The ruins of Schwartzenthann as seen from Wintzfelden

Park in the small car park at the entrance to the forest, at the top of Rue des Vosges in Wintzfelden.

(S/E) With your back to the car park, turn right, enter the village and walk down Rue des Vosges until you reach^{the third} speed bump.

(1) Take a hairpin bend to the right to continue along the Chemin du Klosterrain. Once you’ve entered the forest, a junction offers you the choice of reaching the ruins ‘by the path’ or ‘by the trail’.
Both options take the same amount of time and involve the same elevation gain; the first goes through the vineyards via a wide, accessible path, whilst the second goes through the forest via a more rugged footpath.
This route follows the footpath, which also offers views of more ruins.

(2) After passing the church ruins, turn right and then right again (Blue Triangle signpost).

(3) Take the path that winds to the left of the track.

(4) Walk behind the chalet and continue along the connecting path marked with a Red Disc. Ignore the first junction (this^first path does not appear on maps) and, at the top, turn right to begin the descent. Halfway down, at the junction with^{the first} forest track, the path continues slightly to the right. At the bottom of the path, turn right onto the Chemin du Thannhurstel (marked with a Blue Ring) and continue to the car park (S/E).

You will mainly be walking along paths and tracks.
A quarter of this walk is in the sun, three-quarters in the shade.

Alternatives
You can adjust the difficulty of the route with these easier versions of the circular route:
- 3.6 km, 160 m elevation gain: at (4), turn right onto the forest track to reach the end of the circular route.
- 3.4 km, 120 m elevation gain: at (3), turn right onto the forest track to reach the end of the circular route.
- 3.4 km, 120 m elevation gain: at (2), turn left to head back in the opposite direction along the path.

(2) Ruins of theformer Schwartzenthann convent
At the bottom of Rue des Vosges: Sainte Odile Church and its sarcophagus from the Schwartzenthann convent.