Rappenloch & Alploch gorges Dornbirn

At the Gütle, the old factory site on the edge of Dornbirn, the Dornbirner Ach sawed its way through the Cretaceous limestone some 12,000 years ago: the Rappenloch gorge is about 500 m long and ranks among the largest gorges in Central Europe. Walkways have made the gorge accessible since 1902. Beyond it lies the Staufensee, dammed from 1829 to plans by Alois Negrelli, later the engineer of the Suez Canal, and further up the narrower Alploch gorge. Two rockfalls have shaped the path's history: in 2011 a collapse of 15,000 cubic metres tore the Rappenloch bridge into the depths, a second followed in 2020; after blasting in 2021, the new bridge with a 63 m span opened in June 2023. Since 2026, according to the city of Dornbirn, both gorges are fully open again.

Our route from the Gütle car park leads up through the Rappenloch, around the Staufensee and through the Alploch and back: 5 km, 250 m of ascent, about 2 hours – with 187 steps, walkways and two waterfalls, pleasantly cool in summer. A popular combination is with the Karren cable car (descending from the Karren via the Staufensee to the Gütle) and the Gasthaus Gütle. The gorges are closed in winter for safety reasons (roughly November to April); there is no admission charge, and in July and August there are weekly guided tours. From our house it is 70 km / 1 hour; by train to Dornbirn and Landbus 177 to Gütle. The Gütle car park is charged.

Last updated: 13 Sep 2026 · Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)