Hike /Schweiz Mobil
Rheintaler Höhenweg
RorschachSargans
- Distance
- 110.0 km
- Duration
- –
- Ascent
- 5000 m
- Descent
- 4900 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Fitness
- Hard
- Route type
- One way
01/ Overview
The route
From Bodensee through orchards and vineyards through a varying cultural landscape with castles and alps. Views of the Rhine Valley and the mountain landscape are constant companions along the Rheintaler Höhenweg.
The route starts at Rorschach railway station, close to Lake Constance. The waymarked hiking trail soon climbs out of the built-up area and continues through open meadows and stretches of woodland. It heads south via St. Margrethen and Berneck; above St. Margrethen, the ruins of Grimmenstein stand directly beside the route. Villages, farmland and wooded slopes characterise the long opening section.
Beyond Altstätten, this varied scenery continues as far as Rüthi and Sennwald. There, the ruins of Hohensax bring a site steeped in history to the trail: the castle was built around 1200 by the Barons of Sax and has lain in ruins since 1446. The route then gains considerable elevation, reaching the Toggenburg village of Wildhaus via Schönenboden.
Beyond Wildhaus, the trail climbs to its highest point at around 1,440 m. Open pastures and woodland accompany the route farther south before the final kilometres lead into the Sarganserland region. After around 110 kilometres and a good 37 hours of walking, this demanding multi-day hike ends at Sargans railway station.
02/ Along the route
What's along the way
Where the route climbs and where it descends. Hover the profile to find the spot on the map.
03/ Conditions
Current conditions
What to know before you set off. Closures and snow are re-checked every day.
Lienz Furnis
From 26 Oct 2026 – Until 6 Nov 2026
How we check: Every night we match the route against the official closures and detours from the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). Any reported closure that touches the route shows up here.
How we check: SLF only publishes its snow maps from November 1. Until then we roughly estimate the snow depth at the lowest and the highest point of the route every day from the nearest SLF measuring stations. Check the situation on site.
04/ Getting there
Getting there
From your door to the trailhead and home again, by train and bus or by car. Computed live from the timetable.
Or from
Outbound
Return
05/ Weather
Weather on the way
Forecast for the lowest and the highest point of the route.
Weather
06/ Trail & landscape
Trail & landscape
Which paths you walk on and the landscape they lead through.
Larches count as conifer forest here.
07/ Snow
Snow on the route
Snow depths, new snow and forecast. Estimates: check the situation on site before you set off.
Snow Info
08/ Export
Take the route with you
Load the track onto your GPS device, print a route sheet for the trail or send the route to your hiking group.
Share
Send the link to friends or your hiking group.
Export GPX File
For hiking apps, GPS watches and navigation devices.
Print Route Sheet
A4 with map, elevation profile, waypoints and emergency numbers.
