Bivouac trekking in the Vosges: 3-day trek to the Hohneck and the sentier des Roches

The Vosges… a perfect playground for those looking to get away from it all for a weekend in the great outdoors. A mountainous climate, close to home, which gave us the chance to recharge our batteries during our bivouac hike in the Vosges.

We headed off for a 3-day trek in the Vosges. Our route was mapped out around the Hohneck. The hike takes in 5 lakes, some of which are among the most beautiful in the Vosges. As an added bonus, the route takes in the most popular trail in the Vosges: the sentier des Roches. This loop trek in the Vosges is definitely one of the best ways to discover the most beautiful landscapes in the Hautes Vosges!

Bivouac Vosges: what you need to know

Is bivouacking allowed?

Bivouacking in the Vosges is legal. We do mean bivouac, not camping. In other words, bivouacking is tolerated as long as it’s a temporary camp lasting just one night. Of course, we complied with all the requirements for a bivouac, in particular by making sure we didn’t leave any traces behind us! It’s the least we can do. Note that bivouacking is naturally prohibited in certain areas, such as nature parks and protected sites. On our route, the only place that was affected was in the vicinity of the sentier des roches. This is the Frankenthal-Missheimle nature reserve. In any case, the relatively steep terrain makes it very difficult to pitch a tent there.

While bivouacking is tolerated, lighting a fire is definitely not. So we took along our hiking stove for our freeze-dried meals, which we ate greedily in the evening.

How to find the best bivouac spot in the Vosges?

In our case, sleeping close to a water source clearly determines the location of the bivouac. To feel comfortable and to be able to cook without fear of running out of water, the easiest thing to do is to spend the night in a bivouac next to a lake! In the morning, it’s perfect to combine it with a dip in the lake for a refreshing dip. Generally speaking, the edges of a lake are the perfect places to pitch a tent. Which makes this hike-bivouac in the Vosges one of the best hike-bivouac trails, as we pass 5 lakes. That’s 5 good opportunities to pitch a tent!

The other type of coveted spot is the ridges! Fans of magnificent views at sunrise will be delighted to share their experiences. There are several disadvantages to this option. Firstly, exposure to the wind. In the event of bad weather, you have to be able to cope with conditions that are generally more difficult than when you’re sheltered inland. It’s also harder to enjoy a peaceful evening without fearing that the cards you’ve been playing will blow away with each draw. Still, we like the idea of waking up on the Vosges ridges. There’s no shortage of opportunities on this itinerary. What we really like about the Vosges mountains are the balloon-shaped summits that are so characteristic of the Vosges peaks. So it’s generally pretty easy to pitch a tent.

Water management on this Vosges bivouac hike

If you choose, like us, to bivouac next to a lake, then it’s tempting to get your water from the lake itself. This is entirely possible, but be sure to take along a Katadyn-type filtering bottle to ensure that any bacteria in the water is eliminated before you drink it. As well as filtering it, it’s also a good idea to boil the lake water. Which we’ve obviously done for the kitchen. I can assure you that no one came back sick from this expedition, even though we drank only filtered lake water. The Vosges mountains were hit by a drought this summer, which means that the lakes are subject to more bacterial growth than usual. Cyanobacteria can also be found. If this is the case, it will always be indicated! It is therefore not advisable to swim in the water, and certainly not to drink it.

Otherwise, on the proposed route, we came across a few hostels / refuges where you could stock up on water. Given the amount of water used for cooking, we quickly realised that we couldn’t really do without lakes. The idea of carrying 25kg on our backs didn’t really cross our minds. 😀

Itinerary for a 3-day trek in the Vosges

The Tour des 5 Lacs is a 40km route with a 1,800m elevation gain. It is a loop route. It’s possible to do it one way or the other, it’s all the same and it all depends on what time you start. If you start in the afternoon, it’s probably easier to do it anticlockwise to limit the distance on the first day. At least if you want to complete the same stages as we do.

To support our work, our full track is available for sale below. The file includes a GPX track of the overall itinerary for the 3 days, as well as a GPX track for each day with a guide to installing the gpx file on your connected watch or smartphone. (Please note that once you’ve paid, stay on the page and don’t close the tab, it will load directly with the order summary and the download link, which will be highlighted in purple).

