Wangenbourg-Engenthal walks

Circular hike mainly through the forest. Starting from Steigenbach, we head to the ruins of Freudeneck Castle, then through Wolfsthal to the well-preserved Wangenbourg Castle, where you can climb to the top of the tower to enjoy a beautiful view.

A pleasant hike in the sandstone foothills of Obersteigen, in the Little Switzerland of Alsace, on the border between the departments of Bas-Rhin and Moselle.

A short, pleasant and easy hike, mostly through forest, which can be done all year round. Suitable for children as the elevation gain is minimal. It takes you to the Sattelfels Menhir, which owes its name to its saddle-shaped top (sattel in German). The site is renowned for its rich vibrational energy.

From the ‘Little Switzerland’ of Alsace to the Bruche Valley, this seventh stage of the journey through the Vosges, presented by Passion Vosges magazine published by DNA and L’Alsace, takes you through the wild heights of the Schneeberg and introduces you to the castles and the Nideck Waterfall between Wangenbourg-Engenthal and Urmatt. A stage narrated by Romain Gascon. The entire route follows the Red Rectangle, unless otherwise stated.

A lovely circular route starting from the entrance to Obersteigen, mostly through woodland if you ignore the areas of clear-cutting. The forest paths and tracks taken are very accessible, with no major difficulties and minimal elevation gain. Passing by the Rocher Jean-Jacques Froelich and the Heidenschloss, where a table and a shelter provide a place to rest and enjoy a view of the plain when the trees have shed their leaves.

This hike involves a strenuous climb, but at the top of Lottelfels you will find an orientation table and a beautiful view of the Alsace plain. You can picnic at the top of Lottelfels or at the Schneeberg refuge.

This hike across varied terrain takes you around three mountain ranges via the Schleif and Wetzlach passes and offers some lovely views. It also allows you to discover beautiful rock formations and other unusual spots.

Between Lorraine and Alsace on the ridges of the Northern Vosges. A hike in the hills with views of the Lorraine plateau (the Sarrebourg region) and the Alsace plain (Molsheim).

This shaded trail takes you to two castles, bucolic spots, steep-sided, musical valleys and a surprising cave. Here you will find peace and quiet, coolness, the birdsong of nature and pure air. 15/05/2024: Route modified to avoid private property.

This route starts from Freudeneck, a hamlet between Romanswiller and Wangenbourg, and takes in some of the region's points of interest: castles, waterfalls and viewpoints. There are several places to stop for a picnic along the way: Heidenschloss, Rotfels, Wangenbourg Castle, Abri Trois Forestiers, etc.

Discover the sights around the Rocher de Dabo, a historic site dating back to Celtic, Roman and medieval times. A short climb takes you to the Backofenfelsen rock, which offers a memorable view. Forest paths and trails take you up to the highest points of the Dabo forest.

This is a very beautiful hike starting from the Col de la Schleif, which will allow you to discover the Rocher du Dabo from the surrounding peaks. A shorter version of the route is also possible.

Circuit around one of the highest peaks in the Northern Vosges, with magnificent landscapes on both sides (Lorraine and Alsace).

Between Romanswiller and Wangenbourg, this route allows you to visit the two medieval castles of Freudeneck and Wangenbourg and ends at the rocky outcrop of Heidenschloss. Moderator's warning on 01/02/2021: Please note! Due to orientation issues, some hikers have added directions in the comments at the bottom of this page. 15/05/2024: Route modified to avoid private property.

A pleasant and/or challenging circular walk (with an easier alternative available) around the Schneeberg, featuring an unusual rock offering a 360° view of the area with a map marker (Lottelfels). The route passes through a section of woodland offering a magical setting depending on the light.

A lovely walk through the woodland, consisting of several circular loops taking in the remarkable rock formations around the Kempel Forest House, starting from Dabo Rock.GPX track required.

For this lovely, pleasant walk, simply follow the paths through the woodland that wind their way between several sandstone rocks, offering lovely views of the Dabo area and a few geological features typical of the Northern Vosges.

Set off to explore the sights around the Rocher de Dabo, a major historical site from Celtic, Roman and medieval times.

Set off to explore the sights around the Rocher de Dabo, a historic Celtic, Roman and medieval site. Magnificent trails, druidic stones and cosmo-telluric waves, valley floors where streams and rivers meander.

