Rickenbach near Schwyz – Rotenflue and Chapels

Rickenbach near Schwyz combines routes into the Mythen region with a history that can be read in its chapels and historic buildings. The Rotenflue cable car takes you directly to Rotenflue, while several hikes begin in Rickenbach or can be reached from there. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on the cable car and hiking routes or on the chapels and their history.

Getting around by Rotenflue cable car and bus

The Rotenflue cable car connects Rickenbach SZ directly with Rotenflue, the heart of the Mythen region. The gondola ride takes about 15 minutes and offers views of the Grosser Mythen. Bus routes 503 and 505 stop directly in front of the valley station; route 505 runs there directly from Schwyz railway station. There is paid parking at the valley station, available around the clock. If you plan to travel by bus, check the timetable for your travel date.

The “Rotenflue-Holzegg combo” combines the ascent by Rotenflue cable car, the hike from Rotenflue to Holzegg and the descent by the Brunni-Holzegg aerial cableway to Brunni. The valley station in Rickenbach can be reached by bus. Another option is the “Rotenflue bus combo”: From Rotenflue, it takes about an hour to walk to Ibergeregg Pass, from where the bus returns to Rickenbach. The two offers therefore differ both in the walking distance described and in whether the route goes via Holzegg or Ibergeregg.

Hikes with different starting points

The “Around the Grosser Mythen” hike can be done in four different ways. One option starts in Rickenbach, goes via the Rätigs mid-station and Hasli to the “Zwüschet-Mythen” alp, and then returns to Rickenbach on foot. Check current trail warnings before setting out. The “Mythen round trip” can also start at the valley station of the Rotenflue cable car. It includes a ten-kilometre hiking trail that is also suitable for children.

Depending on your starting point, you can reach the “Schwyz Panorama Trail” from Rickenbach by taking the Rotenflue cable car to Rotenflue. The “Moor Forests of Ibergeregg” hiking combo continues to Oberiberg; from there, the bus takes you back to the Rotenflue cable car valley station in Rickenbach. This information helps distinguish routes by their starting points and return options, without combining them into a single circular tour.

At Rotenflue, the paragliding take-off and landing site can be reached on foot from the Rotenflue cable car in five minutes. Another tour starts in Rickenbach with the ascent by cable car and leads back to Rickenbach by bicycle via a spectacular descent. For your stay, this means that, alongside hiking, paragliding and a bicycle ride are also specific activities available at Rotenflue.

The Ameisiwäg with children

The Ameisiwäg is just over two kilometres long and takes about 90 minutes with children. It follows a gently undulating route past seven activity stations to its destination in Sytiwald. There, you will find fire pits with firewood, picnic areas and an anthill made of logs that is suitable for climbing. The walking time and stations make the route easy to plan; check the trail conditions locally before your visit. The facilities at the destination may occasionally be unavailable, so it is also worth checking these briefly before your outing.

Chapels and older architectural history

The present-day Chapel of St. Magdalena was built by Rudolf Bellmont in 1678 and consecrated in 1681 to Saint Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. Extensive renovation was already needed in 1776. After severe earthquake damage, the chapel underwent extensive restoration from 1971 to 1975. The dates show that its architectural history spans several periods of renovation.

The present-day Tschütschi Chapel was built in 1670 and consecrated in 1672. Tschütschi is considered one of the oldest chapels in the country; a predecessor structure is said to have existed as early as the beginning of the 13th century. A different glimpse into older architectural history comes from the wooden Acherli House: built around 1270, it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited residential houses in the canton of Schwyz. The house is privately occupied. In the hamlet of Perfiden in Rickenbach, the remains of a medieval tower castle were discovered during archaeological excavations in 1955. Together, these places offer different historical points of reference: chapel construction and restoration, a wooden house that is still inhabited, and archaeological finds.

Discover more destinations: Brunnen, Steinen, Lauerz, Alpthal, Goldau, Rothenthurm, Riemenstalden, Sattel.

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