Riefensberg: Hiking, Moorland and the Juppen Workshop

Riefensberg’s defining features include the protected Kojen-Moos, its hiking trails and the Juppen Workshop. When planning a stay, you can choose from a range of themes: nature, outdoor activities or regional craftsmanship.

Moorland and the Kojen

Kojen-Moos is protected as a nature reserve in the municipality of Riefensberg. It comprises an extensive complex of raised bogs in the Kojen moors, with hydrology typical of raised bogs. Its diverse flora and fauna, many species of which are endangered, find a protected habitat here. The moorland reveals a distinctive side of Riefensberg’s landscape, alongside the hiking destinations around the Kojen.

At 1,303 metres, the Kojen is the municipality’s local mountain and can be reached from Riefensberg via several hiking trails. From the summit, there are views across the entire Vorderwald and Allgäu regions, all the way to Lake Constance. Directly beneath Kojenstein lies Kojenloch: a 10-metre-long, tunnel-like cave that passes through the summit of the Kojen. The summit, the views and the cave make the Kojen a specific destination for anyone looking to combine their stay with hiking and scenery.

Hiking trails and a range of routes

Thirty kilometres of well-maintained, consistently signposted hiking trails run through the Riefensberg area and into neighbouring municipalities. One specific option in Riefensberg is the 11.5-kilometre “Grenzenloser Weitblick” premium hiking trail. Its designation is valid until July 2027. The Riefensberg Dorf bus stop is very close to the starting point. If you plan to travel by bus, check the timetable for your visit.

The circular trail to Dorferhöhe starts in the village centre and follows a well-maintained hiking path to Dorferhöhe; along the way, there are views across Riefensberg. Another route with named stops is the Eulen-Weg: it starts at the rectory, follows the Jagdbach to a waterfall, continues to Oberdorf and the Dorfer Höhe viewpoint, and then returns to the village. The Eulen-Weg is not suitable for pushchairs. When choosing a route, you can therefore compare a trail with a specified length of 11.5 kilometres, a loop starting in the village centre, and a trail with a described sequence of stops.

More activities in Riefensberg

The barefoot trail has 22 stations featuring different natural ground materials. The 3D archery course in Riefensberg offers archery in the forests; rental equipment is available on request. These two activities offer alternatives to the hiking trails: the barefoot trail passes through stations with different surfaces, while archery equipment can only be rented on request.

The Juppen Workshop and local history

To this day, Glanzleinen pleated fabric is produced at the Juppen Workshop in Riefensberg using a traditional recipe and historic machines. This deep-black, glossy fabric, laid in countless folds, is part of the Bregenzerwald Juppe. The Juppen Workshop is a Glanzleinen workshop, exhibition venue and course centre. It opened as a working demonstration facility in 2003 to preserve the craft of traditional costume-making and the associated equipment. In 2021, at the request of the Juppen Workshop, the production of the traditional Bregenzerwald Juppe and the wearing of the women’s costume were included in the national register of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Alongside the landscape, this specific craft offers another theme to consider when planning a stay.

Another connection to the village’s history is Riefensberg’s first church: it was completed in 1430 on the site of a previously demolished chapel and rededicated to Saint Leonard. Together with the history of the Juppen Workshop, this date offers a distinct perspective on the village’s cultural heritage.

Discover more destinations: Schwarzenberg, Hard, Egg, Au, Langenegg, Hirschegg, Lauterach, Wolfurt.

For the overview of the wider travel region: Bregenz.