Raftmen's Trail: Laufenburg-Stilli

Rafting was a thriving trade in the 19th century. The raftmen skillfully transported their wood down the great rivers, including from Stilli via the Aare and Rhine to Laufenburg. The return journey was on foot through the picturesque Mettau valley, where the raftmen could recover from their exertion with a cool beer at the Gasthaus zum Bären in Hottwil.

On the Raftmen's Trail, you walk the land route of the raftmen: traditionally from Laufenburg to Stilli or in the opposite direction. The Raftmen's Trail can be walked in any direction and also in stages (e.g., stage Laufenburg-Hottwil & stage Hottwil-Stilli). Information boards about the forgotten trade are located at the Rhine in Laufenburg and at the Aare in Stilli. The boards in Stilli tell the story of a young raftman: they are arranged chronologically and are best read in the direction from Stilli to Laufenburg. For a break, a stop at the Bären in Hottwil is worthwhile, a contemporary witness that still looks as it did two hundred years ago and also served as a resting place for the raftmen. Rooms are also rented here so you can comfortably split the route over two days.

The Raftmen's Trail was implemented in 2002 by the Raftmen's Trail Association and the neighboring communities.

Construction season 2025: From 01.05.2025 to 30.11.2025, renaturation work will be carried out on the section along the Aare in Stilli. The path remains continuously open but will not run along the water during this time, and construction traffic is to be expected during the day from Monday to Friday. The rest of the Raftmen's Trail is unaffected by the work.