in their way and finding your car damaged...

Please note: it is not possible to shorten the walk. It is clearly stated in the village thatparking is prohibited outside designated car parks. Furthermore, the forest road leading to the Ruchberg farm is closed to traffic, except for authorised users.

• For a bite to eat (or even a place to stay) on the Rossberg slopes, or simply to relax with a drink whilst admiring the scenery: Ferme Auberge du Belacker (closed on Fridays) and Ferme Auberge du Gsang (closed on Tuesdays). But do check for any closure periods.