Stiefenhofen: Cross-country skiing, herb garden and chapels

Stiefenhofen in the Allgäu combines cross-country skiing opportunities in the municipality with signposted circular walking trails, the Artemisia herb garden in Hopfen and living local traditions. When choosing your accommodation, you can decide whether to focus on the ski trails, a walk or a visit during a festival. The municipality lies in front of the Nagelfluhkette mountain range, on the rise from Lake Constance; its elevation ranges from 750 to 1,117 metres.

Cross-country skiing and circular trails

The cross-country ski trails in Stiefenhofen include the 8.6 km Stiefenhofen trail (Route 15), the 1.6 km training trail (Route 16) and the 4.5 km Hopfen trail (Route 18). The training trail is the shortest of the three; the other two cover longer distances of 4.5 and 8.6 km. Trail availability depends on winter conditions, so check the latest conditions before setting out to ski.

Three signposted circular walking trails lead through the municipality: Balzhofen / Hertnegg, Weißenbachmühle and the Herb Garden Trail. On the Balzhofen / Hertnegg loop, Cafe Katharina in Balzhofen offers a place to stop for refreshments. Check in advance whether the cafe is currently open. The distance and walking time are specified for the Herb Garden Trail, making it another option for planning an outing alongside the ski trails.

Artemisia Herb Garden in Hopfen

The 11.5 km Herb Garden Trail has a stated walking time of four and a half hours and leads to the Artemisia herb garden in Hopfen. A visit to the herbs and a stop for refreshments are planned there. Check current route conditions before setting out, as route details may change. The Artemisia Allgäu Herb Garden in the district of Hopfen is home to 300 different medicinal and culinary plants; this number may change over time. The garden is accessible to everyone around the clock. Check current access arrangements before your visit.

Traditions and chapels

In the municipality of Stiefenhofen, the maypole is traditionally erected by hand every year on 1 May. A festival with the brass band and the traditional costume association follows. If you would like to combine your visit with the festival, check the programme for the relevant year in advance.

A chapel walk in the municipality leads to the Plague Chapel, the Chapel of St. Martin in Hopfen and the Hahnschenkel Chapel. To view the interior of the Plague Chapel, you can collect the key from the Stiefenhofen Tourist Office. Contact the Tourist Office before your visit to confirm the current key collection arrangements.

Different considerations apply when planning your visit: the ski trails depend on winter conditions, while the maypole is erected every year on 1 May. The Herb Garden Trail has a stated walking time of four and a half hours. This lets you plan cross-country skiing, walking and local traditions as different focuses for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Sigmarszell, Maierhöfen, Lindau, Argental, Scheidegg, Weißensberg, Lindenberg Im Allgäu, Weiler-Simmerberg.

To the overview of the wider area: Lindau District (Lake Constance).