Riefensberg has a distinctive character shaped by two contrasting features: the protected Kojen-Moos moor and the Bregenzerwald Juppe, which is still made using traditional methods. There is also a prominent local mountain and hiking options ranging from an extensive network of trails to individual named routes.
Moorland and mountain peaks
The Kojen-Moos Nature Reserve lies within the municipality. It protects an extensive complex of the Kojen moors, with hydrology typical of raised bogs. The area is a habitat for diverse plant and animal life, including many endangered species. This moorland offers a different focus from the summit destination, which can be reached from Riefensberg via several hiking trails.
At 1,303 metres, the Kojen is Riefensberg’s local mountain. From the summit, the view stretches across the entire Vorderwald, the Allgäu and as far as Lake Constance. The Kojen is also home to a remarkable natural feature: directly below the Kojenstein lies the Kojenloch, a ten-metre-long, tunnel-like cave that runs through the Kojen summit.
Hiking trails and tours
A total of 30 kilometres of well-maintained, consistently signposted hiking trails run through Riefensberg and on into neighbouring municipalities. One named route is the 11.5-kilometre premium hiking trail “Grenzenloser Weitblick” (“Boundless Views”), designated for Riefensberg. The award is valid until July 2027. The Riefensberg Dorf bus stop is right next to the starting point. If you plan to use this connection for your journey, check the timetable for your chosen day.
Another route description leads to the Eulenweg: it starts at the parish house, follows the Jagdbach to a waterfall, continues to Oberdorf and the Dorfer Höhe viewpoint, and then returns to the village. This trail is not suitable for pushchairs. The circular trail to Dorferhöhe runs from the village centre along a well-developed hiking path to the viewpoint and offers views across Riefensberg. This means that, alongside the extensive network of trails, you can choose routes with specific named destinations.
The Juppen Workshop and local history
The Juppenwerkstatt Riefensberg is a workshop producing Glanzleinen, an exhibition venue and a place offering courses. To this day, Glanzleinen pleats are made there on historic machines using a traditional recipe: the deep-black, glossy fabric, arranged in countless folds, used for the Bregenzerwald Juppe. The workshop opened as a demonstration workshop in 2003 to preserve the craft of making traditional clothing and the equipment associated with it. In 2021, the making of the Bregenzerwald Juppe and the wearing of the women’s traditional costume were added to the national register of intangible cultural heritage, following an application by the Juppenwerkstatt.
The village’s history can also be traced to a specific date: Riefensberg’s first church was completed in 1430 on the site of a chapel that had previously been demolished and was rededicated to Saint Leonard. Local points of interest thus range from the documented history of the church to textile craftsmanship still practised today.
More activities
The barefoot trail in Riefensberg has 22 stations featuring different natural ground materials. The 3D archery course focuses on archery in the woods; rental equipment is available on request. Both activities offer something different from the hiking trails: one takes you over a variety of surfaces, while the other is devoted to archery. This lets you plan your trip around the activities that interest you most.
Discover more destinations: Lingenau, Sibratsgfäll, Andelsbuch, Sulzberg, Schröcken, Hörbranz, Kennelbach, Bezau
Go to the main travel overview: Bregenz.
