As I mentioned in my last post, the Swiss Family Domecks spent the weekend of Swiss National Day in Zermatt. Thanks to the incredible magnetism of the Matterhorn mountain and half a dozen ways to reach the peaks surrounding this once-small-town in Canton Valais, Zermatt has become a major focal point for tourists visiting Switzerland.
If you want to enjoy the Swiss Alps by hiking around Zermatt, then consider tackling these trails for your fix of mountain glory: the Five Lakes Walk, the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, and the Botanical Nature Trail.
Per the guidelines set by the Swiss Hiking Trail Federation, all three of these trails are considered hikes of “Medium Difficulty.” For the purposes of this article, I have laid them out from easiest to most strenuous. Also, the time allotments mentioned are for actual walking times and do not include stops for photoshoots, picnics, or afternoon naps.
THREE SCENIC TRAILS OF ZERMATT
The Five Lakes Walk (5-Seenweg)
What is likely the most popular trail in the entire Zermatt region for its photogenic character and accessibility, the Five Lakes Walk wanders by – you guessed it – five mountain lakes: Stellisee, Grindjisee, Grünsee, Moosjisee and Leisee. The trail is a 9.3 kilometer course that takes about 2.5 hours to walk at an average pace. With incredible views of the Matterhorn, however, consider factoring in more time to your hike in order to take it all in.
To reach the trail, first take the Sunnegga-Rothorn funicular up to Sunnegga (it’s a 3 minute ride through the mountain). Then, continue your journey up the Rothorn ridge via the Blauherd gondola lift. For ticket prices, visit the Zermatt Bergbahnen website here.
The Five Lakes Walk begins from the top of the Blauherd lift at 2578m – the trail’s highest point of elevation – and zig zags down and across the valley, eventually looping back up to Sunnegga. If you decide to do the hike in reverse, then give yourself an additional 30 minutes of walking to account for the trail’s overall ascension.
Each of the five lakes has its own unique appeal. Some are great for swimming in the summertime and some have spectacular views of the Matterhorn. Because of its perfect alignment with the famous peak, I believe that the Stellisee (the first lake) is probably the most photographed and most recognizable of the five.
The Five Lakes Walk is very family friendly. Of my three Zermatt trails, it is the easiest as it’s mostly a downhill ramble and almost half of the path follows a gravel road. The trail does require an ascent from the Moosjisee up to the Leisee and Sunnegga that’s unavoidable but thankfully not too long. If you want to postpone that uphill trek, veer off at the Moosjisee and follow signs to Findeln where you can rest and refresh your strength at Chez Vrony, a fabulous restaurant with a spectacular view of the Matterhorn.
If you only have time to do one hike while in Zermatt, take a day to enjoy this path at a leisurely pace and soak up the majesty of the Matterhorn as you stroll along. For more details about the Five Lakes Walk, visit the Zermatt Tourism website here.
The Matterhorn Glacier Trail
High above the village of Zermatt, the Matterhorn Glacier Trail presents hikers with scenery that seems to belong in another world. Spanning 6.5 kilometers and taking about two hours to complete, this high altitude trail starts at just over 2,900 meters and descends to 2,500 meters, making it more difficult than the Five Lakes Walk simply from the sheer levels of elevation. But with a steady and slower pace, I was able to hike this trail at 35 weeks pregnant – and I’m so glad I did!
To reach the beginning of the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, you start at the Zermatt-Furi station at the very end of town, where a line of gondolas will carry you all the way up to Trockener Steg. The ride itself is quite enchanting, but it will cost you a pretty penny (click here for lift prices). Of course, you can always start in Zermatt and hike up without a gondola… but I’d say this ride is totally worth the price of admission.
The trailhead begins just outside the Trockener Steg mountain station, where immediately you’re thrown into a world of rock and ice. The lunar-like landscape under the shadow of the Matterhorn is a fascinating terrain to traverse and provides a sharp contrast to the green valleys far below.
The glaring Furgg and Theodu glaciers stretch upward just above the trail line, where chair lifts carry skiers to the uppermost ridge that serves as the border between Switzerland and Italy. (Yes, you can actually ski in Switzerland and Italy all in the same day!) The glaciers have retreated some three kilometers since 1850, leaving behind a rugged field of raw earth.
The trail leads hikers across the eastern bowl of the Matterhorn peak. After trekking across the bleak expanse and making your way up to the Hirli lift station, you re-enter a world where green grass grows. Yet, glimpses of the Gorner Glacier off to the east remind you that you are still high in the Alps.
The Matterhorn Glacier Trail ends at the Schwarzsee. From the Schwarzee, hikers can continue walking back down to Zermatt (which takes about 2-3 more hours depending on your route) or catch the gondola from the Schwarzee gondola station. For more details about the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, visit the Zermatt Tourism website here.
The Botanical Nature Trail (Botanischer Lehrpfad)
Although this path does not include any views of the Matterhorn, the Botanical Nature Trail is an absolute delight for flower enthusiasts. However, it is the most rigorous trail of the three, as it is almost entirely an uphill battle to the final destination, Trift. Frequent hikers may enjoy the challenge of this trail more than the other two, as this one is certainly a workout!
The Botanical Nature Trail begins in Zermatt town and rises 850+ meters in just 3.9 kilometers through a valley cut by the river of melting snow from the glaciers high above. Compared to the rocky world of the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, the valley is a haven for life, covered with lush vegetation and teeming with tiny critters.
