The making of hay by hand had, even as recently as at the start of the last century, meant a lot economically in Uri. Due to this, the rights of area usage for manual hay making were always documented in detail. According to a contemporary witness hay making was in those times one of the most lucrative additional incomes for farmers, and without it they probably could not have managed and got their stock through winter. A lot of very steep and exposed areas were used for hay making. In the past, the hay was carried down to the valley on sledges but nowadays, ziplines or even helicopters are generally used. Technological advances threatened to put an end to this tradition, which plays an important part in maintaining biodiversity. But many wild haymaking pastures have been preserved thanks to a cantonal support programme. About two dozen of them are located in Isenthal and on Mount Rophaien, along this hiking route.

Rophaien is the largest manual hay making area in the canton of Uri. In addition, the area stretches between several ridges of the mountain of Rophaien down to the original forest hills. You can gain first-hand knowledge of this traditional craft on the Wild Haymaking Trail. Along the route, there are 15 information points such as a "sniffing station" where you must identify various scents. The wild hay zipline whirs as you walk, a tall stack of hay or "Triste" stands on the slope, and the wild haymakers go about their work. On high mountain slopes, wild haymaking is prohibited until July so that the flowers can disperse their seeds. This results in enormous biodiversity: lilies and orchids grow on the dry grasslands along the path. Unique within all of Switzerland is the cut fir forest in the area of Franzen.

A short ride in the cable car takes you up to Eggbergen, the starting point of the hike. Enjoy the early morning at one of the mountain restaurants. After a short up-hill hike through a diverse and cooling forest you will reach Hüttenboden. From there the path follows the steep mountain flanks in a mostly straight or slightly up hill direction. On the alp Franzen you have reached the highest point of the hike. The outlook at Franzen offers you an unforgettable panaramic view of the valley of Uri, the surrounding mountains and the lake of Uri. From Franzen it will take you another hour to the cable car station of Oberaxen. On the sunny balcony of the mountain restaurant at Oberaxen you can enjoy a final breathtaking view. Then you can either choose to walk via Balzenrütti and Giebel down to the bottom station of the Oberaxen cable car (about 1 hour) or make use of the cable car Oberaxen-Gruonbach.