The "Schnakenpfad" starting from Ottenheim-Schwanau

A circular route with virtually no elevation gain, through the shaded forest on the German side of the Rhine. Part of the route follows a signposted path known as the “Schnakenpfad” (the snail trail), which is approximately 7.5 km long. It is located near Lac de Gravier to the west, between the villages of Ottenheim-Schwanau and Meißenheim. This path is aptly named, as the locals also call it “Schnoogepfad” (the Mosquito Trail), because in summer it is teeming with them. The route alternates between small lakes, streams, charming little wooden bridges, footpaths, tracks of varying widths, tarmac roads and a few pavements at the start and finish in the streets of the village of Ottenheim-Schwanau. The whole route is easily accessible. There are several shelters with tables and benches along the way. Suitable walking shoes are nevertheless recommended. Dogs must be kept on a lead! The area is rich in wildlife and you’ll also come across beautiful wild geese.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.21 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 26 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 26 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 509 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 476 ft
  • ⚐ Country: Germany
  • ⚐ City: Schwanau 
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.383106° / E 7.75647°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3816OT, 3817O
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

The car park is located at No. 1 Weiblingsweg, just past the bend and the junction of Oberdorfstrasse and Pfargasse.

(S/E) With your back to the car park, take the pavement on the right heading west until you reach Oberdorfstrasse; at the junction, turn right (north) and walk for about a hundred metres. When you reach the junction with Vogensenstrasse, cross the road carefully and turn left, walking straight ahead on the pavement for most of the way, until you reach the end of the “Vogel-Baggersee” gravel pit (on your right).

(1) Go round it on the right. When you reach the junction with Rheinstrasse, turn left, taking care, to join the road. At the left-hand bend, leave this road and take a path on the right; ignore the first path on the left and take the second one on the left. Follow this path until you cross a bridge.

(2) After the bridge, turn onto the first path on the right, “the Rheinauenweg”. Keep going straight, cross a bridge and continue straight ahead. This isn’t the most interesting part of the route, but that will come later… You’ll reach a Fork in the road.

(3) Turn right at a right angle onto the same path, "the Rheinauenweg", until you reach the junction with the "Schnakenpdad".

(4) Take the signposted path, turning left twice to reach a crossroads. Continue straight on for this return trip to the "AuwaldHütte" hut, keeping to the right (a covered area with a large table and two benches, and a little further on, a lovely, very picturesque lake).

(5) Return to the second junction via the same path and continue left until the next one.

(6) At the junction, take the path that runs along the embankment to the iron footbridge and the steps on the left leading up to the Rhine River embankment.

(7) View of the Rhine; head back down, walk back a few dozen metres, then turn right then left into the forest and follow the “Schnakenpdad” to the end.

(8) Turn left, cross the bridge and head straight on to the third Fork in the road near a ford.

(9) Without crossing it, follow the path to the right which leads into the vegetation and follows the stream to an island.

(10) Cross the stream over the large boulders to the hut on the island. There you will find a large, rather dilapidated but still functional hut with a tin roof, equipped with benches and tables. Cross back the way you came and take the path on the left to the “Freisitz on the banks of the Old Rhine”, a lovely wooden structure. Continue along the “Schnakenpdad” to three small, rustic wooden bridges.

(11) Cross the bridges. Once on the embankment, turn left towards the car park and the “Schollenhütte” hut (a covered area with a large table and two benches).

(12) From there, retrace the first section in the opposite direction to the start and continue due south to the end of the embankment.

(13) Head down from the embankment and take a hairpin bend to the right. Turn left and continue along the “Schnakenpdad” to its end.

(14) Head right, then quickly left, following the edge of a lake. Ignore the path branching off to the left and take the one on the right a little further on for a return trip to a lovely viewpoint overlooking a lake.

(15) Return to the previous junction and go straight on to the end.

(16) Turn right and go straight on. Turn right again and arrive at a Fork in the road with the Hochwasserdamm.

(17) Turn left onto the Hochwasserdamm and follow the path running alongside the River Mühlbach, keeping to the right until you reach the third Fork in the road.

(18) Turn left and continue straight on to the end. Take a slight left/right turn to reach Lehenstrasse and continue to the second junction.

(19) Turn left, then go straight on and take the second right. At the end, turn left and walk past the town hall and the church.

(20) Keep to the right. At the next street, turn right onto “Pfargasse” and, at the end, continue a few metres further along the left into “Weiblingsweg” to return to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 502 ft - Car park at No. 1 Weiblingsweg
  2. 1 : mi 0.8 - alt. 489 ft - Gravel pit
  3. 2 : mi 1.63 - alt. 492 ft - Fork in the road after the bridge
  4. 3 : mi 2.57 - alt. 495 ft - Junction
  5. 4 : mi 2.96 - alt. 482 ft - Schnakenpfad
  6. 5 : mi 3.76 - alt. 486 ft - AuwaldHütte by the lake
  7. 6 : mi 4.01 - alt. 492 ft - Crossroads
  8. 7 : mi 4.26 - alt. 502 ft - Dike - Rhin (fleuve)
  9. 8 : mi 4.51 - alt. 489 ft - End of the trail
  10. 9 : mi 4.69 - alt. 489 ft - An der Furt, ford
  11. 10 : mi 4.91 - alt. 492 ft - Crossing the Old Rhine on the river island
  12. 11 : mi 5.1 - alt. 492 ft - Wooden bridge
  13. 12 : mi 5.29 - alt. 482 ft - Car park and Schollenhütte
  14. 13 : mi 5.96 - alt. 492 ft - End of the dyke
  15. 14 : mi 6.68 - alt. 482 ft - End of the trail
  16. 15 : mi 6.93 - alt. 486 ft - Viewpoint
  17. 16 : mi 7.07 - alt. 489 ft - End of the trail
  18. 17 : mi 7.23 - alt. 489 ft - Flood barrier
  19. 18 : mi 8.25 - alt. 492 ft - Fork in the road
  20. 19 : mi 8.75 - alt. 505 ft - Crossroads on Lehenstrasse
  21. 20 : mi 8.96 - alt. 502 ft - Church and market square
  22. S/E : mi 9.21 - alt. 502 ft - Start & Finish Car Park: Car Park No. 1, Weiblingsweg

Notes

The trail is freely accessible all year round. The "Schnakenpfad Meißenheim" was created in 2004. It stretches for eight kilometres and runs partly along narrow paths, but also along roads. The paths are easy to walk. Signposts guide visitors (source: Meißenheim Town Hall)

Hike mapped out, tested and approved by: Les Branquignol.e.s – The famous group of Alsatian friends, hikers and epicureans, who are having a blast, in April 2025.

Worth a visit

South-Street Distillery – Südstraße 1, 77963 Schwanau. A lovely little shop offering free advice and a full range of spirits, gins and liqueurs. There aren’t really any set opening hours ; it’s practically always open, including at weekends and on Sundays.If you want to be sure someone will be there to help you, feel free to contact them at any time via their contact form or by phone. You can reach them on the following numbers: 07824 1547----0172 9694042 ----0176 15363740. Lutz Weide State-certified Distiller & Fine Spirits Sommelier. Email: info@brennerei-suedstrasse.de

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