Markstein-Lac de la Lauch-Col d'Oberlauchen-Col d'Hahnenbrunnen-Trehkopf

The first half of the route, up to (5), is wooded, which is pleasant in hot weather. The second part, however, follows theGR®5in open country. There are no major difficulties, except perhaps the slightly steep climb to the Col d'Oberlauchen.
There are beautiful views during this hike, particularly at the Col d'Oberlauchen, then all along theGR®5and at the summit of the Trehkopft.

Details

131017
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.87 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 513 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 513 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,265 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 921 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Depart from the car park near the Markstein farm at the intersection of the D131 and D430 roads.

(S/E) Cross the D430 (heading north-west) to find the Blue Triangle signposted trail.

(1) After 330 m, at an intersection (tree with sign), turn right onto the Triangle Bleu trail, which will take you downhill to Lac de la Lauch. Please note: at 1.1 km, you will need to cross the D430 and go over the safety barrier to rejoin the trail.

(2) Turn right and follow the lake on your left to reach the dam.

(3) From the dam where the Rivière de la Lauch begins, continue to the D430, which you will take to the right for about 50 m to find the path on the left marked with a yellow rectangle. Be careful as the trail is not always well marked. Start the fairly steep climb through the forest and, when you reach a clearing, take the trail through the meadows to reach the Col d'Oberlauchen.

(4) Take the path marked with a blue disc on the left into the forest. Follow this flat, wide, shaded path until you reach the junction with the D27.

(5) Cross the D27 and take the path opposite heading north-west through the meadows. Keep heading through the meadows until you reach a sandy road and the Salzbach farmhouse inn.

(6) Pick up the path to the south marked with a red-white-red rectangle to reach the Fecht (nearby spring) and then the Col d'Hahnenbrunnen. At one point, the end of the path crosses a wider path; turn left for about 50 m to reach the intersection with the D430.

(8) After 50 m on the D430, turn left onto the path marked with a red rectangle (GR®5). Follow the ridge line southwards. At one point, you will cross the D430 again.

(9) Cross the D430 to pick up a path opposite heading south-west, which climbs towards the summit of Trehkopf. Do not take the red-white-red signposted road, which is dusty and congested with cars on Saturdays.

(10) At the summit of Trehkopf, there is a paragliding school and a beautiful view of the surrounding peaks. Retrace your steps along the same double path; a fence separates them. Take the right-hand path to turn east onto a path that descends (no markings).

(11) At the bottom, turn right, leaving the Jungfrauenkopf summit (ski lift) on your left. Follow this descending path, which passes through the edge of the woods, to finally reach the Markstein bar.
Return to the car park via the road on the right (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,179 m - Car park located near the Markstein farm
  2. 1 : km 0.31 - alt. 1,165 m - On the right, follow the Blue Triangle trail
  3. 2 : km 1.5 - alt. 950 m - Turn right and follow the lake - Lac de la Lauch
  4. 3 : km 2.06 - alt. 921 m - Dam - La Lauch
  5. 4 : km 3.67 - alt. 1,205 m - Col d'Oberlauchen
  6. 5 : km 4.7 - alt. 1,249 m - Intersection with the D27
  7. 6 : km 5.57 - alt. 1,154 m - Salzbac Farm Inn
  8. 7 : km 6.05 - alt. 1,152 m - Spring on the left - Source de la Fecht
  9. 8 : km 6.81 - alt. 1,188 m - Intersection with the D430 - Breitfirst
  10. 9 : km 9.16 - alt. 1,210 m - Crossing the D430
  11. 10 : km 10.13 - alt. 1,259 m - Summit of Trehkopf.
  12. 11 : km 10.69 - alt. 1,233 m - Jungfrauenkopf on the left, turn right - Jungfrauenkopf
  13. 12 : km 11.4 - alt. 1,196 m - Return route
  14. S/E : km 11.87 - alt. 1,179 m - Car park located near the Markstein farm

Notes

Food available at the Salzbach or Hahnenbrunnen inns.

Fountain at the Salzbach inn.

If you want to eat at this inn, it is best to book in advance during the high season in summer. Very friendly service and good food.

