Switzerland’s alpine landscape offers hikers an unparalleled combination of pristine mountain scenery, excellent trail infrastructure, and convenient access via the country’s comprehensive public transportation system. From gentle lakeside paths to challenging high-altitude routes, Swiss hiking opportunities cater to every experience level while showcasing the nation’s extraordinary natural beauty.
Here is a list of 20 magnificent hiking trails across Switzerland that demonstrate why this compact country ranks among the world’s premier destinations for outdoor enthusiasts.
The Eiger Trail
This dramatic path traces the north face of the infamous Eiger mountain, providing close-up views of the intimidating 5,900-foot vertical wall that has challenged climbers since the 1930s. The trail begins at Eigergletscher station, accessible via the Jungfrau railway, and descends gently toward Alpiglen with the massive rock face looming overhead throughout the route.
Hikers often witness climbers attempting the challenging north face route, adding human drama to the already spectacular mountain scenery.
Five Lakes Hike, Zermatt
This moderately challenging route connects five alpine lakes, each offering different but equally stunning reflections of the iconic Matterhorn pyramid. Starting from Sunnegga, reached via funicular from Zermatt, the path traverses flower-filled meadows and rocky slopes while maintaining constant views of Switzerland’s most photographed mountain.
The lakes’ varying colors—from emerald green to deep blue—result from different minerals and depths, creating natural mirrors that capture the Matterhorn from multiple angles.
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Lauterbrunnen Valley Floor
This gentle walk follows the valley floor beneath 72 cascading waterfalls that pour from vertical limestone cliffs rising nearly 3,000 feet on either side. The easy, flat path connects the village of Lauterbrunnen with Stechelberg, passing traditional wooden chalets with flower-adorned balconies and small farms where cows graze peacefully.
The constant sound of falling water creates a soothing soundtrack for this accessible hike, which inspired J.R.R. Tolkien’s vision of the elven realm of Rivendell in The Lord of the Rings.
Aletsch Glacier Panorama Trail
This high-altitude path offers uninterrupted views of the largest glacier in the Alps, stretching nearly 14 miles long and containing 27 billion tons of ice. Beginning at Moosfluh, accessed via cable car from Riederalp, the trail traverses a ridge above the massive ice flow with information panels explaining the glacier’s formation and ongoing retreat due to climate change.
The contrast between snow-capped peaks, dark pine forests, and the flowing river of ice creates a landscape of extraordinary visual power.
Monte Generoso Summit Circuit
This panoramic loop atop Monte Generoso in Ticino, Switzerland’s Italian-speaking canton, offers views extending from the Alps to the Apennines across Lake Lugano’s blue waters. The trail circles the summit area, passing through alpine meadows filled with rare wildflowers that benefit from the mountain’s unique microclimate, where Mediterranean and alpine influences converge.
Mario Botta’s “Fiore di Pietra” (Stone Flower) architectural masterpiece serves as a stunning trailhead building, housing a restaurant with 360-degree vistas through floor-to-ceiling windows.
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Gemmi Pass Historic Trail
This ancient trading route has connected the cantons of Bern and Valais since Roman times, crossing a high mountain pass that once served as the only link between these regions. The path ascends via a series of tight switchbacks carved into nearly vertical limestone cliffs, a remarkable feat of historic trail engineering that continues to impress modern hikers.
The pass area features a mountain lake whose mirror-like surface reflects surrounding peaks, creating perfect photo opportunities before continuing toward Leukerbad or Kandersteg.
Swiss Path on Lake Uri
Created to commemorate Switzerland’s 700th anniversary, this accessible shoreline trail traces the southern edge of Lake Uri, the eastern arm of Lake Lucerne. The route connects communities where the Swiss Confederation began in 1291, with trail sections representing each canton, proportional to their population.
Wooden platforms extend over the water at several points, offering intimate perspectives of the deep blue lake against a backdrop of mountains rising directly from the shore.
Creux du Van Circular Trail
This natural rock amphitheater in the Jura Mountains features a horseshoe-shaped cliff dropping 520 feet vertically to a forested valley floor. The upper trail follows the rim of this geological wonder, with secure fencing at viewpoints allowing hikers to appreciate the dramatic void beneath their feet safely.
Alpine wildlife, including ibex and chamois, inhabit the area, while circling birds of prey ride thermal updrafts at eye level with observers along the cliff edge.
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Hardergrat Ridge Trail
This demanding knife-edge ridge traverse between Interlaken and Brienz offers experienced hikers nearly 14 miles of exhilarating, narrow trail with continuous panoramic views. The path rarely exceeds six feet in width, with steep drops on both sides creating a thrilling route that demands full attention to foot placement and weather conditions.
The reward for this challenging hike includes uninterrupted views of the turquoise waters of Lake Brienz 4,500 feet below, contrasting dramatically with the surrounding alpine peaks.
Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge Circuit
This loop trail incorporates the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge, stretching 1,620 feet across the deep Grabengufer ravine near Zermatt. The slender bridge hangs 278 feet above the valley floor, providing an exhilarating crossing with views toward the Matterhorn and numerous 13,000-foot peaks surrounding the Matter Valley.
