This ridge trail at Melchsee-Frutt is a beautiful mountain hike with a variety of terrain: ridges, rocky landscapes, rolling grassy hills, and quiet lakeshores.
Even on a partly cloudy day, it was still really pretty as the clouds rolled over the peaks. It was perfect for our tweens at the time, a little more effort but not too difficult.
If you need something easier, try the short, easy stroller path around the lake.
Quick Info
| Region | Lake Lucerne Region |
| Location: | Stockalp – Melchsee Frutt gondola – Stöckalp, 6067 Melchtal |
| By car: | Parking next to cable car From Lucerne 35 mins, Zürich 1hr20 |
| By public transport: | Bus stop: Stöckalp From Lucerne 1h10, Zürich 2h15 |
| Trail: | 10 km loop • ⬇️ trail map |
| Duration: | 4h walking time |
| Difficulty: | moderate (3/5) • +440m -440m |
| Terrain: | red/white mountain trail, rocky dirt path, not suitable for strollers (3/5) |
| Exposure | short section with slope to the side (3/5) |
| Elevation: | highest point 2150m |
| Open: | mid June to mid October |
| Cost 2026: | gondola CHF 39/adult. Kids under 16 ride free. |
| Discounts: | discount with Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Half Fare Card, GA. Free Lucerne Travel Pass. |
| Services: | two mountain restaurants along the way |
| More info: | www.melchsee-frutt.ch • webcam |
Gallery
And a little video to peak your interest.
Hiking map
Here is the summer hiking map for this area. See a larger interactive map here.
This trail starts at the top of the Stöckalp-Melchsee cable car, follows the ridge past the Bonistock hut, then down to a restaurant at Tannalp. This first half is a rocky alpine path, not suitable for strollers.
Then you walk around the Tannalp lake and through cow pastures back to the Melchsee-Frutt village. This second half is easy walking on wide dirt paths.
See interactive trail map on SchweizMobil • Komoot • OutdoorActive
Trail alternatives
Skip the climb with Bonistock cable car:
You can skip the first 200 m of elevation climb (over 2 km distance) by riding up the Distelboden cable car to Bonistock, which runs every 30 mins.
You’ll need the slightly more expensive “day ticket” to cover this cable car ride. We took this cable car but later thought it would have been faster and cheaper to simply hike the full loop instead.
Shorten with shuttle bus:
At the far end of the loop, reach a restaurant and road. It’s another 5km along the lakes back to the Melchsee-Frutt gondola. Or you can ride the Fruttli-Zug shuttle that picks up here. This shuttle ride is covered by the “day ticket.”
Short & easy option:
Skip the ridge and just walk around the lakes. See details for Melchsee-Frutt Lake Walk.
Planning your day
Ticket prices
At a minimum, you need a return ticket on the Stöcklialp to Melchsee-Frutt gondola. In 2026, this costs CHF 39/adult.
If you want to shorten the hike with the Bonistock cable car and/or Fruttli-Zug shuttle, get the “Day Ticket” instead. In 2026, this costs CHF 45.
Discounts: Kids under 16 ride free. Discount for Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Half Fare Card and GA. Free with Lucerne Travel Pass.
Opening hours
The cable car runs from mid May through Mid October, daily from about 8:10 to 17:20. See current prices and operating hours here.
How to get there
The Melchsee-Frutt mountain resort is south of Lucerne, accessed by the Stöckalp cable car.
By car:
Drive to Sarnen, then turn east on Sarnenstrasse following signs to Stöckalp (46°48’11.8″N 8°16’45.8″E). There is a large metered parking lot next to the cable car station.
By public transport:
Take a train to Sarnen, then a bus to Stöckalp. The bus drops off at the cable car station.
Photo story of trail
1. Arrival in Melchsee-Frutt
The Stöckalp cable car drops you off in a little sleepy village full of vacation homes.
Walk through the village and follow signs to Bonistock.
You’ll be hiking up this mountain on the left, high above the lake.
It’s steady uphill on a rocky dirt path.
Really nice views of the lake as you climb.
It took us about 45 mins to make it to Bonistock.
Skip the climb: Bonistock cable car
Instead of hiking up to Bonistock, you can do an easier walk to the Distelboden lift and ride a cable car up to Bonistock. This eliminates most of the hike’s elevation gain.
To reach the Distelboden cable car, walk down to the lake or ride the elevator.
It’s about a 20 min walk to reach the Distelboden cable car.
This cable car drops you off at Bonistock, where you join the ridge trail.
At the top of the cable car, you’ll find this restaurant with a panorama terrace. We had some lunch there and it was nothing special. I’d bring a picnic if I were you.
3. Hiking the ridge
The ridge trail continues behind the restaurant, with the ridge and lake on your right.
Sometimes the trail is below the ridge.
The trail sometimes goes close to the edge, but not too close. But with little kids, keep them close to you just in case.
4. Down to Tannalp
At these trail signs, make sure you turn right, following signs to Tannalp.
After a couple switchbacks, you’ll continue walking east under the rocky cliffs. If you turn right (west) instead, you’ll walk back to Melchsee-Frutt under the cliffs.
I’m missing some pictures here (sorry!), but you join a service road for a bit, then an unmarked faint trail heads off into the grassland. If you miss it, you’ll be on the service road all the way to the lake, missing a bit of the trail but not a disaster.
This faint trail continues through the grass until it joins the road at Tannalp.
Here is Tannalp with a restaurant (and WC).
It’s about 5 km back to Melchsee-Frutt. It’s a more direct route walking on the road, but prettier if you walk on the dirt path around the lake. Follow the signs to Tannensee to walk around the lake.
If you are tired and don’t want to hike back, you can catch this tourist “train” bus back to Melchsee-Frutt. It runs about once an hour.
Here is the train schedule and prices, also online here.
5. Walk around Tannalpsee lake
Here’s where the dirt path around the lake veers off the road.
Just follow this easy path down the lake.
Looking up to the ridge where you were walking earlier.
Looking back at Tannalp.
6. Fork at end of lake
At the far end of the lake, you can continue straight ahead on the dirt path. Or you can cross the dam to connect with the road. There is another bus station there if you want to catch the bus. We kept walking straight as shown below.
The path continues around this mound on some cow tracks.
Eventually you join back up with the paved road and make your way back to the first lake near the cable car. Follow signs back to the Melchsee-Frutt cable car.
There is a theme trail, the Fruttli-Weg, for children around this other lake with some fun play stations. Kids get a free booklet they can use during the trail and turn in for a reward, or something like that. A bit more about this trail on their website.
I hope you enjoy Melchsee-Frutt. Leave a comment and let me know what version of the trail you did.
