Switzerland has many beautiful trails along ridgelines, many with well-built trails suitable for casual hikers. Here are our favorite ridge hikes in Switzerland, with a variety from easy, safe wanders to long slightly scary treks. Hope you find one you like!
Near Zurich
1. Saxer Lücke
You’ll see this one all over instagram but no one will tell you how get there and they might pretend they worked really hard to find it. However, it’s quite easy once you know what you’re doing. You simply ride up a cable car and hike 3 km to this spectacular viewpoint.
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2. Chäserrugg
This is our new favorite, so beloved that we hiked there twice last summer and skied there last winter. It’s an easy 3km loop, a little scary when you get near the cliffs. Part of it is a flower theme trail, with lots of info signs and wildflowers.
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Near Lucerne
3. Hoch Ybrig – Central Switzerland
This is the easiest and safest ridge trail you’re likely to get in Switzerland. It’s possible with strollers and cliffs are safely behind fences. There are playgrounds, restaurants, a little lake with fire pits and of course, fantastic views.
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4. Stoos Gratwanderweg
If I had to choose my last trail in Switzerland, this might be it. This used to be my number 1 ridge trail, but it’s getting so popular that I had to move it down one spot. It’s just that beautiful!
If possible, go during the week or when bad weather is forecasted but the view to the lake is still clear. It’s only 4km but with some tough up and down. If you can’t manage the full ridge hike from Klingenstock to Fronalpstock, you can still do the easy panorama along the ridge near Fronalpstock, suitable for strollers and those with mobility issues.
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5. Niederbauen Kulm
This hike is the mirror twin of the Stoos ridgeline hike on the opposite side of the lake. You have a fantastic views of the super blue lakes below and countless mountains in all directions. It’s a tough climb but short, a little scary if you get too close to the edge (don’t do that!). I loved it and can’t wait to explore this area more.
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6. Melchsee Bonistock
This hike is a bit of a surprise. The hikes around the lakes below are easy and accessible by a little tourist train. So I wasn’t thinking of this place for a dramatic ridge hike, but there it was, in all its cliff edge glory. This is kinda a starter ridge trail, not too long and not to difficult.
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Near Interlaken
7. Brienzer Rothorn
This ridge trail near Interlaken is epic, at least for a casual hiker like me. It’s long and tough, but totally doable for normal people with some snacks and a few hours to spare. It has some narrow bits with steep drop-offs, so no goofing off and best to bring your hiking sticks for stability.
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8. Schynige Platte
Even in partial fog and rain, we loved this hike that skirted along the ridge overlooking Interlaken and super blue Lake Brienz. I keep meaning to go again in nicer weather but keep finding more ridge trails to try. Maybe this summer.
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9. Niederhorn
I’m always surprised how quiet this mountain is considering how close it is to busy tourist area of Interlaken and the Jungfrau region. A funicular and gondola take to straight up to the ridge, where you can wander as short or long as you like along the cliffs edge, with some of the best scenery Switzerland has to offer. We often take visitors here.
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Valais, southern Switzerland
10. Riederalp Aletsch Glacier Panorama Trail
This hike has it all, an enormous glacier, mountain views all around, and an easy trail with convenient mountain transport. The trail along the ridge is an easy 2km, but for a longer adventure, you can dip down for a closer look at the glacier and cross a long suspension bridge.
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2 responses
Thank you so much for such an informative site! We used it to plan much of our 3-week trip (first time) to Switzerland with our 7-yr old daughter. The playground recommendations in particular made this an amazing trip for her! We all completed the Saxer Lucke hike on our first day, including the hike down to and back up from Bollenwees. Our daughter feels like she can do ANYTHING now, because she’s climbed a mountain. Her confidence gain is incredible. We are hiking Stoos ridge today, and can’t thank you enough for sharing your experiences!
Thanks for reporting back! So glad you had a great trip and that your daughter feels so empowered by the experience. Just wonderful!