Rheintaler Höhenweg, Stage 6/6

Berghaus Malbun, the hotel restaurant where this walk sets off, boasts beautiful views over the Rhine Valley and surrounding mountains and stretching over the border to Lake Constance. The woodland trails on this leg are beautiful too, passing by a waterfall and the imposing Sargans Castle, the grand finale that towers over the little town.

The hike begins at the Buchserberg, Berghaus bus stop by Berghaus Malbun, already at the route’s highest point. At around 1,370 metres, close to Glännlichopf, the terrain opens out into meadows and pastures. The yellow-waymarked hiking trail initially descends towards the valley, with a few short intervening climbs, reaching the houses of Hüseren after just over four kilometres.

The long traverse then continues predominantly through woodland. Rather than one steep descent, gentler downhill sections alternate with short climbs; overall, the route loses around 1,400 metres in elevation over 19 kilometres. In Lauiwald, a barbecue site lies directly beside the trail before the first houses of Sargans draw closer.

Towards the end, the trail passes the barbecue site by the castle and descends into the small town. Schloss Sargans, set slightly apart, once formed a fortified complex together with the town. The route continues through the built-up area to Sargans railway station, reached after just over five hours.