East Flank of Mt.Rooterberg from Udligenswil to Küssnacht

Friday February 13, 2026 -- The only nice day this week, so it was important to take advantage of it! 

I hadn't made any plans for an "official" hike, as I was headed to the house in Küssnacht for the weekend, so after arriving, I simply caught a bus for the 15-minute ride up the hill (Mt.Rooterberg) on the north side of Lake Küssnacht to the village of Udligenswil (from where we have started other hikes) for an easy 8-km walk through the pastoral landscape, ending back down in Küssnacht. The views of the Alps is quite magnificent from here, as well as from the lakeside promenade in town. 

Most of the walk was on paved roads, which is not an issue currently as it has been raining quite a bit, and meadow trails are very muddy. I was alone for most of my walk, but when I got back to the lake, there were quite a few people on the lakeside promenade, and almost all the benches were occupied.

After returning to the house and taking a coffee break, I then headed out to Greppen to pick up some firewood from a local farmer, and ended up doing another kilometer walk, so in all it was 9-1/2 kilometers of walking this day!

View of Mt. Rigi from my little house, as it looms above the town of Küssnacht. 

At 11:24 I am waiting for the bus to Udligenswil. Mt. Pilatus looms large from near where I live!

There was a children's carnival parade taking place this weekend in Udligenswil, and one family brought their castle float along, in the bus!

From up here in Udligenswil, though not quite at the highest part of the mountain, you get a really good view of the Bernese Alps. Right in the center are the famous Eiger/Mönch/Jungfrau mountains. 

This is a close-up view of the north face of Mt.Eiger. On its left is the Mönch, and I am not sure if Mt.Jungfrau is hidden behind the Eiger North wall, or whether it's that peak just to the right.

Starting in Udligenswil at 11:45 (after a 15-minute bus ride from home), I walked via several farms northwards along Mt.Rooterberg, and then descended back to the lake. I was home again by 2:30 p.m. after this ca. 8-km walk, with a detour into the town to buy some groceries. 

As is often the case, I spotted a large bird of prey... this is probably a buzzard. 

Somewhat to the southeast are the mountains of the Uri Alps. 

Now Mount Rigi looms up ahead of me as I make my way toward Haltikon. This is a large factory here, EBL Energy Center, which provides district heating with renewable resources, in this case wood. This factory used to be called Ecogen, but was acquired by the same company whose factory we had seen on a hike in January along the Rhine River in Canton Baselland (photo HERE). 

To avoid walking along the main road, I took a longer detour around the wood-recycling plant through a forested section, which was quite nice, but as expected, the trail was muddy. 

Then I reached the chapel at Haltikon, which we had visited once before on a hike almost exactly two years ago (photos HERE), but I popped in once again. This chapel dates from 1636, but there seems to have been a chapel here since 1485, as that is the date engraved on the smaller of two bells in the turret. 

The Haltikon Chapel was built in 1636 in honour of St. Katharina after a plague epidemic. The building was completely renovated in 1971-1973. At that time remains of the original wooden ceiling were found, and the ceiling was reconstructed. 

Particularly pretty is the wood-paneled ceiling. 

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When I walked in the door of the church, a tape of organ music started playing, which was kind of interesting as I saw no organ, but apparently an organ was installed in 2009.

Typical farm houses in this region. 

Heading north now along paved roads and past a variety of farms. At the house straight ahead were two large dogs on the terrace, and for the first time these were dogs who did not bark at all when people passed! (Barking dogs in the countryside are a pet peeve of mine). 

What a surprise to see these crocuses bursting through!

A cute fountain and waterwheel! I checked, but the water didn't seem to be going anywhere, except sickering into the ground. 

One single self-timed photo on this walk! (I didn't particularly pay attention as to where I could set up my camera along the way). 

There are so many of these little shops / farmers' stands along most trails. This one called "Most-Hüsli" is mostly offering various homemade fruit juices. 

Always a nice view of Mt. Rigi

At the northernmost point of my loop, I could actually see Lake Zug and the city of Zug at the north end of the lake. 

Now hiking back toward Küssnacht on the lake. This is passing a farm called Nühus.

Looking back at the farmhouse at Nühus. 

An easy walk mostly on paved roads. 

Just as one reaches the first houses at the northern end of Küssnacht, there is this little chapel called Rotchrüz, or the Rotkreuz Chapel, built in the 17th Century, and renovated in 1990/91. 

First sighting of the lake from the level of the train station in Küssnacht. 

A close-up view of the east side of Lake Küssnacht (which is an arm of the Vierwaldstättersee). A long time ago, only the two little chalets stood there, but now the entire neighbourhood has been rebuilt into all those apartment buildings. 

And now I've reached the lakeside promenade, a very nice walk all along the north end of the lake. 

Lakeside promenade in Küssnacht am Rigi. 

Looking in the southwest direction down the lake, you can see all the way to the Bernese Alps. 

Close-up look at the Nidwalden Alps, as well as all the way to the Eiger north face. 

The parish church in Küssnacht. It is a very large building that dominates the landscape here. 

Considering that this is a very large building, it is surprisingly "empty" inside. The organ is particularly impressive. 

Next to the church is the town's city hall building. 

On the other side of the church facing the lakeside square is the Seehof Hotel. 

I've never seen this interesting sculpture before. 

This part of the lakeside promenade is right across from the town's elementary school, and the stairway up to my house. I got here just before 2:30 p.m. 

These are the two chalet buildings which you can see from the train station across the lake. The house used to belong to my grandfather, since about 1947. The house is now almost 100 years old!