Alpine flowers are the star of this hike, and information panels about the various species of flora are spread across the uphill climb. Many rare and protected species, such as the Apollo butterfly and Edelweiss blossom, call this valley home. I was in heaven with all of these natural delights!
The final destination of the Botanical Nature Trail is the Hotel du Trift, a colorful character stationed at the start of a high mountain meadow. The Hotel du Trift sits at a crossroads for several different hiking and mountain biking trails, and it’s a popular hangout spot on the weekends. Try their homemade iced tea and fresh apple tart, a satisfying treat after the 2.25+ hour journey.
Another reward for hiking uphill is that returning to Zermatt is all downhill, taking only a fraction of the time! For more details about the Botanical Nature Trail, visit the Zermatt Tourism website here.
The trail does pass by the Bergrestaurant and Pension Edelweiss, which is perched on a rocky overlook just above Zermatt. We stayed here for the night and enjoyed watching night fall over the city.
The next morning, we headed back down to Zermatt and hopped on a train for home in Zurich, thankful for such a great time in the mountains but a bit sad to say goodbye. (And I was especially reluctant to retire my hiking boots for my self-imposed “hiking maternity leave.”)
Zermatt is a delightful Swiss city. And as much as I love that little tourist town, I love the mountains even more, which stretch out in all directions and invite you to explore their majesty at your own pace. And that is something I truly hope you can do!
Hello, Fellow Mountain Lovers! What do you think about these hikes in Zermatt? Have you been to this Swiss city before? Do you have any other great hikes in the region to recommend?
Dr. Jack Share says
Great site! Very enjoyable. Well written. Photos excellent. Question for you: Is the Botanical Nature Trail out of season in September for flowers? Thanks! Jack
Hailey says
Hi Jack!
Thanks so much for your compliments :) I’m glad you are enjoying Global Heartbeat Travel!
We hiked the Botanical Nature Trail on August 1, and it was gorgeous. I’m guessing that you would still find a fair amount of blooms in September, if it’s early enough, but I can’t say for sure. Either way, it’s a beautiful uphill hike and I’d still do it again – even in September! You could reach out to the Zermatt Tourism Board to see if they could give you a better prediction.
Happy Trails,
Hailey
Christine Gilgannon says
Hi Hailey, I completed the Matterhorn Glacier Trail yesterday. It was absolutely stunning! I only came across your website after the walk. Your descriptions are spot on. We first walked up to the Gandegghutte to have a closer view of the glaciers before starting the actual trail – definitely worth the detour!
However, I do think it might be helpful, for your readers, to add the importance of keeping track of your time when stopping for a break or to take photos. One loses a sense of time especially when the sun is shining and the views are spectacular. Some of the gondolas only run till about 4:45pm. It could be an expensive night in a hut (if there is room!) stuck on the mountain or have another 2-3 hours descent. We just made it onto the last gondola going down – my son ran ahead and the lovely operator waited for me as I struggled up the last few inclines. Was it worth it? Absolutely! This trail exceeded my expectations!
Thanks for your great hiking info!
Hailey says
Hi Christine – thanks for leaving a comment and a great note! We’ve had several last-gondola or missed-gondola experiences while hiking ourselves, and it certainly adds another layer of adventure :)
I am glad you had such a great hike and enjoyed your time in the Zermatt area. It truly is special!!
You should know better says
Rare flowers… that you then selfishly picked all so you could post a photo on your blog.
Hailey says
Rare indeed! The one photo of a flower we “picked” was from a half-trampled stalk already on the hiking path. All of the other flowers featured on this blog post are planted firmly in the ground (at least, as I passed by them). Thank you and happy trails.
Shanks says
Hello! Do you know if these trails will be open to the public in May?
Hailey says
Hi Shanks – I just checked the Zermatt tourism homepage, and it says that the 5 lakes are accessible. I bet there is still a decent amount of snow up on the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, and if that’s the case, I wouldn’t recommend hiking that one as you could get off the trail easily. However, the 5 Lakes Trail and the trail up to Trift should be fairly well marked in May and have only patches of snow (if any). I do know there was a significant amount of late-season snow this year (2019), so it really depends on when in May you want to go hiking. Just check in with the tourism office by the train station and double check for open trails. Enjoy your time in Switzerland’s most epic landscape!
Ian says
i would love to have a go at these walks. I have some difficulty when exposed to precipitous height (vertical drops) and in general I would say I am to some extent scared of heights, though I can use gondolas
would these walks present me with a problem?
Hailey says
Hi Ian,
You ask a great question that I’m sure a lot of my readers would like to know the answer to! Of these three specific hikes in the Zermatt area, I would say that those with a fear of heights could definitely do the Five Lakes Walk and, unless they have severe cases of fear, the Botanical Nature Trail as well. To start the Five Lakes, you have to take the funicular up to Sunnegga. But since it’s underground, you can’t see any elevation change. I don’t recall any steep drops along the entire path, just great views of the Matterhorn :) And the Botanical Nature Trail is very easy to follow, and although it’s a bit narrow at times (where no more than two people could walk side by side) and does pass through a ravine, the slope is not frighteningly steep.
Doing the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, on the other hand, may not be the best option for folks with fear of heights. It requires a long gondola ride up to Trockener Steg, and it does cover some uneven terrain that can be a bit scary for those who aren’t so sure-footed. If you can handle the gondola ride part way, a trip up to the Schwarzsee (Black Lake) rewards you with an up close view of the Matterhorn and a restaurant to eat and drink your fears away!
I hope this helps! Best wishes and safe travels to you!
Hailey