This popular winter trail traverses a beautiful mountain in the Prättigau region near Davos. It’s delightfully quiet hike, away from the busy ski hills.
Although there are some sections in the forest, there are plenty of wide open panorama views of the surrounding mountains. No gondola required here as your feet do the work getting you up and down the mountain.
| Region: | Graubünden |
| Trail start: | St Antönien, Platz bus stop |
| Trail end: | Pany, Dorf bus stop |
| Car: | Park in Pany (Panyerstrasse 39, 7243 Pany), then bus to trail start From Zürich – 1hr30 |
| Public transport: | Train to Kublis, then bus to St Antönien, Platz bus stop From Zürich – 2hr10 |
| Trail: | 10.4 one way, about 3 hours |
| Elevation: | highest point 1764m |
| Physical difficulty: | moderate, 350m up, 500m down |
| Trail condition: | easy, groomed snow, marked trail |
| Services: | a couple restaurants along the trail |
| Cost: | bus fare CHF 4.40 to connect ends of trail |
| Open: | mid-December through early March, snow dependent |
| More info: | www.praettigau.info • webcams • weather |
Location
This winter hike is in southeast Switzerland, near Davos (see on Google Maps). You can drive or take a bus directly to the trail, no gondola needed.
Overview
Here’s the winter map for this region.
Trail map
This winter hike is a one way trail, starting in St. Antönien and ending at Pany, route 327. The snow is groomed so you don’t need snowshoes. It took our family (with two teens) 2hr35 walking time, 3hr15 total time on the trail.
See trail map on Komoot • SchweizMobil • OutdoorActive
Trail description
The first 2km is up a lightly used mountain road to the top of the St Antönien ski lift, gaining about 180m of elevation. In winter, this road is regularly plowed or free of snow if temperatures are warm. Then you join the groomed snow winter hiking trail, in and out of the forest for about 1.5km.
At about the 3.4m mark (1hr of hiking), you reach reach a wide open plain with mountain views in every direction. This is a good place to rest on the benches and have a snack. The snowshoe trail forks off here. Continue following the pink 327 to Pany. A few minutes after the open plain at about 5km, you reach the highest part of the climb and you descend for the rest of the hike.
At about the 6km mark, you reach the Bodähütte mountain restaurant, where many walkers seemed to take a break. At around 8km, you leave the groomed path and join a mountain road that leads down to Pany. Again this road is either plowed regularly or free of snow. At around 9.5km, you reach the bottom of the Pany ski lift, where there is a restaurant and toilet. There is also a bus stop here if you want to end your hike. But the bus only comes once an hour and it’s only a 10 min walk on the road down to your car and the main bus stop.
Trail alternatives
More winter hikes in the Prättigau area.
Snowshoe trail: The 567 snowshoe trail shares the first half of this trail, but branches off and ends in a different village. It’s 9k, 600m up, 660m down. See trail info.
Opening times
Assuming enough snow, this trail is groomed and maintained by the local village from late December through the second week of March. After that, the trail may still be in good condition for walking for another week or two depending on the snow conditions. But the snow will not be groomed by machines.
Getting there
This is a one way hike. The ends of the hike are connecting by a bus that runs at least once per hour.
By public transport: To start the hike, take train to Kublis, then bus 222 to St Antönien, Platz bus stop. This bus runs on the xx:16 and xx:52 in the mornings and afternoons, only on the xx:16 at mid-day. See the current schedule.
At the end of the hike, you’ll pass the Pany, Skilift bus stop. Bus 218 picks up here on the xx:48 and takes you a short ride to Pany, Dorf. There you change to bus 222, which takes you to Kublis train station. If you miss the bus at Pany, Skilift, it’s a 10 min walk down the road to the Pany, Dorf bus stop, where the bus leaves at xx:57 (and on the xx:27 in the late afternoon). See current schedule.
By car: Drive to Pany and park in the metered spots in front of the Gemeindehaus (Panyerstrasse 39, 7243 Pany). Parking costs CHF 1/hr. You can pay with coins or mobile app (ParkingPay or EasyPark).
Across the street is the Pany, Dorf bus stop, where you can catch bus 222 to St Antönien, Platz (12 min ride), where your hike starts. On winter weekends & holidays, this bus runs on the xx:05 and xx:29 in the mornings and afternoons, only at xx:29 during mid-day. See the current schedule. In 2022, a one-way bus ticket costs CHF 4.40, regular travel card discounts apply.
The hike ends where you parked your car in Pany.
