Hiking in Zermatt in April/May 2020

Short summary – read this first

A traveler is planning a trip to Italy in late April or early May and wants to add 3-4 days in Switzerland, focusing on Zermatt after recently enjoying hiking around Grindelwald. They are curious if trails will be accessible and if hiking is feasible during this transition period from winter to summer.

Key takeaways:
  • Be cautious about hiking in Zermatt during late April to early May as many trails might still be closed due to ongoing skiing season.
  • Consider exploring hiking options in other regions like Ticino or Central Switzerland where trails are usually open during this time.
  • Research ‘Winterwanderweg’ for information on cleared snow trails in Switzerland, which could enhance your hiking experience.
➤ We can plan your Switzerland trip for you. Save time and avoid mistakes! See how it works
InfoAI-generated summary
  • Hughandlisa1
    Participant
    45 posts
    3 October 2019 at 13:57:26 #824077

    My wife and I are in the planning stages for a trip to Italy in late April or early May. We would like to add 3 or 4 days to the trip and go to Switzerland. We are very familiar with the BO area as we just spent 5 days there last month. We are avid hikers and loved the hiking around Grindelwald. We’re thinking about Zermatt. Will the lower and mid range trails be under snow at this time? Will there be “boot trails” at the higher elevations? Is hiking at this time doable?

    Thank you in advance for your help!

  • User
    Inactive
    83503 posts
    Reply 1 of 3 • 3 October 2019 at 23:23:32 #923119

    Skiing in Zermatt usually continues into mid April so late April / early May is the transition period in Zermatt, so it is a risky time to visit for hiking as some trails may still be closed as the switch is made from ‘winter’ to ‘summer’ mode.

    By ‘boot trails’ I’m assuming you are referring to cleared trails through snow. If so these are what the Swiss call ‘Winterwanderweg’ so use that word if you are researching

    Plan your Switzerland itinerary the easy way

    ➤ Skip the planning stress. We’ve traveled in Switzerland for years and will design your custom, independent journey from scratch. See how it works

    Anna
    Moderator
    7727 posts
    Reply 2 of 3 • 4 October 2019 at 3:39:39 #923120

    Hi Hughandlisa1,

    First of all, I totally agree with 1960man, in April/May most of the hiking trails in Zermatt may still be closed. Hiking season in this area is from about late June through mid-October, weather permitting.
    Here’s a few links related to hiking in Zermatt to help you in your planning and research.

    http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/rotenboden-riffelalp
    http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/riffelalp-sunnegga
    http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/furi-zermatt
    http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/zermatt

    For your side trip to Switzerland, perhaps you could also look into hiking in regions other than Zermatt. For example, in areas like Ticino or Central Switzerland, late April or early May is the start of the hiking season
    http://www.myswissalps.com/ti cino/activities
    http://www.myswissalps.com/ce ntralswitzerland/activ ities

    Be sure to browse this link for more details and hiking trail options in the Swiss Alps
    http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king

    Anna

    Hughandlisa1
    Participant
    45 posts
    Reply 3 of 3 • 4 October 2019 at 11:03:33 #923121

    Thank you for your replies

  • The thread ‘Hiking in Zermatt in April/May 2020’ is closed to new replies.

About MySwissAlps

We’re passionate tourists and locals. We share tips about how to plan a trip to Switzerland. MySwissAlps was founded in 2002.

Get a free account for a worry-free trip

  • Join our 9050 members and ask us questions in the forum
  • Access to member-only promotions
  • Detailed maps and weather forecasts

Planning your first Switzerland adventure?

Get a jump-start with Annika’s 20-minute e-mail course, “Switzerland for beginners”. Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock the course.