Day 1 (or day 3): Col de la Schlucht to Lac d’Altenweiher (18 km – 600m D+)

The Col de la Schlucht is the starting point for our 3-day trek in the Vosges. It is one of the main mountain passes in the Vosges massif. There is a large car park where you can leave your car for the weekend free of charge. This pass is popular with tourists, especially as it is the starting point for the sentier des roches. We had lunch at the Brasserie de la Schlucht before setting off on our hike. Ideal for a culinary immersion in the Vosges; just before setting off to discover the landscapes the region has to offer.

The first attraction of the day is the approach to the Hohneck. We won’t be climbing to the summit because it’s just a big car park. We preferred to climb other, more attractive summits on this trek. The path to get there is also very impressive. We loved this first part of the hike. The view from Martinswand is incredible! From here, you can see the Honeck and the panoramic view leaves you breathless. We then reach the Falimont pass. The trail from Martinswand to the Falimont pass is certainly one of the most beautiful we covered during our 3-day trek. It’s exactly the kind of landscape I’d imagined I’d find when I thought of the legendary hikes in the Vosges.

On our bivouac trekking itinerary in the Vosges, we came across the Lac de la Lande and Blanchemer lakes. Blanchemer is a wonderful swimming spot in the Vosges. It’s certainly one of the most suitable for swimming. It is also more squatted than the others. We could have stopped here to spend the first night, but we preferred to continue on to the next lake: Lac d’Altenweiher. A popular bivouac spot, it’s best to arrive early to catch the best bivouac spot in the area. To tell the truth, we arrived late, at the stroke of 9pm. But we still found a great spot.

The summit of the Kastelberg is optional on the trail. We made the round trip to admire the view from this Vosges summit. It’s clearly worth the diversions. We then did a long descent (400m D-) to reach the shores of Lake Altenweiher for our first night’s bivouac.

Day 2: Altenweiher lake to Schiessrothried lake (12 km – 485m D+)

The first part of the walk is a long descent to the centre of Mittlach. The altitude is 500m. From the summit of the Kastelberg, we had to descend more than 800m in one go. Most of the ascent to the Vosges ridges will take place on this second day. For this ascent, we took the legendary Wormsa trail.

We arrived in Mittlach at the stroke of midday. It’s the perfect time for lunch. The Valneige hotel and restaurant was right on our route. We regained our strength with an excellent meal before starting the day’s long climb.

The Wormsa trail is best known for its waterfalls. Compared to the previous day’s hike, the Wormsa valley offers a dramatic change in terms of the scenery encountered. Less exposed, the trail passes through wooded areas. It crosses the river to discover the Wormsa waterfalls. The end of the trail leads to Lake Fischboedle. This is the smallest lake in the Vosges! It’s very pretty. It is certainly one of the most beautiful lakes encountered on this hiking trail in the Vosges.

We end this day’s hike by climbing a little higher. We then reach Lake Schiessrothried. It’s possible to bivouac around the lake on the land, or even on the beach. It’s hard to believe you’re in the Vosges in these conditions.

Day 3 (or day 1) : from Lac du Schiessrothried to Col de la Schlucht (10 km – 735m D+)

This stage is undeniably the most technical of this 3-day itinerant trek in the Vosges. This is explained in particular by the fact that the mythical sentier des Roches is traversed.

We start the day by climbing the Petit Hohneck. This is the most beautiful peak of our hike. It’s nature painting up there! After this first sight of the day, we head to the Frankenthal-Missheimle nature reserve via the Dagobert cave. This reserve is home to the famous sentier des Roches. We’ll use it to finish off this magnificent Vosges bivouac tour in style.

It’s worth pointing out that the rocky path can be a bit daunting for some, and that’s perfectly understandable given that it’s the most accident-prone path in the Vosges. Despite being well secured, it will seem easy for the most seasoned, the most agile or the most daring hikers, but also for those most at ease with heights. It’s an aerial trail. Sophie was afraid of this part. But she’s prone to vertigo when the path becomes very exposed, and in the end it’s no problem! She was reassured by the handrail that was always available when the passage became complicated. As agility is one of the criteria for the success of this crossing, children will certainly enjoy the adventure. Note that dogs are not allowed on this trail.

For those who find the rocky path frightening and are reluctant to tackle it, there is an alternative. From the Petit Hohneck, you can climb back up to the Hohneck or the Col du Falimont, which you discovered 2 days earlier. It’s well signposted. From there, you can return to the Col de la Schlucht to complete this 3-day bivouac tour in the Vosges in your own way.

Do not forget to buy our itinerary route to feel more comfortable on the way. 🙂

Book an accommodation in The Vosges