The Schäfler ridge hike is a must-do activity when visiting the Appenzell region, and is one of the best scenic routes in the whole of Switzerland.

With its cosy mountain inn and iconic viewpoint over the dramatic ridgeline of Schäfler mountain, it’s no wonder that thousands of tourists and hikers flock to this epic walking location every year.

There are many routes around this magnificent mountain and I will describe a few of the most popular hiking options within this guide, however my walk of choice to enjoy Schäfler is an out-and-back hike beginning with getting the Ebenalp cable car from Wasserauen and culminating in an awe-inspiring view of the famous ridgeline. There are also a couple of stunning van park-ups close to the gondola station and trailhead.

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know before you head out on your hike to Schäfler ridge. I'll detail some of the best ways to access this location and what to expect on your arrival, as well as where to camp before or after your hike to extend your experience in this magical place.

The hike from Ebenalp to the Schäfler ridge is an easy one. The elevation gain is minimal, the path is fairly well maintained, and it doesn’t take all day.

The hike is a 5.5km out-and-back route which should take 2.5-3 hours to complete. It only has 370 metres of elevation gain/loss so many sections are completely flat, although it’s worth mentioning that there are a few steps at various points.

Furthermore, there are multiple mountain huts along the route at which you can stop for a rest and refreshments.

If you decide to continue this hike past the Schäfler ridge towards Säntis or down to lake Seealpsee, the trail does get more technical with sheer drops, cables and ladders for support, and exposed pathways. At this point, the following hike would be deemed moderate-hard.

Wasserauen, Appenzell, Switzerland

Wasserauen is a rural settlement in the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden. In Wasserauen, there is a train station with a large paid car park, and the Ebenalp cable car valley station.

You can reach Wasserauen by car, or by train. If you’re travelling in a van, camper, or motorhome, you are forbidden from parking at the cable car station itself, however there are plenty of sizeable parking spaces available in the large train station car park across the road. This is a paid car park, which accepts EUR and CHF coins. Alternatively, you can pay using the EasyPark app.

By train, you can reach Wasserauen in just 15 minutes from the village of Appenzell when travelling along the Gossau–Wasserauen train line.

The easiest way to reach the start of the trailhead for the Schäfler ridge hike is by taking the Wasserauen-Ebenalp cable car, which ascends over beautiful alpine pastures up to the Ebenalp plateau.

There are two cable cars in operation at all times so you only ever have up to a 15 minute wait to begin your journey up out of the valley.

The price of the cable car is a little expensive but it’s worth it for the views and to cut hours off your walking time. For an individual it’s 24 CHF for a single trip or 36 CHF for a return.

You are able to take dogs on the cable car, however this also has a cost. For a dog, you will have to pay an additional 9 CHF for a single trip or 13 CHF for a return.

Once you depart the cable car, you’ll see signposts directing you in the direction of Schäfler. This is where you begin your hike.

Ebenalp cable car tickets prices and timetables | Ebenalp.ch

Once you exit the cable car station at Ebenalp, you will immediately see a number of yellow trail signs pointing to various hiking destinations. You will want to turn left to follow the sign labelled “Schäfler - 1:20 hours”.

After about 5 minutes of walking, the trail splits and, as indicated by the signposts, you can take either fork towards Schäfler. Although the path to the right is a more direct route, I reccommend turning left. This route takes you up a small hill towards the Berggasthaus Ebenalp hut where you’ll find an incredible viewpoint overlooking the valley below and the beautiful Seeaplsee lake.

From the mountain hut continue following the signposts towards Schäfler, where you’ll soon begin to ascend up a rocky path. This section of the walk is easy to follow, with the occasional white and red painted indicator on rocks along the way to assure you you’re still on the right path. Along the way, you will have mountain views out over the valley to your right, whilst a wall of rocks and foliage border the path to your left.

After 20-30 minutes, the gradient eases and the Alp Chlus hut becomes visible in the distance. Head towards this hut, following the stony path across mountain pasture. You’re likely to begin seeing herds of cows or goats at this point and will almost certainly hear the lovely sound of cowbells echoing throughout the area.

Once you’ve reached the Alp Chlus hut, you’ll see another sign indicating 35 minutes to Berggasthaus Schäfler. Follow this direction, steadily climbing up the eastern side of mount Schäfler along a grassy slope scattered with rocks. Depending on the weather conditions, cloud cover can be quite low at this point so be careful not to stray away too far from the path.

