A family trail over a bridge up to eight metres high, more than 35 kilometres of groomed downhill runs in the winter season, and a church featuring a large woodcut: Rüschegg offers very different starting points for planning a trip. Whether you focus on hiking, winter sports, water or local history, the specific options also vary depending on the season and how you travel.

Landscape and Hiking Trails

The Gantrisch range borders the municipality to the south; Rüschegg also includes the upper reaches of the Kalte Sense. The area extends on both sides of the Schwarzwasser as far as its confluence at Wislisau, in the Schwarzwasser Gorge. There are places to relax and swim along the banks of the Schwarzwasser, Gambach and Wyssbach.

Around 95 kilometres of trails are available for hiking within the municipality. They are maintained by the municipality and the Rüschegg Tourist Association. The Gantrisch Panorama Trail also passes through Rüschegg. The Gambach Falls lie on the hiking trail between Wyden and Rüschegg. These details offer different points of reference: an extensive network of trails, a long-distance route and a waterfall along the way.

The Gäggersteg family trail is an easy circular hike across a bridge up to eight metres high. At eight discovery and themed stations, you can learn how four century storms shaped the forests in the Gurnigel area. Another way to explore forests and trees is the Gantrisch Forest Discovery Trail in Längeney Forest. It is located in the municipality of Rüschegg, runs for about 1.5 kilometres and has ten stations that share insights into the development of trees and the forest as a whole.

Getting to Gäggersteg

During the high season, you can take the Nature and Sports Bus from the S-Bahn connection at Schwarzenburg to Rüschegg Süfternen, Kreuzung, on weekends. On other days, you can take PostBus route 323 to Gurnigel, Wasserscheide; from there, continue on foot along the Panorama Trail. The outward journey takes about an hour and a half. Check the timetable for your chosen option, and allow for this approximate travel time if walking.

Winter Activities, Water and Cycling

Rüschegg’s winter activities include five ski lift facilities in Eywald, Lischboden, Selital and Gägger, with a total of more than 35 kilometres of groomed downhill runs. The Rüschegg Eywald winter sports area has 13 kilometres of pistes. It is also home to a 2,263-metre-long ski lift, described as the fourth-longest in Switzerland. The Gantrisch cross-country skiing centre offers 45 kilometres of machine-groomed trails. Snow and operating conditions can vary by season; check the latest information for your travel dates.

A summer alternative is the Eywald open-air swimming pool, at an altitude of 1,050 metres, which is open during the summer months. Its heated 25-metre pool has a diving board; the swimming and children’s pools are heated to 25–29°C by a solar system. Check the current operating information before your visit. For cycling, explore Rüschegg and the Gantrisch region on mountain-bike tours and outings of varying difficulty.

A more precisely measured option is the moderate Gantrisch Legend Route: the 51.8-kilometre e-bike route follows Veloland Route 4 to a scenic place of interest in Rüschegg. There, you can hear or read the story of the alleged first itinerant trader in this region. The route thus combines a sporting activity with a local story, without requiring both to be the main focus.

Church, Local History and Accommodation

The Reformed Church stands on the green Rüschegg hill. It was built in 1812–1813 to plans by architect Johann Daniel Osterrieth as a hall church with a hipped roof. Inside is the large woodcut “Schwarzwasser II” by Franz Gertsch, an artist who lived in Rüschegg. Traditional occupations in Rüschegg included itinerant trading, basket weaving, and repairing pans and kettles. The covered wooden Untere Schwand Bridge over the Biberze connects the Rüschegg–Rüeggisberg area.

The Gantrisch Nature Park office provides tourist information for visitors and arranges holiday homes, apartments and alpine huts in Rüschegg. When planning your trip, you can choose accommodation to match your main interest, such as seasonal winter activities, hiking trails or the summer swimming pool. This also helps you weigh up which activities will be most relevant during your planned travel dates.

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