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.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 26 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
RANDONNEUR88
RANDONNEUR88

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello.
It's quite a climb from the start (be careful, as there are lots of leaves covering the stones and roots during this ascent, so watch your step), but after that it's very pleasant.
This route allowed me to discover that side of it 😉😃. And it makes a change 😀
Thank you very much for suggesting it to me.
Isabelle

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PParisot
PParisot

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route with some lovely views; the thatched roofs around the Salzbach farmhouse inn are particularly pretty.
The start of the hike (descent to Lake Lauch and climb back up) is a bit tough as it is straight and the signposting is sometimes poor (hidden by branches or missing), but the rest of the route is very pleasant.
Between points 4 and 5, we preferred the round red markings that follow the edge of the Munster valley.
We couldn't find the start of the path that crosses the thatched fields after the Salzbach farm, so we reached point 8 by following the red-white-red markings. Point 7 is missing from the description. Between points 9 and 10, we went around the Trehkopf by taking the path that climbs up after the blockhouse because the direct path was not marked and was blocked by a herd of animals that we did not want to disturb.
Thanks for this route!

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mimir423
mimir423

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike in glorious sunshine
Be careful when arriving at the Salzbach farmhouse inn, heading towards the Hahnenbrunnen pass, I had trouble finding my way back
I recommend this walk

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maxdur68
maxdur68

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

the weather was beautiful that day. It's a shame that the noise from the road could be heard on most of the circuit. It felt like being on the French Riviera in the Markstein car park, with all those vehicles and a hellish queue for the toboggan...

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Paps
Paps

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

When starting the hike at Lake Lauch, you must first climb a steep slope to the Oberlauchen Pass. Once you reach the pass, you can climb up to Klintzkopf, where you can enjoy a 360° panoramic view, then return by following the GR trail towards the Lauchen pass and rejoining the route via the American forest trail.While the first part is relatively shaded, the middle section towards the Salsbarg farm and then Trehkopf is very exposed, so sunscreen and a hat are highly recommended. This is a challenging hike at the start, so it is best to set off early in the morning, especially during hot weather.

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Denis TT
Denis TT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike with beautiful scenery.
The final section runs alongside a busy road, which detracts slightly from the charm.

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Lys19
Lys19

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant hike, but very busy in summer. Beautiful scenery.
Please note that the path between points 6 and 7 does not exist. Retrace your steps after reaching the Salzbach farmhouse and inn, then turn right onto the small path towards the source of the Fecht river, ten metres further on.
The rest of the hike is easy, but the final section runs alongside a busy road, which detracts slightly from the charm.

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lgn68
lgn68

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very interesting tour.

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Hersoso
Hersoso

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

To get back into shape after lockdown, we completed two-thirds of this hike, starting from Dauvillers and beginning the ascent at the blue crosses above the waterfalls. The advantage of this route is that you can adapt it to your level, first at the lake and then when you reach Markstein. There is a beautiful variety of views, alternating between shade and open landscapes. The view of the Grand Ballon is superb when you reach the Oberlauchen pass.

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gasseremy
gasseremy

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful hike offering superb views of the surrounding valleys. The only thing missing was the Alps, hidden in the clouds. The whole experience was rounded off by a stop for refreshments at the Hahnenbrunnen farm.

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Netra
Netra ★

Hello csva, and thank you for your feedback. That's quite a few changes to both the route and the description...

The author has been notified that a comment has been made about this hike, so he will no doubt read it. Let's wait for his comments.

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cvsa
cvsa

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello
Here are a few observations after completing this circuit
-Point 4: replace the blue disc with a blue sign
-Point 5: delete "join the Salzbach farmhouse inn" (because you have to turn before that) and instead say "head towards the Salzbach farmhouse inn"
- between points 6 and 7, delete the route on the paper map and on the GPS because it does not exist on the ground
Point 6 should be moved 150 m south of the Salzbach farm to the black track on the map
And explain that at point 6, you need to turn left - left at a wooden park post located to the left of the path with a red, white and red sign to take this track to the Hahenbrunnen pass.
Best regards

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dabo2
dabo2

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Many thanks to "Ronfleur 54" for this beautiful route and especially for the description. Unfortunately for me, i didn't choose the right day, with visibility reduced to 50 metres at the peaks. I had to get out my compass to find the first landmark and struggled a bit in the open terrain (snow fog). Fortunately, the GPS track, description and cardinal directions were perfect for repeating the route in good weather

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rob gren
rob gren

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike, without any real physical difficulty.

The description and route map are perfect, and the advice is very helpful.

Highly recommended.

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whiskygaz
whiskygaz

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

a beautiful walk between shade and sunshine.
it can be done in both directions if you like to finish with a steep climb...

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