Ufhusen: Discover hiking and cultural heritage

Ufhusen lies at an altitude of over 700 metres above sea level. The area around the municipality is shaped by the Napf mountain landscape: valleys, streams, forests, hills and pastures define the scenery. In the wider surroundings, panoramic views extend from the Jura across the Bernese Alps to the Napf region.

Hiking trails with puzzles and wooden figures

The Chilchwäldli wooden wonder trail is a 2.8-kilometre circular route featuring 17 artistically carved wooden figures and an accompanying story. The Chilchwäldli barbecue area is located along the trail and is open for all visitors to use. To get to the wooden wonder trail, you can take the train to Zell and then the PostBus towards Ufhusen. Check the current timetable before travelling.

On the KrimiSpass Ufhusen, a 6.01-kilometre, moderately difficult themed trail leads through the municipality. Along the way, participants search for eleven clues, solve puzzles and gradually reconstruct the events of a fictional crime. Participation is free; online registration is required so that you receive all the clues. The experience combines a hiking route with an unfolding puzzle story.

Church, chapel and fountain

The parish church of St John the Baptist stands on a small hill in the centre of Ufhusen and is visible from afar. Ufhusen’s church was first mentioned in a document in 1275; the present church was built between 1780 and 1784. Instead of a tower, the parish church has a roof turret topped with a Baroque onion dome. Since 1979/80, it has been protected at both cantonal and federal levels, recognising its cultural value.

The two-kilometre Ufhusen Chapel Trail has four stops and runs between the late Baroque parish church and the wayside chapel of Our Lady of Good Counsel. The chapel was consecrated on 28 August 1988 and has been protected as a cantonal heritage site since 1989. Inside is a devotional image created in the 18th century, based on an original painting by Lucas Cranach the Younger from the 16th century. Compared with the 5.4-kilometre circular route, the Chapel Trail is shorter and focuses clearly on these two buildings.

The Johannesbrunnen fountain at Lindenplatz was renovated in 2021. A glass panel made the well beneath it visible. The area around the fountain offers pilgrims and hikers a place to pause.

Circular routes and other trail sections

A circular route in Ufhusen is 5.4 kilometres long, with 162 metres of ascent and descent, and takes about one hour and 25 minutes to walk. There are panoramic information boards at the Hübelihöhe viewpoint. This gives you a specific time frame to put the route distance in context, and lets you include a designated viewpoint in your plans along the way.

On the Lucerne Way, Ufhusen lies between Vorder Schache/Luthern and Huttwil. On the Zell–Ufhusen–Huttwil hike, you reach the official Jakobsweg Via Jacobi 4 after about 30 minutes; from there, the well-signposted hiking trail continues towards Huttwil. The first stage of the Grenzpfad-Napfbergland can end in Ufhusen. The Ufhusen variant follows official hiking trails and no longer follows Route 65. As route details may change, check the current route before setting out.

A municipal warning in August 2026 reported that the Ufhüsli treasure hunt was temporarily closed: it had been unavailable since 25 July 2026 because of repeated vandalism. If you are planning this activity, check its current status beforehand.

Discover more destinations: Willisau, Gettnau, Wauwil, Pfaffnau, Wikon, Menznau, Dagmersellen, Reiden.

Return to the main travel overview: Willisau.