Beautiful snowshoe hikes in Switzerland

Any footpath and almost any easy hiking route are suitable for snowshoeing. It’s best to choose a signposted winter hiking trail. These are marked in pink in the SchweizMobil app, for example, and signposts on the ground are also pink. We’ve put together a few snowshoe tours for inspiration below.

Please make sure to check the avalanche risk when making your plans before setting off and pack the necessary avalanche equipment. You can find good information on this in the latest avalanche bulletin, for example. Also keep in mind that it gets dark early in winter: you should be back by dusk at the latest. Remember that, with snowshoes on your feet, you’ll be slower than you would be in summer without them.

The Jura Crest Trail in winter

The Jura Crest Trail is known for its wonderful views of Lake Geneva and the Alps – and some of them are even more impressive when the trees are bare of leaves. You can focus on Anita’s three favourite sections or choose legs that work for you. The Crest Trail is also ideal for a multi-day snowshoe hike.

Snowshoeing in Amden

True, this snowshoe tour in Amden is a popular route – but it’s also simply stunning and easy to get to. You’ll see the snow-capped Churfirsten, catch a glimpse of Toggenburg and enjoy the deep blue of Walensee lake. The snowshoe hike is quite lengthy and covers almost nine kilometres, so allow at least four hours to complete it.

Snowshoe tours on Melchsee-Frutt

Melchsee-Frutt is a good starting point for snowshoe hikes, with everything from short circular tours lasting about an hour and a half and longer ones where you’re out and about all day. One beautiful snowshoe hike leads to the Bonistock. This tour is more suitable for experienced snowshoers. Give yourself plenty of time: the route spans 9 kilometres and covers a decent amount of altitude, too. But the view is worth it – depending on the weather, you’ll be able to see from the Trift glacier to Pilatus.

Three-day snowshoe tour in Valais

Are you a fit, experienced snowshoer? How about a multi-day snowshoe tour, then? This tour sets off from Alpe Devero in Italy before continuing over a plateau and the Albun Pass to the Binntal valley in Valais: it’s a quiet route that not many people know about. Our partner Höhenfieber mountaineering school also offers the tour as a guided snowshoe hike.

Snowshoeing in the Grisons

The tour starts in Segnas, initially along the valley descent. After about 15 minutes, the route turns off and leads up to the Run Cunel hut. It continues over the Maiensässen (alpine hut) in Prau Sura, before the descent to Mompe Tujetsch begins. Finally, the snowshoe hike leads back to Segnas.

Chüematte Trail – a snowshoe hike in the Bernese Oberland

With views of Lake Thun, the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, you’ll be hiking through a truly picturesque landscape on this snowshoe tour, which starts at the middle station of the Niederhornbahn near Beatenberg and ends in Waldegg. Good planning is important – you’ll be covering a distance of 11 kilometres and gain 440 metres in altitude, which will take you around five hours without a break.

Toggenburg – snowshoeing to Alp Sellamatt

On the Sellamatt-Zinggen trail, prepare to be amazed: when ascending, you’ll have a view of the Churfirsten, and when descending, a view of Alpstein and Säntis. The tour starts on Alp Sellamatt, below Chäserugg. The cable car takes you from Alt St. Johann to the Alp at 1,400 metres.

Snowshoe tour in Stoos – to the top of Fronalpstock

This snowshoe tour requires endurance – with almost 600 metres of altitude to conquer. But the effort is worth it. A mountain panorama of Central Switzerland opens up on the Fronalpstock, and on clear days, you can see 10 lakes from the summit. You can return either by the same route or by chairlift.

Snowshoeing on Cheibehorn near Lenk

From Erlenbach, take the Stockhorn cable car to Chrindi middle station. The winter hiking trail takes you to the Hinterstockenalp area, where the snowshoe tour begins. An elevation gain of 540 metres leads to the Cheibehorn, and at the top you can see the Bernese Alps and the Gantrisch mountain chain. Plan around 4 hours for the circular trail.