This is one of the steepest sections of the route, as you will begin to climb a length of stairs up towards the summit. As the path crests, you’ll see a junction. At this point, turn left towards Schäfler and Säntis and follow the brow until you reach the main mountain hut of the hike - Schäfler hut.

The Schäfler hut is the main rest area on this hike and is the perfect spot to stop for a hearty lunch or light refreshment and linger whilst admiring the awe-inspiring panorama, before continuing on to see the famous Schäfler ridge viewpoint.

The hut houses the Schäfler Mountain Inn, a managed refuge with a restaurant and rooms available to stay the night. You can order food (Swiss and European Cuisine) up until 7:30pm and, although I personally didn’t eat here as I had a pack-lunch in my bag, the options looked delicious.

Although rooms are usually booked up months in advance, it is possible to make advance reservations starting from 95 CHF for a single room or 140 CHF for a double.

Book your stay at the Schäfler Mountain Inn | Schaefler.ch

The Schäfler hut and its panoramic terrace offers stunning views over surrounding mountain peaks, however you can’t see the Schäfler ridge from here. Because of this, you must continue your hike for about 10-15 minutes to reach the pinnacle of this hike.

Behind the hut, a path leads away in the direction of Mount Sänti, the highest mountain in the Alpstein. follow this trail to reach the summit of Mount Schäfler and its viewpoints.

As you follow the path, you should see a tall metal pyramid structure on a peak up ahead. This marks the highest point of Mount Schäfler.

To get to the highest point, the path climbs a small number of wooden steps then divides at a sign post. Here, you will see a cautionary sign warning of danger. This risk applies only to the lower path on the right, however we will follow the left route to ascend to Mount Schäfler’s summit.

From the pyramid viewpoint at the summit, you will get a spectacular view over Schäfler’s epic ridge.

If you’re surefooted and a confident hiker with no fear of heights, you may want to extend your hike by 10 minutes more to reach the Schäfler ridge itself, where you will get arguably the best view of this natural beauty.

To take this option, return to the junction with the danger sign from the Schäfler summit, and proceed down the lower route. This lower path quickly becomes vertiginous, with a sheer drop to the right side and cable railings on your left to help maintain your balance as you descend along the northern contours of the ridge.

After a short while you will cross the ridge itself, reaching a steep metal ladder to its left. Here, you can take magnificent photos of the ridge from the top of the ladder if you’d rather not descend any further.

For the bravest hikers, follow the rungs down and continue along the path until you reach the main Schäfler ridge viewpoint. Here, the entire length of the ridge is visible, towering up into the sky as a series of vertical stone peaks.

As this hike ascends to an altitude of 1925 metres, the temperature is likely to drop and you may notice it get a little chillier from Wasserauen to Ebenalp as you exit the cable car. This temperature difference will probably be fairly minimal however so it doesn’t require major changes to your clothing choice.

As always, your clothing will be dependent on the time of year you choose to hike Schäfler. In May, September, or October I’d suggest wearing trousers or leggings with a long sleeve top and packing a warm waterproof jacket.

If you’re planning to visit Schäfler in June, July or August, it is often shorts and t-shirt weather and the sun can be hot even at the summit.

The weather can be unpredictable in Switzerland, so whatever time of year you’re visiting the Alpstein, always check the weather beforehand and adjust your clothing accordingly.

Although wild camping is technically not permitted in most areas of Switzerland, there are many well-used Park4Night spots in and around Wasserauen near the start of the Schäfler ridge hike where campers park trouble-free overnight.

During my stay in this area, I used a couple of scenic car parks to sleep in and was joined by numerous other van lifers each night.

On my first night in the area, I stayed at a small scenic car park situated above Wasserauen. There is room for around 6 vans here, although I wouldn’t recommend vans over 6m or motorhomes try to use this spot as it’s a 10 minute drive up a small single track road to access it with no spaces to turn around. The views from this park-up are lovely, as you’re situated next to a patch of pine trees and surrounded by mountains. Inevitably, you’ll wake to the sound of cowbells in the morning - the sound of Switzerland.

The car park is not totally free, however it only costs 5 CHF for 24 hours so it very inexpensive. There is a pay and display machine to one side of the car park which accepts coins. Alternatively, you can pay using the EasyPark app.

After my first night, I moved to another car park down in Wasserauen itself, from which I could walk to the cable car station in 15 minutes. This was an absolute gem of a spot, as it’s completely free and right next to the small river that runs through the settlement which you can wash in. I loved this spot so much I extended my stay by 2 nights and remained in this location the entire time. Each night, there were numerous other vans parked alongside me.