The very top 10 best hikes in Switzerland. A seasoned Swiss hiker reporting to you on Switzerland’s top 10 hikes. Switzerland is full of breathtaking hiking trails that lead to stunning destinations. No other place on earth can offer quite so much beauty so densely packed. In this article, I will discuss about the top 10 best hikes in Switzerland.
1. Eben Alp
We are in the Alpstein region of Appenzell, eastern Switzerland.
This region is shared by the three cantons of Appenzell-Innerhoden, Außerhoden, and St. Gallen. I love Alpstein. I have been on a great many hikes throughout Switzerland, but Alpstein has always been my favorite region.
The route that I’m recommending here is from Ebenalp through Ascherhut to Scheffler and then down to Zelfsen. That’s a whole-day hike. This hike is simply remarkable.
It is one of the most picturesque and popular in Switzerland. This unique trail brings together all of the natural beauty of the Swiss Alps, including the stunning lake at the end of it. The historic charm of Ascherhut includes dramatic cliffs and, at times, spine-chilling hiking trails with steep drops that are open, so please be careful.
What more could you ask for in a hike that is so rich in visual adventures with a healthy dose of adrenaline?
2. Limmerensee lake
Limmerensee is a reservoir in the canton of Glarus, Switzerland, between the peaks of Mottenschopf, Selbsanft, and Kistenstöckli. These are the Glarus Alps.
Limmerensee can be easily reached by aerial tramway or by foot from Linthal. Located in the Swiss tectonic highlands, Sardona has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. Limmerensee is a crystal-clear turquoise lake wedged in the center of beautiful mountains, giving it a fjord-like appearance.
3. Pilatus
We are in central Switzerland.
Mount Pilatus is a mountain massif overlooking Luzern in central Switzerland composed of several peaks, of which the highest is Tomlischhorn, which is over 2000 meters. Hiking up to Pilatus is an incredibly rewarding but tough experience, with many beautiful viewpoints and a lot of uphill. Why’s it worth the trouble? Well, simply because it’s not very crowded and you can have nature and beauty to yourself.
Once you reach the top of Pilatus, of course, it’s a lot busier and a tad more commercial, so hiking up is certainly worth the trouble. However, taking a cable car or small train is also an option.
4. Saxer Lucke
Back to the Appenzell-Alpstein region, Saxer Lucke. So we’re back in Appenzell-Alpstein, eastern Switzerland. As you can see, I love this region, and I do not hide it.
We would love this hike as much as I do. There are two options. You could potentially start from Höhekasten, take a cable car up, and then hike to Saxer Lucke.
It’s a much longer hike, but trust me, it’s certainly worth the trouble. You could stay overnight in many guest houses around there, or you could take a shorter hike if you don’t feel you could make it in one day from the Staubern cable car. So you could take a cable car up to Staubern, and that’s only three kilometers away from Saxer Lucke.
Therefore, the total hike would be only six kilometers, and the trails there are quite manageable, even for families. Saxer Lucke is a prominent geological notch along the rocky ridge in Alpstein. Absolutely mind-bogglingly stunning.
A cable car makes this spectacular viewpoint in Appenzell very accessible, as I pointed out for almost anyone. This area is usually open between late May and early November. The good choices would be practically any season.
It’s always stunning. My personal favorite, of course, is autumn. Only in autumn, between roughly October and early November, are the hills here bursting with autumn colors, and the air is crisp and clear, allowing you a much sharper view over the mountains. And of course, the heat that escapes the earth creates these beautiful, fast-moving clouds over the mountains.
That’s something you cannot miss.
5. Lake Caumersee
Caumersee is magical, predominantly because of its color and surroundings. So Caumersee is a lake near Films in Greece, Kent, and Kalpünden in Switzerland. This is one of the lakes in the film’s rockslide deposits.
The lake is fed by underground water sources and therefore pristinely clean. The most stunning feature of the lake, of course, is its color. Turquoise green water is very bright and very beautiful, unlike anything I’ve seen before.