The wider circuit offers a perfect day hike through alpine meadows, with the bridge serving as both a thrilling centerpiece and a practical connector between two sections of the Europaweg long-distance trail.
Via Ferrata Murren-Gimmelwald
This protected climbing route combines hiking with secured rock climbing, allowing moderately experienced hikers to traverse terrain normally accessible only to technical climbers. Steel cables, metal rungs, and platforms fixed to the rock face provide continuous safety connections for properly equipped hikers wearing appropriate harnesses and via ferrata gear.
Midway through the journey, the route passes directly beside a roaring waterfall, creating a multi-sensory experience that contrasts the solid security of the rock with the chaotic energy of falling water.
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Monte San Salvatore Panoramic Loop
This accessible circuit near Lugano provides a perfect introduction to Swiss hiking, combining manageable trails with extraordinary views of Lake Lugano and the surrounding mountains. The route begins with a funicular ascent of Monte San Salvatore, followed by a gently descending path through chestnut forests and picturesque villages back to the lakeshore.
Multiple viewpoints showcasing different perspectives of the lake’s irregular shoreline make this an ideal photography hike with ample opportunities to capture the unique blending of Mediterranean and alpine landscapes.
Gastlosen Tour
This circular route around the jagged limestone ridge known as the “Swiss Dolomites” traverses varied landscapes including alpine meadows, pine forests, and rocky terrain. The trail passes beneath towering rock spires popular with technical climbers, whose colorful equipment provides scale to the massive vertical rock faces soaring overhead.
Along the way, traditional mountain huts offer refreshments and regional specialties like alpine cheese, which is produced from cattle grazing in the surrounding pastures.
Jungfrau Eiger Walk
This high-altitude trail connects mountain stations along the Jungfrau railway and offers exceptional views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau—Switzerland’s most famous mountain trio. The well-maintained path traverses rocky terrain interspersed with patches of snow even in summer months, creating a true alpine experience without technical difficulty.
The route passes research stations monitoring climate change through glacier measurements, providing educational context about environmental changes affecting the region.
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Oeschinensee Alpine Circuit
This spectacular mountain lake nestled beneath towering limestone cliffs glows with an otherworldly turquoise color derived from glacial minerals. The circuit path climbs above the lake to provide elevated perspectives of its remarkable color and setting, with sections traversing flower-filled alpine meadows where bell-wearing dairy cows create a soundtrack that completes the quintessential Swiss atmosphere.
Multiple waterfalls feed the lake from the surrounding cliff faces, their white ribbons contrasting with dark rock and the lake’s luminous waters.
Lavaux Vineyard Terraces
This UNESCO World Heritage site features 2,000 acres of stone-walled vineyard terraces cascading down steep slopes to Lake Geneva’s shores. The marked paths wind between vineyard parcels that date to the 12th century, passing through medieval wine-growing villages with numerous tasting opportunities at local cellars.
The combination of geometric vineyard patterns, deep blue lake waters, and distant Alpine views creates a landscape that showcases human agricultural harmony with natural topography.
Reichenbach Falls Trail
Literary history converges with natural splendor at these massive falls, where fictional detective Sherlock Holmes famously confronted Professor Moriarty in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories. The trail ascends alongside the powerful series of cascades, with viewing platforms strategically placed to appreciate different sections of the falls as they thunder through narrow rock channels.
The historic funicular railway, operating since 1899, provides an optional return journey, offering a period-appropriate conclusion to this literary pilgrimage.
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Uetliberg to Felsenegg Ridge Walk
This accessible ridge traverse connects two of Zurich’s local mountains via the “Planetary Path,” a scale model of the solar system spread along the route. The well-marked trail offers continuous views across Lake Zurich, the city, and the distant Alps while passing through varied forest ecosystems only minutes from Switzerland’s largest urban center.
Multiple transportation options at either end make this an ideal introduction to Swiss hiking, demonstrating how easily accessible mountain experiences remain even from major cities.
Haute Route Alpine Pass
This legendary multi-day route between Chamonix and Zermatt crosses multiple mountain passes through some of the Alps’ most dramatic landscapes. Though traditionally completed as a multi-day trek with mountain hut accommodations, day hikers can experience sections near Arolla that showcase the route’s spectacular alpine scenery.
Snow-covered passes contrasting with green valleys demonstrate the diverse microclimates encountered when crossing watershed boundaries between major Alpine regions.
Swiss National Park Circuit
Switzerland’s only national park in the Engadine region preserves an untouched alpine environment where nature proceeds without human intervention. The well-marked trail network allows observation of this protected ecosystem, with opportunities to spot ibex, chamois, marmots, and bearded vultures in their natural habitat.
Educational information along the routes explains the park’s unique approach to conservation, allowing natural processes, including avalanches and forest fires, to shape the landscape without management intervention.
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Alpine Excellence
These twenty hikes represent merely an introduction to Switzerland’s extraordinary network of over 40,000 miles of marked trails. The country’s compact size, combined with excellent public transportation connections to trailheads, allows visitors to experience dramatically different landscapes within remarkably short distances.
Whether seeking challenging high-altitude adventures or gentle paths through pastoral landscapes, Switzerland offers hiking experiences that combine natural beauty, cultural interest, and practical accessibility in perfect Alpine harmony.
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