Hoher Kasten (1,794 m) is a beautiful mountain viewpoint in the Appenzell region, with a 360° panorama of six countries on a clear day. It's easy to reach the top with a big cable car, bringing you up to 1,794 meters in just eight minutes.

Open: The cable car runs year round, except a short break in spring. See current opening times.

What to do

You can wander around the safely fenced observation terraces and the short "Europa Rundweg," which circles the peak with metal walkways built into the rock.

You'll have a fantastic bird's eye view of the Alpstein mountain range, known for its impressive geological formations and spiky peaks like Säntis, Saxer Lücke, and Schäfler.

Their revolving restaurant is a popular spot for weekend brunch and full moon dinners, reservations definitely recommended.

They also have an alpine garden with about 300 species blooming at different times during the summer.

How to get there

Location: Brülisau cable car - Dorf 22, 9058 Brülisau. Bus stop: Brülisau, Kastenbahn
From Zurich, 1h20 by car, 2h10 by train.

No discount with travel cards. Kids up to 15 free.
Free with Appenzeller Holiday Card, Oskar Guest Card and Bodensee Card PLUS

Optional hikes

You can usually hike in this area through mid October, assuming no snow on the peak. Make sure to check trail conditions before heading out.

We like the family hike down to the small Forestseeli lake and picnic area. The hike ends at a hut where you can rent kick scooters to ride the last few km down the mountain. The hike is mostly downhill, not too difficult, about 3 hours. Learn more.

For a longer adventure, we suggest the Alpstein GeoTrail, which starts at Hoher Kasten and traverses the ridge to the Saxer Lücke viewpoint and Fälensee lake. Then down through alpine pastures, ending at the bottom of the cable car. It's a long day, hiking about 16.4 km and 6 hours depending on which route you choose. Learn more.