Historical circular hike for families in Gargellen

Exciting circular hike in the footsteps of the smugglers in Montafon

You start the tour at the Schafberg Hüsli mountain restaurant in Gargellen and follow the wide path uphill towards the Kristallbahn mountain station.

If you follow the signs towards St. Antönier Joch, you're on the right track. Once at the top, walk around the mountain, descend again, and then take the narrow path that branches off to St. Antönier Joch. The signpost indicates that it's only a 45-minute walk to the pass.

You then hike across meadows to St. Antönier Joch, which also marks the border between Austria and Switzerland, with stunning views.

Continue hiking to the left over the ridge (rope provided, surefootedness and a head for heights required) and reach the highest point of this tour.

On the Swiss side, follow the trail until you reach Lake Gafier. Here, it's time for a delicious snack with views of the Walser village of St. Antönien, the Sulzfluh, the Three Towers, and the imposing Rätschenfluh.

Afterward, you'll venture up another steep climb to the ridge of the Gafierjoch, where you'll find numerous beautiful viewpoints.
At the Gafierjoch, you cross the border again and continue hiking on Montafon soil, turn left, and descend again via the reservoir to the Schafberg Hüsli mountain restaurant.

What's the story of the smugglers?

Unroasted coffee beans (so their smell wouldn't reach customs officers), salt, flour, sugar, and saccharin, tobacco, chewing gum, as well as soap, washing powder, and toilet paper rolls were smuggled into Switzerland each year. Up to 400 head of cattle and butter, meat, bacon, furs, cowhides, clothing, shoes, watches, tobacco pipes, binoculars, porcelain, and cowbells were smuggled into Switzerland from Austria. The smugglers were clever and nailed their shoe soles backwards so that pursuers would follow the trail in the opposite direction.