Five Lakes Tour

The Fünf-Seen-Tour (Five Lakes Tour) is a roughly 44-kilometre, almost fully paved circular ride through the flat Rheintal valley floor in Vorarlberg. The loop links five gravel-pit and sand-pit bathing lakes, briefly crosses into Switzerland along the Alter Rhein (the AT/CH border near Oberriet, Kanton St. Gallen), and passes through the quiet wetland landscape between Götzis, Koblach, Mäder and Rankweil. The route is officially signposted as roughly 47 km; our measured ring comes to approximately 44 km. An easy, family-friendly outing, with the gravel-pit lakes open for swimming from May to September.

The Fünf-Seen-Tour links five gravel-pit and sand-pit bathing lakes across an almost completely flat ring through the Vorarlberg Rheintal floor - one of the few cross-border cycle tours in this region, touching Switzerland briefly along the Alter Rhein (the AT/CH border). As a loop it can be started anywhere; Götzis is the most convenient rail arrival. The cross-border Velotal-Rheintal initiative suggests starting at the ponds of the Wichenstein nature reserve near Oberriet (Kanton St. Gallen) as an alternative entry. From Götzis the first arc runs south-west down into the valley floor. Already near Rankweil/Meiningen lies the first lake: the Baggersee Paspels (also known as Paspels-Seen, ~20 ha), a former gravel-pit lake with lawns for sunbathing. Continuing through the quiet reedbeds and riverside woodland of the Rheintal, the loop reaches the southern apex near Koblach, where the finest section begins. The cross-border western arc follows the Alter Rhein into Switzerland (Oberriet/Kriessern, Kanton St. Gallen). In the Naturschutzgebiet Wichenstein lie the route's namesake ponds (~420 m, ~20 ha), a protected amphibian habitat in quiet wetland scenery. Nearby is the Baggersee Kriessern, another former gravel-extraction lake. The Klettergarten Koblach (climbing area) is also on this western arc. An optional spur - away from the flat ring and with a noticeable climb - leads to the Ruine Wichenstein above the reserve; the Kristallhöhle Kobelwald show cave lies roughly 2 km further into the hills and requires a separate excursion. Back on the Austrian side the ring passes through Mäder: the Sandgrube Mäder, a former sand pit, is now both a bathing lake and a protected area. Shortly after comes the Kopfloch in Altach, a gravel-pit pool in the bed of the Alter Rhein. Passing the Bahnhof Hohenems (rail connection; the town sits on the north-eastern arc) and through Altach, the loop closes back in Götzis. The route is practically level (409-446 m), roughly 85 % on asphalt, and suited to all ages. The official signage gives 47 km (roughly 40 km of asphalt and 7 km of gravel) and a riding time of around 3 hours. Our measured ring (approximately 44 km) and the official signposted distance (approximately 47 km) differ slightly - a normal variation between GPS measurement and signposted kilometres.