---
type: "Article"
title: "A hike in beauty: the trail to Seealpsee"
description: "Recently we settled for a simple walking tour in the Swiss mountains. The beauty of the mountains and the lake they call Seealpsee just blew us away!"
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/switzerland/hiking-trail-seealpsee"
author: "Katja Birrer"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 7
tags: ["Alps", "Hiking", "Lake", "Landscape", "Switzerland"]
entities:
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/switzerland"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/alps"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/appenzell"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/hiking"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/lake"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/landscape"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/itinerary"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/restaurant"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/round-trip"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer", at: 2026-07-04T13:43:10+00:00 }
verified:
  - { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer", at: 2016-11-13T16:10:23+00:00 }
sources:
  - id: photos
    resource: hiking-trail-seealpsee.md#photos
    title: "Original photography by Katja Birrer"
    author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer"
    last_modified: 2018-03-20
timestamp: 2026-07-04T13:43:10+00:00
---

# A hike in beauty: the trail to Seealpsee

> Seealpsee is a mountain lake in the Alpstein range of Appenzell Canton, Switzerland, reached by a scenic round-trip hike from Wasserauen through beech forest and alpine meadows with views of Säntis.

## Destination
Alpstein mountain range, Appenzell Canton, Switzerland. The hike starts and ends at Wasserauen.

## Getting there
Drive to Wasserauen, a popular starting point for hikes in the Alpstein region.

## When to go
The article describes a day trip on a Sunday, drawing large crowds, suggesting it is a popular warm-season destination.

## Why visit
The Alpstein has one of the densest hiking trail networks in Switzerland, and the walk to Seealpsee offers alpine meadows, beech forest, mountain lake scenery, and views of Säntis, the highest peak in the range.

## What to see
- **Seealpsee** — A mountain lake encircled by a walking path, surrounded by majestic alpine scenery.
- **Säntis** — The highest peak in the Alpstein range, visible from the Hütten alpine meadow on the way up.
- **Hüttentobel ravine** — A steep ravine with an overhanging rock face carved by the Schwendibach stream, traversed on both ascent and descent.
- **Aescher / Wildkirchli mountain inn** — Legendary and reportedly one of the most photographed mountain inns in Switzerland, accessible via the Ebenalp Aerial Tramway from Wasserauen.

## What to do
- **Round-trip hike from Wasserauen** — A roughly 2¼-hour loop through beechwood forest, the Hüttentobel ravine, and Hütten alpine meadow to Seealpsee and back.
- **Walk around the lake** — A circuit of Seealpsee passing small abandoned-looking alpine huts.
- **Stop at the Seealpsee mountain inn** — A well-patronized restaurant at the lake where hikers can rest over coffee and cake.

## Good to know
The area is very popular with day trippers on weekends; the queue for the Ebenalp Aerial Tramway can be long. The round-trip hike takes about 2¼ hours, not counting photo stops or time at the mountain restaurant.

## Photos

```yaml
photos:
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Humberto-Canale-Riesling-Rive-Gauche.jpg"
    caption: "Humberto Canale Riesling aus Patagonien"
    keywords: ["10 Manos", "Gustofestival", "Humberto Canale", "Rive Gauche", "Tato Giovannoni", "Zürich", "https://reisememo.ch/europa/schweiz/tato-giovannoni-barman-bueno"]
    captured: 2018-03-20
    geo: {latitude: 47.3677, longitude: 8.5392}
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Mate-Strohhalm-Rive-Gauche.jpg"
    caption: "Mate Strohhalme"
    keywords: ["10 Manos", "Gustofestival", "Mate", "Rive Gauche", "Strohhalm", "Tato Giovannoni", "Zürich", "https://reisememo.ch/europa/schweiz/tato-giovannoni-barman-bueno"]
    captured: 2018-03-20
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Moretti-Moonshine-Mais-Schnaps-Rive-Gauche.jpg"
    caption: "Moretti Moonshine 50 Maisschnaps"
    keywords: ["10 Manos", "Gustofestival", "Moonshine", "Moretti", "Rive Gauche", "Schnaps", "Tato Giovannoni", "Zürich", "https://reisememo.ch/europa/schweiz/tato-giovannoni-barman-bueno"]
    captured: 2018-03-20
    geo: {latitude: 47.3677, longitude: 8.5392}
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Tato-Giovannoni-Barman-Buch-Rive-Gauche.jpg"
    caption: "Buch über Tato Giovannoni an der Rive Gauche Bar"
    keywords: ["10 Manos", "Buch", "Gustofestival", "Rive Gauche", "Tato Giovannoni", "Zürich", "https://reisememo.ch/europa/schweiz/tato-giovannoni-barman-bueno"]
    captured: 2018-03-20
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Rive-Gauche-Fuego-Pasion-Restaurant-Zuerich.jpg"
    caption: "Festliches Gedeck im Rive Gauche"
    keywords: ["10 Manos", "Gustofestival", "Rive Gauche", "Zürich"]
    captured: 2018-03-20
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Tato-Giovannoni-Cynar-Rive-Gauche.jpg"
    caption: "Tato Giovannoni referiert an der Rive Gauche Bar in Zürich"
    keywords: ["10 Manos", "Barman", "Gustofestival", "Rive Gauche", "Tato Giovannoni", "Zürich", "https://reisememo.ch/europa/schweiz/tato-giovannoni-barman-bueno"]
    captured: 2018-03-20
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
```