Surrounded by dense forests and mountains, it’s an ideal place for relaxation and marveling at the surrounding nature. The positive aspect of Caumersee is that it is easily accessible within a very short walk. There is a parking lot nearby, so you don’t have to hike there.
There are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops, making it a great place for an afternoon rest, and you can swim there. So what can be better?
6. Matterhorn
And, of course, how is Switzerland without the Matterhorn?
Majestic Matterhorn is the mountain that is probably one of the most famous in the world and the most famous in Switzerland. Matterhorn is a mountain in the Alps, on the border between Switzerland and Italy. It’s a large, nearly symmetric, perfectly beautiful pyramidal peak that is in the extended Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps. Its summit is 4478 meters high, making it one of the highest summits in the Alps and Europe.
Not to mention, it’s one of the most dangerous and difficult ones, so I’m not recommending climbing it, but there are plenty of beautiful hikes around it. Zermatt is one of the most popular regions in Switzerland and is home to the famous Matterhorn. Zermatt is a very beautiful Swiss town as well, so if you are interested in some Swiss culture, it is certainly a good combination of hiking and city sightseeing.
There are plenty of hikes that lead you to glaciers. There are glaciers here and lakes, so make your pick.
7. Interlaken
Yet another of my favorite regions. Interlaken.
Interlaken is a traditional resort town in the mountains of the Bernese Oberland region in central Switzerland. It’s also a lovely Swiss town with a picturesque valley between the lakes of Suen and Brienzant. Surrounded by mountains and dense forests, it is absolutely beautiful.
One of the most convenient places for hiking in the Bernese Oberland region. If you’re an experienced hiker, one of the best hikes near Interlaken would be the Brienzer Rothorn Ridge Trail. This trail has a few exposed sections and steep drop-offs like in the Appenzell region, but they’re well-built trails, so if you’re careful and have sturdy hiking shoes, you’ll be fine.
8. Pizol five lakes
Absolutely magical Pizol Five Lakes. If you can only do one hike in Switzerland, this would probably be the one.
A rather challenging hike to five beautiful alpine lakes scattered along an impressive mountain landscape. A must-do trail, as I said. This one is open only a few months a year, like many others.
Pizol is a mountain resort in eastern Switzerland, near the Rhine Valley. The trail is accessible from the Pizzoli Gondola in Bangs, as you can see; that’s the one that we are taking. Five crystal-clear lakes and glimpses of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cardona.
Not to mention the spectacular views of the Alps in eastern Switzerland. I strongly recommend starting this hike very early, at least 10 a.m., as the last descent of the gondola from Fürth is at 5:30. There are no hotels and no restaurants there, so come prepared and equipped.
9. Klausen pass
Yet another magical hiking region in Switzerland.
Klausen Pass is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting Altdorf in canton Jüri and Limthal in canton Glarus. Open from late spring to early mid-autumn, and you know what season I would recommend by now. You can start exploring from the parking lot on Glarus’s side.
From there, you will see several trails heading uphill, like Make Your Peak. All of them are amazing. There are scenic views of the landscape from the top of the cliffs over Klausen Pass.
Those are incredible. The early risers will have a special kick because, especially in the summer, the best experience would be roughly in June, when the sun rises directly in front of the pass on the Glarus site. Of course, if you have a chance to make some coffee or bring some food, have a picnic. In our case, we made fresh coffee.
We brewed fresh coffee and had a cup of coffee overlooking the landscape. This was amazing.
10. Rheinschlucht
Finally, last but not least,
A region with the curious name of Rheinschlucht, also known as the Swiss Grand Canyon, Yes, there is such a thing as the Grand Canyon of Switzerland. This path follows the Rhine River through Rheinschlucht, nicknamed the Swiss Grand Canyon.
That’s exactly what you’re seeing right now. The limestone walls lining the gorge have lots of interesting, craggy, and beautiful rock formations. Here you can also ride a vintage open-air train, which is an experience in and of itself.
And there is a terrific viewing platform offering a fantastic view over the gorge and plenty of great restaurants.
And that would be all that I wanted to share with you about the top 10 hikes in Switzerland.
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