Great view from the balcony of my grandfather's house in Küssnacht am Rigi. 

I took an hour coffee break and then caught another bus southwards along the lakeshore (a 7-minute bus ride) to pick up some wood I had purchased for my woodstove. Walking to the farm and then to the next bus stop in Greppen took about 20 minutes. 

By 3:45 p.m. the sky has started to cloud over, but the mountains south of Lake Luzern loom hugely here in Greppen. It was about 10 minutes to walk to the farm to pick up some wood for the woodstove. 

Another farmhouse with a little self-serve shop, where I purchased 10 kg of wood which I had ordered and was able to carry home. Exactly two years ago (right to the day!) I did a hike which also took me past this farm, and I bought some Fig-Mustard here! (Photos HERE). 

This trail is part of the "Waldstätter Trail". I only had to carry the wood for a little over 10 minutes to the next bus stop!

A look down at the village of Greppen from the bus stop along the main road. I was back home again by about 4:15 p.m. after a four-minute bus ride. Back in November I had done a ca. 5-km walk from Küssnacht to here. 

What my 8-km hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

All the hikes we have done around the region of Küssnacht, on the northern arm of Lake Luzern (Vierwaldstättersee). 

Küssnacht to Greppen on the Waldstätter Trail on Lake Luzern

Friday November 28, 2025 -- Today I had to check up on the house in Küssnacht am Rigi, and as the afternoon was turning out to be quite nice, I did a short, 4½-kilometer walk parallel to the lakeshore from Küssnacht to the next village called Greppen. (This trail is part of the regional themed route no.98: "Waldstätterweg", a 115-kilometer trail which circumscribes the entire lake, a trail we have completed in many sections).

It was a beautiful and mild afternoon, with spectacular views of Mt.Pilatus and even the Bernese Alps, which appeared very large (usually due to a Föhn wind effect). Even though a stretch of the trail into Greppen was along the main road, it was still a nice afternoon walk. A quick look into the village church in Greppen, and then I sat down at the boat dock on the lakeshore enjoying the afternoon sunshine before returning to the bus stop for the three-minute ride back to the house.

When I left to return home, the evening sky was turning red, and Mt.Pilatus (Luzern's Mountain) looked like it was right in the backyard!

View from the balcony of my little house to the center of the town of Küssnacht. This part of the Vierwaldstättersee is called Lake Küssnacht.  

From the location of the little house, you get a good view of Mt.Pilatus, which is Luzern's main mountain. 

A look back at "Chalet Mignon" on the way down to the lakeshore. 

A short set of stairs connects my house to the lakeshore. 

This is the lakeshore promenade on the east side of this arm of Lake Luzern .

This was just a short afternoon walk of about one hour, 4½-kilometers from Küssnacht to Greppen along Route no.98: Waldstätterweg. 

The east part of Küssnacht lies right at the foot of Mt. Rigi. The summit above is Rigi Kulm, which is accessed by cogwheel train on the other side, and is a popular tourist destination. 

The lakeside promenade ends at a little loop park with sunny benches and a fantastic view southwards along Lake Luzern. 

View of Mt.Pilatus from the Küssnacht lakeshore. 

A look back at the main part of the town of Küssnacht. (The lakeside Promenade follows this part of the lake through the town and up to the railway station on the west side of the lake). 

View of the Bernese Alps to the south. 

Private properties along the lake from here, so the route goes back to the main road from here. 

A view up to the Rigi Range, and the trail is parallel to both this range and the lakeshore. 

The trail passes through agricultural land

A close-up look at the snow-covered Mount Rigi. The snow is almost all the way down to the main road. 

A view of Mt. Rigi 

More farms and a nice path to walk. 

Lovely private properties along the way. 

Another view of Mt. Pilatus from the main road. There is no lake access here, unfortunately. Right about here is where you cross the Canton border from Schwyz to Luzern. 

A large group of gray geese are enjoying the sunshine here. 

Off the main road now, I enter the village of Greppen. 

Through the village of Greppen. 

The sign shows that this is part of Route no.98. From here it's an hour to Küssnacht. There is also a ship dock here for the ship that travels on this arm of the lake to and from Luzern. 

Heading to the church to have a look inside. (I had been inside this church once before when I ended another hike here in Greppen, coming along the Waltstätter Route from the south --> those photos are HERE). 

Details of the St.Wendelin church in Greppen, a pilgrimage church built 1645-1647. I didn't stay long because there were children around the altar, so after-school event, I guess. 

I could have headed straight to the main road to catch the next bus but the day was so pleasant that I decided on the next bus in 30 minutes, and headed down to the lake. This property here is a sawmill business. 

Down here at the lake is a boat dock for private boats, as well as a public park and beach access.

This view is toward Küssnacht to the north.

Private boat dock here on the lake. 

Another view down Lake Luzern toward Mt.Pilatus. There were several benches in the sun here, so I found a pleasant spot and enjoyed the quiet away from the main road. Unfortunately, the skies now became overcast. 

Heading back toward Greppen at 3 p.m for the 15:08 bus back to Küssnacht, a 3-minute ride. 

This is what my walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps. About half-way between the two towns is a lane down to the lake, and I took a quick detour there. 

Back at the house for final preparations to catch the bus back home. (The house is called "Chalet Mignon", which means "Cute Little Chalet". The house was purchased in the late 1940's by my Grandfather). 

The skies are red as the sun sets behind Mt.Pilatus as I head to the 16:51 bus. 

These are all the hikes we have done around Mount Rigi at this arm of Lake Luzern.