Most beautiful hiking routes

A golden fall day in the Samina Valley

The valley in the Rätikon is still largely undeveloped due to its remoteness.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

The Samina Valley is the most westerly valley in the Rätikon and still has a wild beauty due to its remoteness. The river that gives it its name crosses the border between Vorarlberg and Liechtenstein on its way.

The Samina is a white-water river with a length of around ten kilometers, two kilometers of which are on Liechtenstein territory and eight on the Vorarlberg side. The river flows through the eastern part of the Principality and crosses the border at Falleck (847 meters). In Liechtenstein, the water of the Samina is used intensively for power generation and drinking water supply. The river finally flows into the Ill in the Frastanz district. Over a long period of time, the river's incessant gushing power has formed the Samina Valley, the westernmost valley in the Rätikon and a tributary valley of the Walgau.

Spirkenwälder European nature reserve
The first documentary mention of the valley dates back to 1378 as "samunnen tal", the torrent was already known as "Samuin". The name probably dates back to pre-Roman times, but its meaning remains obscure. In the central part of the valley on the border between Vorarlberg and the Principality, there is the Spirkenwälder European nature reserve. The river and its banks form a valuable ecosystem and are characterized by diverse flora and fauna. Trout, for example, find ideal living conditions in the clear, cold water. There are still some near-natural areas along the Samina where rare plant species thrive. The forests that cover the steep mountain slopes are retreats for a wide variety of wild animals. Due to its remoteness and natural wild beauty, the Samina Valley also attracts hikers, especially during the summer months.

Tips and information

Type: Autumn hike
Starting point: Amerlügen (hiking parking lot)
Duration: depending on the variant, 13 kilometers to Liechtenstein
Equipment: shoes with good tread soles (paths can be slippery), daypack with snack and drink, clothing suitable for the weather
Notes: The route leads steeply uphill and downhill several times, after heavy rain the river can carry a lot of water and the paths are then sometimes difficult to walk on; the reconstruction work along the hiking trail in Liechtenstein should be completed in October, current information on www.tourismus.li
Public transport: from the train station in Frastanz, the 531 bus runs to the chapel in Amerlügen

In October, the autumn sun creates very special moments of light in the deeply carved valley. If you want to descend to the Samina, the best place to start is Amerlügen. The village at an altitude of 763 meters is a parcel of the municipality of Frastanz and lies on a ledge below the "Three Sisters" summit group and directly above the Samina Valley. Opposite the Chapel of the Immolation of the Virgin Mary - the building, erected in 1819, is a listed building - an inconspicuous meadow path leads past two houses into the forest. The terrain slopes steeply down into the valley and the rows of trees are so dense that even in summer hardly a ray of light reaches the ground.

The path winds its way down in tight bends
Unfortunately, this also means that there is no view, but the unmistakable rushing of the torrent becomes more insistent with every meter you walk. The path meanders further and further down in tight bends until the rows of trees thin out. The path is now difficult to see in places as it is overgrown with fast-growing plants such as brambles in this section. However, the green-blue waters of the Samina can already be seen flashing through the vegetation and soon the riverbank is reached. A wooden bridge leads to the opposite side. Here you can take a short break on the already somewhat weathered wooden benches or head straight to the river.

The grass frog

Due to its great adaptability, the grass frog (more rarely also known as the marsh frog) is one of the most common frog species in our region. When other amphibians set off early in the spring, the grass frog is usually already at the water's edge, giving it a head start over the competition. This is because a hormonal surge drives some of the animals to the spawning grounds in the fall. The grass frog is also flexible when it comes to hibernation. Some specimens spend the cold season in ponds, others in streams and still others in burrows on land. The grass frog is not a specialist in the animal kingdom: it covers a wide range of habitats and can also be found at altitudes of up to 2000 meters. The animals reach an average size of between nine and eleven centimetres. Their upper side is yellow, red to black-brown in color, often with larger black spots on the skin. The eardrum is a striking dark brown. As with all brown frogs, the hind legs are transversely striped. The underside of the males is whitish-grey and mostly unspotted, while the females are often yellow with reddish marbling. The frogs hunt at night for insects, woodlice, spiders, worms and slugs. During the day, they usually hide in damp places between vegetation, under stones or dead wood.

 The water has washed rocks and stones smooth and formed deep pools in some places. Viewed from the stream bed, the river bank looks like a primeval forest. The sun's rays take until late morning to reach the low-lying Samina Valley at this point. At first they only penetrate the branches at certain points, then they bathe everything in a golden light. After crossing the bridge, you first walk uphill along a forest path before changing to a wider cart track. Theoretically, you can hike along the Samina all the way to Liechtenstein. However, a section of the route in the Principality is currently closed due to bridge renovation work. However, this should be completed by mid-October and then be passable again. If you stay on the Vorarlberg side, you can take the same route back to Amerlügen after a stroll through the Samina Valley.