A circular route in the heart of the Vosges mountains, in Moselle, on the trails of Rocherdu Dabo, a natural viewpoint offering superb panoramic views of the surrounding forest. Along the way, you will stop at Rutschfelsen, then at Col de la Schleif. Next, via Col du Himbeerfels, you will complete the circular route and climb up to the magnificent Rocher du Himbeerfels. The route continues to theZollstockRestaurant, with an optional but recommended stop before heading back. To conclude this circular route combining nature and heritage, a visit toSaint-Léon Chapel will add a cultural and spiritual touch to your wonderful getaway. An easy hike, accessible to all, with beautiful trails and varied paths, combining remarkable landscapes (in good weather) and local discoveries.

Apart from the slightly steeper climb from the Gloriette du Geissfelwasen to the Rocher du Geissfels, this short hike is not difficult and is very pleasant, despite the last kilometre before the finish being on the road. The view from the Geissfels is 360° and well worth the detour.

The Saverne State Forest has many unusual and mysterious places to offer, and this beautiful hike through the undergrowth is a fine example.Pass through the ruins of the Ochsenstein castles (the Grand, the Petit and Wachelheim), along the pretty Schlossberg ridge path to the Krappenfels Rock viewpoint. Further on, the Wuesterberg ridge path leads to the Mur Païen and the Pierre des Druides, the remains of an ancient Celtic place of worship.After these few bumps, it's easier going to reach the Schweizerberg plateau and the Neubaufels gazebo, finally arriving at the enormous fractured rock of the Seebfels. Please note: the summit of the Ochsenstein castles is now closed to the public.

A beautiful hike in the Marmoutier hinterland, offering views of stunning rock formations in the Vosges mountains.

The Pfaffenlapp and Breitberg rocks are two must-see sights in the area, each offering a beautiful view of the Bruche Valley. This route has the advantage of being on high ground and is therefore relatively easy.

A lovely hike in the forest around the Ringelsberg and Nideck castles, passing by the monumental Vosges sandstone sculptures on the Sandweg and the beautiful Nideck waterfall. Several beautiful views of the region from Hohenstein, Haut Nideck and Hirschfels Rock.

A classic hike in the Bas-Rhin region. There are dozens of marked trails in the area, but I opted for a (very) cool late winter version. It's an easy hike that's accessible for families. Be careful on the steps leading up to the ruins of the Nideck Castles, which offer a magnificent view at an altitude of just under 500 metres. The steps are narrow, but you don't have to climb them to enjoy the view. Children may prefer to stay at the foot of the castle to admire the surroundings. Then there's the waterfall, which is very pretty at the end of winter when the flow is stronger.

The undulating paths you will follow on this lovely circular route, starting from the Billebaum car park, will take you to the heart of several Alemannic legends (La Spill, a 10-metre-high vertical monolith), to the Geissfels (a magnificent rock with a 40-metre drop and a remarkable view over Dabo), then, in the second stage, to the ruined Ochsenstein Castle (three 12th-century castles built on three sandstone spurs, with the summit area off-limits) and, continuing on from there, the long rocky plateau of the Schlossberg. Finally, the third stage takes in the Wuestenberg plateau, an ancient oppidum and Celtic place of worship (pagan wall, druid stone), the southern end of which begins with the Krappenfels, an enormous rock offering magnificent views, particularly of the Dabo rock.

A very pretty undulating loop trail with various options for the return.Paths in the undergrowth run alongside or through beautiful, imposing pink sandstone rocks: Schoenfels, Pfannenfels, Kelchfels, Marguerite, Grotte des Francs Tireurs and, optionally, Neubaufels and Seebfels.

Discover the beautiful ruins of Ochsenstein Castle after walking along the impressive rocky outcrops of Wuestenberg, Krappenfels and Schlossberg. The first part of this hike follows a well-shaded path, whilst the second part offers magnificent views over the Alsace plain. ⚠️ 21/04/2026: From spring 2025, parking is mandatory at the Billebaum car park (the road to the Haberacker forest house is now closed to motor traffic). This adds a 15-minute walk (one way) to the forest house, via a small path to the left of the forest road, and does not add any elevation gain to this hike.

This short walk will take you to the sandstone "table rocks" typical of the Northern Vosges, with a visit to the medieval Ochsenstein Castle, perched atop one of these rocks.