Felsenegg – Buchenegg loop • Hike in hills near Zürich

Felsenegg is an easy “mountain” outing very close to Zurich, part of the Uetliberg range west of the city. To reach the ridge, you can take a cable car up the mountain or drive to the pass. At the top, you’ll find an easy walking path along the forested ridge. We usually do a loop, ending at the Felsenegg restaurant near the cliffs, which has a great view of Zurich lake and alps and playground for the kids.

I’ve been here many times, particularly during the shoulder season and winter when other mountain trails aren’t open. It’s good for visitors too that need a little taste of the Swiss “mountains” without traveling too far or spending too much.

Trail Map

This is a loop trail, which can start at the top of the Felsenegg cable car or the parking lot near the Buchenegg pass and restaurant. To reach the restaurant, it takes about 5 mins from the cable car or 30 mins from the Buchenegg pass. The full loop takes about an hour or 90 mins with small kids or grandparents.

View trail map on Komoot.

Half of the path is on the ridge, where you have views of Zurich lake and distant alps. The other half dips down the hill a bit, passing by a few farms before climbing back up to the ridge. The whole trail is stroller-friendly, partially on roads, partially on smooth dirt paths.

We’ve done this multiple times in all seasons, even with sleds on snow in winter.  But it’s especially nice in May when the fields are covered in yellow flowers.

There are restaurants near Buchenegg and Felsenegg and a small playground near Felsenegg. We’ve built fires and grilled our lunch along this trail, which seems to be quite a popular choice. There are official and unofficial fire pits, with plenty of wood to gather in the forest.

This trail is part of the longer Uetliberg Panorama Trail, which is also suitable for families.

Getting There

The easiest way to access the trail is by drive to the Buchenegg pass and parking in the big free lot near the restaurants at the top of the pass – Bucheneggstrasse 522, 8143 Stallikon. There is no bus service to this location. 

But it’s more fun to ride up the Felsenegg cable car in Adliswil.

By car: drive to Zelgstrasse 79, 8134 Adliswil (the closest address to the cable car), following signs to Luftseilbahn and park in the spots next to the cable car station.

By public transport: take a train to the Adliswil train station, then walk up the hill about 10 minutes, following signs to Luftseilbahn.

Tickets for cable car

The cable car ticket is just a regular SBB public transport ticket for zone 50. So if you take the train to Adliswil, you don’t need another ticket. The cable car ride is short and runs about every 15 mins, but check the website for details.

Trail Impressions

At the top, you’ll exit directly on the Planetenweg ridge trail. Follow the trail to the south to reach the Felsenegg restaurant. It takes just a few minutes to reach the restaurant, on relatively smooth path, suitable for sturdy strollers.

Here’s the Felsenegg restaurant as see from the south looking north. The Felsenegg restaurant has a sit-down restaurant and on busy days, a self-service counter serving sausages, cold plates, and snacks. We’ve eaten there three times and found the food rather average but tasty (and expensive). They have high-chairs (the ones that attach to the table). The restaurant is open all year, even in the snow, and the inside is quite adorable especially when decorated for the holidays.

Here is the patio of the Felsenegg restaurant.

View from the patio of Zurich lake.

Some tasty “capuns” I ate there on our last visit.

There’s a playground just behind the restaurant so the kids can happily run around before, during and after eating. It may have changed since our last visit.

Felsenegg-Buchenegg Loop Trail

This 3.5 km loop leads from the Felsenegg restaurant to the Buchenegg restaurant and back. It doesn’t matter which direction you hike it. I recommend starting by following the road behind the restaurant down into the valley.

Looking back up the road with the Felsenegg restaurant in the distance.

Follow the signs to Buchenegg, which will lead you through a little cluster of houses and farms and past some cow pastures.

The path dips down then climbs back up to Buchenegg.

Once you reach the Buchenegg parking lot and restaurant, turn left and follow the ridge path back to Felsenegg. It is a wide dirt road as shown below.

You can stay on the wide path, or dip in to the forest, where you’ll find lots of little foot paths to explore.

Mostly the forest blocks the view of the lake, but there are lots of points where there is a break in the trees and you can get a view. In this picture, my kids are looking for their house down in Zurich.

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