The Lötschental Höhenweg trail leads through a remote valley surrounded by mountains. The trail visits three alpine lakes along the way, where you can picnic.
In late October, the larch trees turn bright and orange, a really special experience. It’s relatively easy walking, but I have even shorter options below if you need them.
NOTE: The hiking trails in this valley are open again after the enormous landslide, which destroyed the Blatten village in May 2025. But some trails are rerouted and bus service is limited. Check details below.
Quick Info
| Region | Valais region • southern Switzerland |
| Location: | Lauchernalp cable car – Dorfstrasse 80, 3918 Wiler (Lötschen) |
| By car: | Metered parking at Lauchernalp cable car From Interlaken 1hr15, Bern 1hr30, Zürich 2hr40 |
| By public transport: | Bus stop: Wiler (Lötschen), Talstation From Interlaken 2hr, Bern 1hr35, Zürich 2hr40 |
| Trail: | 11.7 km • ⬇️ trail map |
| Duration: | 3h30 walking time |
| Difficulty: | easy (2/5) • +288m -490m |
| Terrain: | Wide dirt path with some uneven terrain (2/5) |
| Exposure | no exposure (1/5) |
| Elevation: | highest point 2091m |
| Open: | June to October |
| Cost 2026: | cable car round trip CHF 36 |
| Discounts | 50% discount with Half Fare Card, GA, and Swiss Travel Pass free with Magic Pass and Lötschental Card (May-Oct) |
| Services: | restaurants and picnic areas, mountain scooter |
| More info: | website • webcam • forecast |
Gallery
Trail description
The hike starts at the top of the Lauchernalp cable car and leads to the Fafleralp bus stop. You can return to your starting point using the Hiker Shuttle Bus, reservation required.
About 2 hours into the hike, you reach the Schwarzsee lake, where many people picnic. After about 3 hours, you reach Fafleralp, where you can catch a shuttle back to the cable car (reservation required).
At Falferalp, we suggest a short detour up to the Grundsee lake for more beautiful photos and a nice place to picnic. This adds 2k around trip, about 40 mins walking time, 83m up & down.
Back at Lauchernalp, you can ride the cable car down to the bus or your car. Alternatively, you can rent “Monster Scooters” to ride down to Wiler. Learn more.
Hiking map
The trail is pretty easy, much of it downhill. The path is mostly a wide dirt path, sometimes with uneven terrain. But it is not particularly difficult or dangerous. It is suitable for children and anyone comfortable walking on mountain trails.
View trail map on Komoot • SchweizMobil • OutdoorActive
Shorter hike options
For a short hike, good for small children, I suggest skipping the panorama trail and riding the hiker shuttle to Fafleralp. Then do the short hike up to the Grundsee lake. This hike is not suitable for strollers.
This section is gorgeous with lots of larch trees. You’ll feel like you got the whole experience without a long hike. Then walk back the way you came and catch the shuttle back to Lauchernalp.
Longer hike options
If you want a very long hike, you could combine this trail with the Fafleralp Rundweg, which is a loop trail leading to the Anenhütte at the far end of the valley. That loop is 11 km, 660m up/down. So combined this would be about 22 km.
If the mountain hut is open, you could sleep there overnight and hike back to Fafleralp the next day. This would make your day one distance about 15 km. Learn more about this route.
Another popular route is starting in the Gasteretal valley and hiking over the mountain to the Lötschental valley. This trail is about 10 km to the top of the Lauchernalp cable car (with 1300m elevation gain), where you can continue the panorama trail described above. Read more about this route.
No shuttle? Hike back
If you cannot get a spot on the hiker shuttle from Fafleralp back to Lauchernalp, you can hike back the same way. That would make for a very long day and not my first choice.
We saw some people hiking back on a lower trail, but it’s unclear the best route as some paths are closed due to the landslide. Here’s a possible route, but it includes sections used by the hiker bus and it’s not clear hikers are allowed there. I suggest asking at the cable car for a suggested return route.
How to get there
The Lötschental valley is located in southern Switzerland in the Valais canton. See on Google Maps. This area is easily accessed by car or bus.
By public transport
Take a train to the Goppenstein train station. Then take bus 591 to Wiler (Lötschen), Talstation, which drops off directly at the Lauchernalp cable car station. Best to take the Express bus, which stops less frequently.
The hike ends at the Fafleralp bus stop, where you can catch the hiker shuttle back to the Lauchernalp cable car.
Ride the cable car back to Wiler and catch the Express bus to Goppenstein. Then train back to your home base.
By car
You can park at the cable car station at Wiler. Ride the cable car up to Lauchernalp to start the hike.
When you end the hike in Fafleralp, ride the hiker shuttle back to Lauchernalp (reservation required) and ride the cable car down to your car in Wiler.
Hiker Shuttle
Due to the 2025 landslide in Blatten, there is no longer normal bus service to Fafleralp at the end of this trail.
Instead, there is a small “Hiker” shuttle bus that travels via an emergency access road between Fafleralp and Laucheralp (top of cable car).
You must reserve the shuttle in advance, by 16:00 the day before. You can reserve via SBB: connection Fafleralp > Wiler (Lötschen), Lauchernalp.
This shuttle runs a few times a day, in both directions. It departs Fafleralp hourly from 9:25 to 17:25. The shuttle usually runs thru the end of October, assuming no snow, which would make the road impassable.
Planning your day
Ticket prices
This hike requires a round trip ticket on the cable car. In 2026, this costs CHF 36/adult. See current prices.
Discount 50% for Half Fare Card, SBB GA & Swiss Travel Pass.
