Three passes, a high valley and the young Reuss: around Hospental, hikes of every length begin right at the front door.
The Ursern valley is known as the "water castle of Europe" — the Rhine, Reuss, Rhone and Ticino all rise around the Gotthard massif. The trail network is correspondingly varied: from flat valley paths to multi-day long-distance routes.
The valley trail through the Ursern links Andermatt, Hospental, the tiny hamlet of Zumdorf and Realp — around 10 easy kilometres along the young Reuss, ideal for families and as a leg-stretcher on arrival day. Also starting right in Hospental: the loop hike over the Bäzberg with fine views of the village and valley.
The classic from Hospental is the ascent to the Gotthard pass (2,106 m): the trail follows the old mule track and the cobbled 1830 mail-coach road — a half-day trip steeped in history, with the hospice and museum waiting at the top. The Furka and Oberalp passes are rewarding hiking destinations too; the train or bus brings you comfortably back.
The Urschner Höhenweg runs from Tiefenbach on the Furka road high above the valley all the way to Andermatt — sweeping views included. If you have more time, take on the Four Sources Trail (Vier-Quellen-Weg): 85 kilometres in five stages from the Oberalp pass, visiting the sources of the Rhine, Reuss, Ticino and Rhone around the Gotthard massif.
Hiking doesn't stop in winter: around 60 kilometres of winter walking trails criss-cross the region, plus marked snowshoe trails — one of them starts right in Hospental.