Walk to the Nideck waterfall and the castle ruins
The Nideck waterfall is certainly the most famous waterfall of Alsace, and for good reason: with its 25 meters, it is the highest waterfall in Alsace! It took me a little while to decide to go see it because I was a little afraid of the crowds and of being disappointed, but I actually really liked the place. It's a lovely place to go for a nice walk!
My opinion on the Cascade du Nideck, a must-see place in Alsace
The site of the Nideck waterfall isone of the great spots for walks in Alsace on nice days, especially when the sweltering heat of Alsace falls on the plain and it is good to come to seek a little freshness in the mountains!
I went for a walk to the Nideck waterfall on a beautiful fall day and didn’t have to suffer from the crowds at all. I passed a few people, of course, but nothing embarrassing, and I must say I was really seduced by the place! The waterfall is really impressive, I was not disappointed at all.
The waterfall culminates at 534 meters of altitude and is 25m high. The water flows from a wall of volcanic rock, it is really impressive! It is also said to be beautiful to admire in the heart of winter, when the water turns into columns of ice.
I liked
- Really impressive waterfall
- Castle ruins and panoramic view from the keep
- Numerous hiking options in the area for all tastes
I liked a little less
- Very well known: there can be a lot of people
The legend of the Nideck Giants
Even if you are not Alsatian, you may have already heard of the Nideck because the legend of the Nideck Giants can be found in one of the Brothers Grimm’s story books. It also inspired the German poet Adalbert von Chassimo to compose “Das Riesenfraülein” (The Giant’s Daughter). You can read the legend here.
Walk or hike, you choose your walking route!
You can totally adapt the duration of your walk to the Nideck waterfall.
Distance and difficulty of the classic circuit
The classic trail makes a 3.3km loop with 190m of vertical drop, from the Auberge de la Cascade parking lot. It goes up (necessarily!), but it remains short and does not present any particular difficulty. Ideal if you just want to take a stroll, and great for families.
To go to the ruins of the castle, you will add 2km only. Ideal with children!
Other hiking ideas
If you like to hike, you can easily extend your walk: the nature in Oberhaslach is beautiful and there are many hiking trails. For example, I tested the 3 waterfalls hike (well, the two other waterfalls are really ridiculous next to the Nideck one, but the hike is beautiful!) but you can also opt for this other beautiful hike. There are lots of great ideas for routes in the area!
The ruins of the Nideck castles
After the emblematic Nideck waterfall, just continue to climb for about 1km to reach the ruins of the Nideck castles. A small detour that is worth it: I liked the fact that I could admire these ruins at the same time, they are impressive. It is about two castles dating from the 13th century (the Haut-Nideck and the Bas-Nideck) and which were then abandoned.
I advise you to go up to the top of the dungeon to admire the view on the surroundings, it is really beautiful. And with the fall colors, of course, it was magical!
Access to the Nideck waterfall
Where is the Nideck waterfall located?
The Nideck waterfall is located in Oberhaslach, at the entrance of the Bruche Valley, in the Vosges of Alsace. We are here at 47km west of Strasbourg.
How to reach the Nideck waterfall?
The Nideck waterfall is easily accessible. Just drive through Oberhaslach in the direction of Wangenbourg-Engenthal: after a few kilometers outside the village, you have arrived at the parking lot! It will be enough to walk 1,5km to reach the waterfall.
Parking: where to park for the Nideck waterfall?
The parking lot is located at the restaurant L’Auberge de la Cascade du Nideck.
Other waterfalls in Alsace?
If you like waterfalls but want to go to a lesser known spot, I invite you for example to go and see the Hohwald waterfall or the Soultzbach waterfall.
Practical information
Itinerary
The choice depends on the walk you wish to make. For the small classic circuit of 3km, see this page.
Access
By car
You can park your car at the parking lot located near the Auberge La cascade du Nideck. You have to count:
- 47km from Strasbourg (about 40min)
- 80km from Colmar (about 1h5)
- 120km from Mulhouse (about 1h30)
By public transport
You can calculate your route on Fluo Grand Est.