Where to find Hiking trail maps in Switzerland

Hello!

My wife and I are planning a two-week trip to Switzerland at the end of August. We both love hiking and being outdoors, so we can't wait for our trip so we can hit the trails in Switzerland. One spot of trouble I've been having is finding a good online resource for hiking trail maps in various regions so I can plan some of our hikes.

We're both experienced hikers (but not climbers) who spend most of our summers hiking. We love difficult and long day-hikes. (For reference, we hiked Yosemite's Half Dome in a day starting from the trail head in Yosemite Valley. Sorry, but we can't give you any more local references since we have only hiked in the United States.)

I'm wondering if anyone in the forums here has recommendations for can't-miss hikes we should do in Luzern, Berner Oberland or near Zermatt. Also if there's a website or recommended trail book we can purchase online with trail maps and descriptions, we'd really appreciate finding out where we can find that information!

Thank you in advance for your help!

- Rob

Hi Rob,

You can find many hikes, including maps, in our hiking section. More online maps can be found on wanderland.ch.

Just let me know if this doesn't help you out!

Re: Hiking trail maps: Bernese Oberland

my husband and I are going to do the same in September.

Swiss Bernese Oberland ( travel guide) by P and L Alspach has helped a lot!

Also, www.wvrt.ch

the above website had a lot of info on hikes around Mt Rigi ( Lucerne )

A lot of reference comes from my parents who hiked many times in Switzerland years ago. We are not going to the region but I know he loved the Strada deli alpi ( in the southeast)? We are hiking one day at Rigi, and then the rest around Lauterbrunnen, Magislap, grindenwald, murren, Meiringen.

Annika-

The link to Switzerland Mobility (wanderland.ch) is a really good one. I'm sure that you know that, or you would not recommend it. ;-)

I use that site all the time, not just for hikes, but for cycling, boat schedules, and almost any mode of transportation you can think of.

Since I am not Swiss, I slow down a lot when hiking uphill. ;-)

So, the height profiles given for hiking routes are very useful for me.

<<" I prefer to have a paper map with me while hiking,">>

So do I.

The topographic maps from the Bundesamt für Landestopographie are really well done, and so easy to find.

I use the 1:50,000 Wanderkarten (with the Wanderwege marked on them in red as published) for general coverage, but if I expect to need careful navigation, I get the 1:25,000 topos, and mark the trail on them by referring to the Wanderkarten. So, I often do my actual hiking from the 1:25,000 series, but I have in a way converted them to Wanderkarten.

Many friends laugh at me for being fussy and just follow the yellow Wanderwege signs, but I like to see my choices on a map when I come to an intersection with a lot of trails. Especially in hilly terrain. See attachments.

I have learned that my knees and my stamina are not the equal of the normal Swiss hiker. As far as I can tell, based on the times on the signs, Swiss hikers walk uphill or downhill about as fast as they walk on a level path. Not me. ;-)

Fred

Hi there,

I also have knees and stamina issue. May you suggest the suitable trails for Jungfrau and Zermatt hiking.

Thank you

jpatyl2003 said:

Hi there,

I also have knees and stamina issue. May you suggest the suitable trails for Jungfrau and Zermatt hiking.

Thank you

Annika mentioned the Switzerland Mobility web site earlier in this thread (wanderland.ch).

That site is really useful for planning because it gives you height profiles and topo maps.

Also, there is a long thread in this forum about Easy Hikes near Wengen started by AndyJen. Take a look at that.

No comments about Zermatt...I've only been there briefly and not hiked in the area.

jpatyl2003: I suppose you prefer gradual downhill walks then. The terrain around Zermatt is pretty rough, but valley walks like Furi to Zermatt could suit your needs.

Walking at the Moosalp, which is not near Zermatt but in the region, is pretty easy. Gspon to Giw is an option too.

Hi Slowpoke and Annika,

Appreciate the replies. Yes, going downhill is a challenge for me. I will check AndyJen's posting on the Jungfrau region hikes.

We wish to visit lake Riffelsee from Gornergrat . Will the hike be easy?

Thank you

Hi jpatyl2003,

If you prefer uphill walks then consider the ones I suggested in the other direction. Walking from Gornergrat to the Riffelsee is a 330 m descent. If you get off the train in Rotenboden, the last stop before Gornergrat, it's just 60 m down to the lake. And here's another hike in that area.

klimbaugh said: Remember...Swiss trails are very well marked. Like nothing else on earth. Very good signage. No chance of getting lost if you follow the yellow diamonds. We've been living in Switzerland for a few years now and happily take off on paths knowing that the signage will always show the way. remember to stop every so often and take in the view. It's breathtaking.

However, the yellow diamonds won't tell you the altitude changes.

What do you do if you come to this sign below(posted earlier also) and don't want to have a serous climb, up or down? That is where paper maps or Switzerland Mobility (as you mentioned above) can save your knees, or, possibly, even your neck. Less of an issue in the Emmental, but, when you're in the Alps, you need more information than just the Wanderweg sign. And, even in the Emmental, "die Eggen und die Graben" ( the steep hills and valleys) can be pretty noticeable.