This snowshoe trail is a good choice for your first time because it’s free (no gondola), close to Zürich, and you can rent snowshoes on site. It’s a relatively easy trail that leads to viewpoint over Zürich lake. If you need something easier, you can easily shorten the trail, just enjoying the most beautiful sections of the trail, as described below. Nearby you’ll find a sledding hill, restaurants, and beginners ski area. All the ingredients for a fun day in the snow.
FYI, this trail is so popular that a few days after snowfall, the trail is usually stamped down enough that you can walk on it without snowshoes and many people do. But the snow is not groomed by machines.
| Region: | Central Switzerland |
| Start/End: | Raten Pass |
| Car: | Ratenstrasse 250, 6315 Oberägeri (47°08’30.4″N 8°39’49.4″E) 25 mins from Zug, 35mins from Zürich |
| Public transport: | Raten bus stop 45 mins from Zug, 1hr15 from Zürich |
| Trail: | 5 km loop, about 1hr30 |
| Elevation: | highest point 1160m |
| Skill: | easy |
| Condition: | marked trail, snowshoes required |
| Services: | restaurants along the trail, free sledding hill, beginners ski area |
| Cost: | free |
| Open: | mid-December to April, snow dependent |
| More info: | www.gottschalkenberg.ch • webcam |
Location
This snowshoe trail starts on the Raten pass near Einsiedeln, near Zürich and Zug. It is easily accessed by car and bus.
Raten overview
Here’s the snowshoe map for the Raten-Gottschalkenberg area. The snowshoe trails are solid pink lines. Our trail start and ends at Raten, where you’ll find parking, restaurant, sledding hill, and small ski area. The trail doesn’t really look like the lines on this map.
Trail map
The trail starts at Raten and out to the Bellevue viewpoint, past the Gottenschalkenberg Restaurant and back to your starting point. The loop is about 5.2 km and takes about 1.5-2hrs, depending on how fast you hike. The snowshoe route may not exactly match my trail map below. Just follow the pink poles and signs.
See trail map on Komoot • SchweizMobil • OutdoorActive
Shorter versions: The prettiest part of the hike is the first 1 km over the wide open field. You could just do a loop here, hiking out to the forested picnic area at the top of the field, then back. You could also drive and park at the Gottschalkenberg restaurant (see on map, about 30 metered parking spaces) and then do the short out to the Bellevue viewpoint and back, about 2km.
Getting there
By car: The trail starts at the top of the Raten pass – Ratenstrasse 250, 6315 Oberägeri (47°08’30.4″N 8°39’49.4″E). Park in the parking lot next to the ski area and restaurant. This lot is metered on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. You can pay with cash and one of the parking apps like EasyPark.
By public transport: The Raten bus stop is next to the start of the snowshoe trail.
What to bring and wear
You’ll need snowshoes and hiking sticks or poles with snow baskets. You can rent snowshoes at Ski Lift Raten near the parking, CHF 15/adult and CHF 10/child, which includes poles.
You should wear waterproof hiking shoes, to which the snowshoes will attach. You should wear warm layers appropriate to the weather forecast and waterproof outer layers to stay dry in the snow. See also What to pack & wear on a winter hike.
Where to eat
At the start of the trail, you’ll find Restaurant Raten, reservations recommended. Near the end of the loop, you’ll pass Gottschalkenberg restaurant.
Photo story of the trail
Here’s the Raten Pass bus stop. The snowshoe trail starts on the far side of the barn.
A map of the area and snowshoe trails.
Follow the signs to Bellevue, the viewpoint at the far end of the loop. I did not find the distances on this sign an accurate reflection of the trail.
Just follow the pink poles. On this day, the snow was old and trampled down. I didn’t really need snowshoes and most hikers didn’t have them.
Another day on this trail when there was more snow.
On this path, you don’t necessarily have to follow the single path near the pink poles. You can wander around in the snow as you like.
Pretty views across this wide open field.
After about 1km, you reach the forest where you’ll find a bench and a picnic area with a fire pit. For a shorter loop, you could turn back here. After this point, the trail goes downhill and back up, which makes the trail more difficult.
When you reach the forest, the trail goes downhill for a bit, then back uphill, which takes a bit of effort but is not too difficult.
As you near the Gottschalkenberg farm and restaurant, you have to cross the road. If you want a shorter outing, you can drive and park here and hike just a short loop out to the viewpoint.
The last stretch to the viewpoint just beyond the trees. It was shady because I was there around 16:00 in late January.
The Bellevue viewpoint with an observation deck.
Nice view down to Zürich lake.
Looking back from Bellevue to Gottschalkenberg. There are several benches near the trees where people lounge in the sun. There is also a picnic area with a grill, not well used in winter though.
Heading back. The Gottschalkenberg restaurant is on the right.
Back down into the forest again. This pic shows a fork in the path. You can take either one as they join up later, both leading back to Raten.
Enjoy the deeper snow near the trees.
Lots of unbroken snow a few steps off the main path.
Best on a sunny day!
Almost back to Raten. You can see the small ski hill in the distance.
Lots of big mountain views from this trail. Especially nice near dusk.
I hope you enjoy this snowshoe trail!