What to bring and wear
The snow on this trail is groomed, so you only need comfortable hiking shoes, preferably waterproof with good tread. The terrain is easy, but you may like hiking sticks for the steeper sections. You should wear warm layers appropriate to the weather forecast.
See also What to pack & wear on a winter hike
Where to eat
There is a Volg grocery near the bus stops at both ends of the trail, if you want to buy picnic supplies. At the top of the St. Antonien ski lift, you’ll find the Elchhüttä cafe next to the ski hill (see on map).
After about 6km, you’ll pass the Bodähütte mountain restaurant (see on map). It’s a short 5 min detour off the main trail, just follow the signs. Apparently, you can pick up a sled for free at the hut and sled 1.4 km down to Ronggaletz, a short walk from the Pany ski lift. We didn’t do it, so I can’t tell you much more about the sledding.
Near the end of the hike, you’ll reach the Pany ski lift where you’ll find the Gueggelstein restaurant (see on map).
Photo story of the trail
Getting to the trail head
Driving up the narrow road to the Pany village. Watch out for oncoming buses and give them plenty of room to pass.
Arriving in Pany village. There is metered parking in front of the Gemeindehaus, the big brown building straight ahead in this picture. There is a free toilet there. The Volg is a grocery.
The bus stop is across the street from the parking. Make sure to get on the correct bus: Bus 222, direction St Antönien.
Get off the bus at St Antönien, Platz, which is shown here. Some hikers will stay on the bus to reach snowshoe trails farther up the valley. From the bus stop, walk up the road following the pink 327 signs.
Starting the trail in St Antönien
You will pass a Volg grocery on your way.
At these signs, turn left onto a road leading up the mountain to the top of the ski hill. Again, follow the pink 327 signs.
Just follow this road all the way up the hill. We were there in mid-March after lots of sunny days, so the snow was melted on the hillsides.
Looking back on the road towards the St Antönien village.
Keep on the road through this tunnel. Do not follow those pink signs here that point to a snowshoe trail up the hill.
Keep following those pink 327 signs, forking to the left here. My teens were behind us and took the wrong fork. No big disaster, but we had to call them when we didn’t see them after a few minutes.
Here’s the St Antönien ski lift. You’ll cross the ski piste once on your way up, so lookout for oncoming skiers.
Near the top of the ski hill, you’ll find the Elchhüttä cafe with drinks, snacks and small hot meals like fries and soup.
Starting the groomed snow path
Now you leave the road and start the groomed snow trail that leads into the forest.
Make sure to stay on the walking path (pink poles) and not the cross-country ski path (green poles).
Now for a long uphill section in the forest. I was tired on this part.
You occasionally get breaks in the trees to see the view.
Curving around the mountain.
Almost to the highlight of the hike…
The trail leaves the forest and enters this large open area. There’s no ski lift here, so all the tracks are from ski touring.
The snowshoe trail forks to the right here up this mountain. You can see a few snowshoe hikers in my pic. Hikers stay to the left.
I suggest taking a break on these benches and enjoying the view for a bit. This is one of the nicest parts of the trail.
Continuing the hike across this large plain.
Looking back on the trail. So many mountains in all directions.
Soon we enter the forest and do the last shady climb before we reach the highest point of the trail.
Hiking down
Finally done with the climb. It’s all downhill from here.
Bench with a view of the trail ahead.
Easy walking here.
No more forest from this point on.
At this sign, you can take a 5 min detour to the Bodähütte mountain restaurant.
Hikers going down to the Bodähütte. Looked nice but my family wanted to keep going.
The path leads through these alpine villages.
Less and less snow we descended the mountain.
The groomed snowy path ends here and we walk on a mountain road for the remaining 2.5 km or so.
Ending the hike on the road
Here’s the road we walk on the rest of the way down. In mid-March, there wasn’t snow. But earlier in winter, this road would probably be snowy but plowed.
Great views down the valley towards Klosters and Davos.
Arriving at the bottom of the Pany ski lift.
There is a restaurant and toilet here at the Gueggelstein restaurant (see on map). Food smelled really good but we kept walking.
Below the Pany ski lift, there is a bus stop. But this bus only comes once an hour and only takes you the short distance to the Pany village (where we parked) where you have to change buses to Bus 222, which takes you to the Kublis train station. It’s less than a 10 min walk down to the Pany village, so we didn’t think it was worth waiting for this bus.
The short walk on the road down to Pany village.
Reaching Pany village where we parked our car. If you came by public transportation, catch the bus here back down the Valley to Kublis train station.
If you do this hike, I’d love to see your pictures. So tag us on Instagram – @swissfamilyfun
