Hikes in Hard

When a large river flows into a large lake, something special has to emerge. In the Rhine delta, alluvial forests, marshlands, and wet meadows unite to form a unique habitat.

The big finale to Lake Constance – you really can't say much more than that.

The Natura2000 areas Schweizer- and Lauteracher Ried in Lustenau and Lauterach offer a lot for every nature lover.

Very varied hiking route with fantastic views of Lake Constance and the Rhine Valley. The route offers a lot of flat sections as well as steep parts on the ascent to Pfänder and the descent over Kanzelfelsen. Regardless of the weather, I recommend good trekking or hiking shoes for the steeper sections.

The bird paradise on Lake Constance

Third stage Lake Constance Peace Trail April 19, 2019 We hike the Lake Constance Peace Trail around the lake in 4 stages, 3 x 100 km + 40 km Überlingen - Friedrichshafen - Lindau Island - Bregenz - Rhine/ Altenrhein - Rorschach

The Sandplatte natural monument, located in the lower reaches of the Bregenzer Ach—Vorarlberg’s last wild river that is at least partially preserved—displays the structure of shifting sand dunes. These tell the story of a fossilized seashore. The debris carried by the Ach has carved out whirlpools, channels, and the most magnificent natural swimming pools.> After passing through the underpass at Hard-Fußach Station01 in Hard, a sidewalk leads toward the Pfänder, and a hiking trail crosses the small bridge over the Lauterachbach and runs alongside the railroad tracks. After passing through another railroad underpass, take the pedestrian path next to Rotachstraße and the hiking trail past Mittelweiherburg02 (Textile Printing Museum). On Langenstegstraße, near a ball playground, you’ll need to cross a road with right-of-way. A short hiking trail leads to the Bregenzer Ach. On the right along the riverside path, it’s just a short detour to the Sandplatte03 natural landmark—a magical sight just past the railroad bridge—on the outskirts of Lauterach.After a break to explore, we return to the main route and follow the riverside path through riparian forest into the “Mehrerauer Seeufer – Bregenzer-Ach Estuary” nature reserve, which features various wetland habitats. At the Schützenheim, the path veers away from the Ach. At the sports field, turn right until the “Rundweg um Hard” loop trail branches off toward Auhafen04 and the Hohetwiel boat dock.You then stroll along pedestrian paths through the diverse harbor area, past the Gondola Harbor, Customs Harbor, Sports Harbor, and Dorfbach Harbor.At Inland Basin05, you make a detour around the fish pond to the bank of the Dornbirner Ach, which flows into the river nearby, crossing an old wooden bridge. Next, a farm road running along the riverbank leads toward the mountains. At the edge of Hard, we pass under Rheinstraße06 and follow the bike path symbol into Riedstraße. After the railroad underpass, the Firstkamm ridge lies right ahead of us. A bridge takes us over the Birkengraben, then two sections of hiking trail lead back to the train station in Hard-Fußach01, though at the beginning of the town, you’ll need to make a left-then-right turn onto Wachtelweg.

Anyone hiking from the Rhine estuary toward the Alpine tri-border region will be captivated time and again by the extraordinary contrast between water and mountains, which lends the hikes a very special charm. It’s as if, coming from the lake side, you’re passing through a gigantic gate to enter this mountain gorge—carved out by the grinding force of Ice Age glaciers but also shaped by tectonic processes—which today lies flat as a board: to the left, the rugged rocky ridges of the Bregenzerwald; to the right, the diverse peaks of the Appenzell Alps in Switzerland; and to the south, the imposing Rätikon range in Liechtenstein, towering 2,000 meters above the valley floor.> At the Rhine Bridge near the “Altes Postamt” bus stop in Fußach01, we walk through the pedestrian underpass. On the paved farm road signposted for Höchst, following the channeled river upstream through completely flat meadowland dotted with scattered groves, we enjoy the comfortable path leading toward the majestic Rätikon Mountains.To prevent the once-occasional, quite devastating floods in the future, the mouth of the Rhine was relocated eastward around 1900 via a shortened river course.At the entrance to the Höchst district of Brugg02, we pass under a road bridge, with the Bregenzerwald Mountains to the left. At the tennis courts with the beach, we enter Swiss territory and leave the Alpine Rhine behind, heading toward Rorschach. The hiking sign points toward the Old Rhine. Afterward, the farm road—signposted “Passarelle”—follows the former course of the Rhine through a strip of riparian forest. After passing through a road underpass beneath the highway, a pedestrian bridge carries us to St. Margrethen03. Turning left onto Dammstraße, we reach the border crossing. Back in Vorarlberg, we take the N 1 once more to Höchst04. At a traffic-light intersection, continue straight ahead and follow Dr.-Schneider-Straße. Following the bike path signs, you’ll pass through a residential area and return to Fußach01.

Pleasure long-distance hiking eastern Lake Constance

Beautiful hike along the kilometer-long Rhine dam all the way into Lake Constance. A man-made "nature" paradise for water birds, beavers, fish, and walkers!With suitable visibility, also a great mountain panorama.Worth it!