Culural Hike: Arosa - Litzirüti

We start at the train station on the Obersee, hike through Arosa down to the Untersee and from there take the marked forest path to Litzirüti. Water, forest and the Arosa cable car accompany you every step of the way. The short hike ends at the Litzirüti train station, from where you can take the train back to Arosa or drive out of the valley through the Schanfigg in the direction of Chur.

Water everywhere

Three lakes and the still young, but already wildly rushing Plessur accompany you on the way from Arosa to Litzirüti. The Arosa Lakes, surrounded by mighty limestone mountains, are a delight to the eye. We do not know whether Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, the former sovereign of the Aroser, also liked them. The only thing that is certain is that in 1545 he was concerned about the rich fish yield, as his subjects feasted excessively on the fishing grounds.

Perhaps he would have liked the stylish wooden bathing facility on the Untersee, which you can reach after a short walk through Arosa. On a hot summer's day, this is an ideal and refreshing first stop. From Untersee you continue your way to Litzirüti - next to you the railway line, below you the emerald green Isel reservoir. Its history is also closely linked to early Arosa tourism: around 1900, it was a must for the spa hotels to be able to offer their noble clientele electric light. The water for the first power plant was dammed in the Isel to form a small lake, which was later enlarged several times. Today, apart from the elevated weir, the lake blends almost like a natural lake into the impressive mountain landscape.

The water with its elemental power will continue to accompany you. The foaming Plessur and the Blau Rüfi formed by the water – a huge erosion funnel in steep terrain – impressively show the forces at work in nature. In 1935, Litzirüti suffered severe damage when the small dam of the Lower Prätschsee broke.

After the Blau Rüfi, you will discover a strange stone pattern along the way - a station on the schutz.wald.mensch learning trail, which leads from Arosa to Langwies. He playfully shows how important the forest is for us humans. If you like to take a break, you will find a fire pit with wood and seating here - ideal for a picnic.

There is no need to hurry, because Litzirüti is almost in sight. At the small lake along the way, you can observe many small creatures. Soon you will reach the route of the Arosa Railway again, which gains altitude here with a large double hairpin bend. "In da Brünscht" is the motto here – a small broom pub invites you to stop by. But your attention may be captivated by the eye-catching house with the tower-like building on the other side of the railway line: Until 1960, silver foxes, minks and raccoons were bred there, whose furs were sold in Arosa.

In a short descent through the forest, another station of the learning trail awaits you before you reach the flat valley floor before Litzirüti.

A stop at "in da Brünscht" restaurant is an insider tip.

Author: Hansjürg Gredig, ZHAW Life Sciences and Facility Management

We begin our hike at the train station at the Obersee lake and walk through the village Arosa towards the Untersee lake where a forest path leads to Litzirüti. Water, forest and the Arosa train are our constant companions. The short hike ends at the train station Litzirüti from where we take the train back up to Arosa (or down the Schanfigg valley to Chur).

Author: Hansjürg Gredig, ZHAW Life Sciences and Facility Management