The Schweisel, flowing along the banks of the Pfahlrunz and the Salzbach

The walk starts from the small car park at the end of the Chemin du Camping de Mittlach, in the hamlet of Langenwasen.
It is also possible to set off from the car park at the Herrenberg Pass at point (5).

Markings: Yellow Cross
(S/E) From the car park, take the path that leads into the forest. After the footbridge, begin the ascent towards the Pfahlrunz Waterfalls. The path joins a wider track; a few metres to the left, at the junction, a Club Vosgien signpost indicates ‘Waterfall’.

(1) Leave the wide track and take the path on the right. The climb is steep, winding along numerous hairpin bends overlooking the stream. When the slope levels out, the path widens, becomes straighter and reaches a four-way junction.

Unmarked
(2) Leave the Yellow Cross markings and take the path on the right. At the next junction, it meets the Chemin Renaud. Cross the junction and continue straight on. After a bend to the left and then to the right, a path climbs 50 metres to the left towards a charming little pond and a shelter, with benches and a picnic table.

(3) Retrace your steps and turn left onto the wide path. At the next Fork in the road, ignore the Chemin des Souilles, turn left and, after a few hundred metres, you’ll reach a large junction with the Chemin du Herrenberg.

Red Rectangle^GR®®5signposting
(4) Turn left onto the^GR®®5towards the Col du Herrenberg. As you emerge from the forest, after the barrier, follow a grassy path to join a track on the left at the edge of a beech wood. Further on, it merges with a wide forest track leading to the pass. (At the 1189-metre mark, let the Red Rectangle-marked path branch off to the right; the forest track rejoins it a little further on).

(5) Just before the pass and the Route des Crêtes, leave the forest track and turn left onto the^GR®®5, heading uphill across the scree towards the summit of the Schweisel.

(6) Enjoy the beautiful panoramic view, which offers a glimpse of the main peaks of the Vosges mountains. Continue along the^GR®®5downhill towards a small pass to join the Yellow Cross-marked cross-country path heading towards Mittlach.

Yellow Cross markings
(7) Head left for a few metres, then left again onto a wide track lined with blueberry bushes, heading north-north-east. After a right-angle bend to the right, don’t miss the path branching off to the left a few dozen metres further on. (Please note: the Yellow Cross signpost at the junction has disappeared; another one is located 50 metres past the start of the path).

(8) Leave the wide track and turn left onto this path, which continues north-north-east towards the forest. Enter a beautiful high-altitude beech forest, followed by a meadow. After passing some ruins, enter the forest again via a zigzag path.

(9) Further on, the path opens out onto a damp meadow near the headwaters of the Pfahlrunz. A wooden footbridge prevents you from getting your feet wet. Return to the forest and follow a drier path which joins a bend in a forest track. Keep to the left and head down to the crossroads you passed on the way out.

Unmarked
(2) Leave the Yellow Cross markings and turn right into the Schweisel forest. Follow this lovely path, ignoring any side tracks. It passes the Schweiselrunz and its waterfalls, as well as some remarkable volcanic rocks. Ignore the Schweisel path which climbs to the right, eventually reaching a crossroads of four paths near the banks of the Salzbach (the Fecht – see practical information).

(10) You can return via either bank of the river, or by using both as described here. Continue to the right and, after the bend to the left, head down the path on the right bank of the Salzbach to the junction with a forest track that climbs to the right, with a sign for Pfulwasen on your left.

(11) A few metres past the sign, a small path descends to the left towards a wooden footbridge which allows you to cross over to the left bank and join the path known as the Hahnenbrunnen path, whilst taking in the beautiful surroundings. It descends steadily to the right. Ignore the^first path leading uphill to the left.

(12) At the^second path leading uphill to the left, you can rejoin the lower section of the waterfall trail (1) and head back to the car park.
Otherwise, continue to the right, cross over the Salzbach and join the path on the right bank.

(13) From the junction of the paths, it is about 200 m to the car park, just past the Forest Ranger’s House (S/E).

(3) Chemin Renaud shelter on the banks of the Étang.

(5) Huss refuge on the western edge of the Route des Crêtes, run by the Mulhouse Ski Club.

Auberge du Huss near the Col du Herrenberg.

There are several rivers called the Fecht: the Fecht (known as La Salzbach), which rises at a place called Salzbach on the northern slope of the Breitfirst. Further downstream, it is known as the Grande Fecht.

The namesakes:

• The Kolbenfecht (Fecht du Kolben), which rises on the slopes of the Rothenbachkopf and joins the Fecht at Mittlach.
• The Fecht de Sondernach (La Sonder), which rises at the Schnepfenriedkopf and joins the Grande Fecht at Metzeral.
• The Petite Fecht, which rises on the slopes of the Hohneck and flows through the Stosswihr valley before joining the Fecht at Munster.