Nesslau: Trails, Rivers and Mountain Scenery

Nesslau is shaped by the courses of the Thur and Luteren rivers, as well as by raised bog and mountain landscapes. The village of Nesslau lies in the upper Thur Valley; the municipality is part of the Toggenburg constituency. The municipal area also includes Ennetbühl and Rietbad in the Luteren Valley, on the Schwägalp Pass road. To the east, it extends as far as Schwägalp Pass, which forms the border with the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. When looking for a hotel in Nesslau, it is therefore worth distinguishing between the village and the wider municipal area.

Rivers and mountains around Nesslau

The Thur and Luteren flow through the municipal area. Just before Nesslau, the Thur plunges over the three Giessen Falls, creating a striking feature in the landscape. Parts of the Speer and the Alpstein also lie within the municipality. The Speer is considered Europe’s highest Nagelfluh mountain. The Silberplatten in the Alpstein lie near the Säntis and, at 2,158 metres, are the highest mountain entirely within the municipal area of Nesslau.

These geographical features offer different perspectives on the area: riverbanks and waterfalls sit alongside alpine ridges. If you are considering Nesslau as a starting point for your trip, keep the municipal boundaries and the location of the village in mind, rather than attributing all the landscape destinations to a single village centre.

Hiking trails with different highlights

The “To the Moor on the Wolzenalp” route passes through part of the raised bog on the Wolzenalp. Orchids, sundews and gentians are among the plants that grow there. Further along, the route crosses a bridge and follows the bank of the Luteren to Nesslau-Neu St. Johann railway station. This section of the trail thus links the raised bog with the riverbank and a clearly identified endpoint.

The Thur Route offers a different kind of walk: its stage runs from Nesslau to Buchs, is 31 kilometres long and follows asphalt throughout. Compared with the route through the raised bog, the distance and continuous surface are the key planning details here. The Toggenburg Climate Experience Trail runs from the Wolzenalp via the Ijental to Nesslau. At 11 experience stations, information boards share stories and information. The three trails therefore offer different highlights: bog vegetation and the banks of the Luteren, an asphalted stage along the Thur, or stations along a route through the Ijental.

Winter trail and Wolzenalp

A winter hiking trail also leads from Nesslau towards the Wolzenalp: the Wolzenalp–Nesslau winter trail starts in Nesslau, Rietbach, and ends at Nesslau-Neu St. Johann railway station after crossing the river. The start and end points help you plan your route. The Wolzenalp also has a children’s area.

Outdoor stage and planning your route

In Nesslau, the Thur and Necker Trail includes an outdoor stage. Workshops, courses, music rehearsals and club events take place there in the open air. The trail has numerous access and exit points and good public transport connections, making it possible to plan individual stages. If you are planning a particular section, check the relevant access and exit points and public transport connections before setting out.

These trails and landscape features can help guide your choice of a hotel in Nesslau: the key question is whether, during your stay, you would rather explore the raised bog, the river landscape, a longer asphalted stage or the experience stations described above. The municipality includes both the village of Nesslau in the upper Thur Valley and the other named landscape and settlement areas.

Discover more destinations: Wildhaus, Stein, Libingen, Ganterschwil, Sankt Peterzell, Lütisburg, Hemberg, Oberhelfenschwil

For the regional travel overview: Toggenburg.