Urnäsch: Hiking Trails and Appenzell Traditions

In Urnäsch, you can include hikes, winter activities and Appenzell traditions in your plans for your stay. Options range from a two-hour hiking route to seasonal events and hands-on activities at the museum. When choosing a hotel in Urnäsch, the season you have in mind can be a helpful starting point: cross-country ski trails and lifts depend on winter conditions and snow cover, while some traditional events take place on specific dates.

Hiking and longer routes

The “Discover Urnäsch” hiking route goes via Urnäsch Feld, Grünau, Dürrenbach, Steinaueli, Steinenmoos, Ruppen and Bindli, returning to Urnäsch Feld. It is 6.6 kilometres long and takes two hours. The route passes through the landscape between scattered settlements. Its gentle gradient also makes it suitable for families; in winter, it is marked as a winter hiking trail. Whether the winter trail marking is in place depends on local conditions.

A longer option is the Potersalp route, which starts and ends in Urnäsch and goes via Appenzell, Lehmen, Potersalp and Schwägalp. It covers 45.5 kilometres; the travel time is 5 hours and 55 minutes. At Lauftegg, you can enjoy views of Appenzell and the peaks of the Alpstein range. The two routes therefore differ considerably in length and time required: one is a two-hour hike, while the other takes almost six hours to travel.

Winter activities dependent on snow conditions

When winter and snow conditions are suitable, the Urnäsch Cross-Country Ski Club prepares a network of trails about nine kilometres long for skating and classic cross-country skiing. At the starting point in Feld, an information board gives an overview of three different loops. This lets you see before setting off which routes suit your planned day of cross-country skiing.

Lift operations are also dependent on winter and snow conditions. Skilift Urnäsch AG operates one ski lift and one pony lift. The Osteregg ski lift is 700 metres long and runs from 850 to 1,080 metres above sea level. The cross-country ski trails and the lift offer different types of activity; both are seasonal options to consider when planning your stay.

Traditions and village events

During the Bloch procession, a five- to six-metre-long fir trunk, known as the Bloch, is pulled on a festively decorated wagon through several villages. Men in historical costumes pull it from Urnäsch via Hundwil and Stein to Waldstatt, and back to Urnäsch. At 5 p.m., the Bloch is auctioned on the village square. The exact proceedings may vary from one event to the next.

On Old and New Year’s Eve, December 31 and January 13, groups of beautiful, wüeschte and schö-wüeschte Chläuse go from house to house in Urnäsch. From dawn until late at night, they wish everyone a happy new year. As these are recurring traditional dates, the specific annual proceedings may vary.

At the livestock show, the finest cows are judged at Kronenplatz in late September or early October. The season offers a general guide, but the date may vary from year to year. If you would like to plan your stay around one of these events, check the latest event dates in advance.

Experience and try out local traditions

The Appenzell Traditions Museum focuses on Silvesterchläuse, the Alpine cattle drive, string music, Alpine herders’ lives, the Bloch, traditional costumes and folk art painting. Visitors can also try Chlausen with role-bearers, coin spinning and shaking cowbells. The museum thus combines insights into different aspects of regional traditions with hands-on activities.

Those interested in crafts can try them out and experience them firsthand at the 9107 Handwerkerzentrum in Urnäsch. The workshops available may vary. At the farmers’ market, numerous stalls run by farming families invite visitors to browse and sample local produce. Market details and dates may also vary; check them before planning a visit.

Planning your visit

The Tourist Information Office on the village square advises visitors on planning excursions and puts together programs for group trips. This can be helpful if you want to coordinate several activities or plan a program for a group. For individual planning, the two-hour hiking route, snow-dependent winter activities and seasonal traditional events offer different points of reference for timing your visit.

Discover more destinations: Waldstatt, Schwellbrunn, Hundwil, Stein, Schönengrund, Herisau

Return to the regional travel overview: Hinterland.