Children: Discount 50% for age 6-15, free under age 6. SBB Junior Cards is valid.
Dogs are allowed. Large dogs require a ticket, same fare as children.
TIP: You can purchase this ticket on the SBB Mobile App. This is helpful for busy days because you can skip the ticket office line and go directly to the cable car line.
Shuttle Bus Tickets
You can book the shuttle bus ticket, including the required reservation via the SBB Mobile App.
In 2026, a one-way ticket for the bus cost CHF 14.80.
Discounted 50% with Swiss Half Fare Card and GA (not free). The bus is NOT free with Saver Day Pass, Magic Pass or Lötschental Card.
Opening hours
The main summer hiking season is from early June to late October. During this time, the cable car runs every 30 mins on the xx:25 and xx:55. First car up at 8:25 (earlier in summer) and last car down at 18:25.
The best time to see the golden larch trees is late October to early November. During this time, some or all services may be closed in the area. So check carefully the cable car and bus schedules and opening times for restaurants.
In November and April, the cable car may run a limited schedule. See current schedule.
Sample schedule
We visited Lötschental on Wednesday 19 Oct 2022. We caught the train at the Zürich HB at 6:32 and arrived at the cable car at 9:15. We were on the mountain by 9:30. We hiked rather slow, stopping to take a lot of photos along the way. We arrived at the Schwarzsee at 11:50. We arrived at Fafleralp at 13:00.
We spent another hour hiking up to Grundsee and back, taking lots of pics. Then lunch at the Fafleralp kiosk. We caught the 15:25 bus at Fafleralp and were back in Zürich at 19:28.
The buses were packed and we had to stand. The evening train from Bern to Zürich was also very full with commuters and many people had to stand.
Where to eat
We ate at the kiosk at the Fafleralp parking. They had a few warm dishes including sausage and stew with spätzle. There is a self-server restaurant at Hotel Fafleralp, about a 5 mins walk from the Falferalp parking.
At about the half-way, there is a mountain cafe at Tellialp (show on Google Maps). There are a couple restaurants at the top of the Lauchernalp cable car.
Where to stay
There are several hotels in this valley in the various villages. If I went back, I’d try to stay at Hotel Fafleralp, which is near the parking at the end of the valley.
It would also be fun to stay at the Anenhütte mountain hut, which is a 2.5 hour hike from the parking. The hut is open June through early October.
Photo story of trail
All pictures are from our visit on 19 Oct 2022.
Riding up the cable car
Here’s the Lauchernalp cable car station. You can buy tickets with card or cash at the ticket office. You can also buy tickets with the SBB Mobile App and skip the ticket line.
It’s a large cable car that fits about 100 people.
Arriving at the mountain station. There are toilets here next to the exit and more at the self-serve restaurant downstairs.
Starting the trail
Follow the “Lötschentaler Höhenweg”trail signs towards Fafleralp.
The trail is a well-defined dirt footpath as shown here.
See the long line of hikers on the trail. That made me nervous but actually we found the actual trail rather quiet.
Lots of yellow trees on the trail.
So pretty on this sunny October day.
Some parts are in the shady forest.
Some parts have long views down the valley.
Tellialp restaurant
After about 90 mins walking, we reached the Tellialp mountain restaurant. We didn’t stop here. Online reviews seem positive about the food and service. But toilets are for customers only unless you pay a small fee.
Lovely section of the trail after Tellialp before reaching the Schwarzsee.
Schwarzsee lake
After another 25 mins of walking, you’ll reach the Schwarzsee, a highlight of the hike.
Lots of people stop here for a break and picnic.
Just beyond this lake, there is a second smaller pond. I suspect they are just one bigger lake when the water level is higher. Next to that second lake in the forest, there is a Schweizer Familie fire pit.
Hiking down to Fafleralp
From the Schwarzsee, it’s about an hour walking down to Fafleralp.
You’ll pass another small unnamed lake a few minutes before reaching Fafleralp.
Hike to Grundsee
From the Fafleralp parking, walk on the dirt path up the valley, as shown here. Follow signs to Grundsee.
First view of the Grundsee.
It’s a small lake but still room to spread out along the lake shore. A couple people had campfires going.
Eating at Fafleralp
After visiting the Grundsee, we walked back to the Fafleralp parking and ate at the kiosk there. Since the landslide, this kiosk is temporarily closed until the road is rebuilt, likely summer 2028.
Next to the kiosk, there is outdoor seating, a small playground and WC.
They have a typical Swiss menu with cheese, preserved meats, sausage, rösti, fries, etc. I got the “wild” special of venison stew with spätzle and cabbage.
There is also a self-service restaurant at Hotel Fafleralp, about a 5 mins walk from the Falferalp parking. The day we were there, they were serving warm food until 14:30, then drinks and snacks after that.
Riding the shuttle
The shuttle bus picks up in the Fafleralp parking and drops you at the top of the Lauchernalp cable car. It’s a small shuttle, fitting about 18 passengers.
FAQ
Can I bring dogs on this trail?
Yes, we saw several dogs on the trail. Please keep them on the leash for the safety of other hikers and the dog and clean up the waste, per usual.
Can I bike on this trail?
Yes. This trail is multi-use for both walkers and mountain bikes. Please be courteous on the trail and give walkers warning when you want to pass, preferably with a bell.
What to wear and bring
This hike is best done with hiking shoes with good tread, though you would probably be fine with comfortable walking shoes. I didn’t find hiking sticks necessary.
This is a mountain hike, so weather and temperatures can change quickly. Dress appropriate to the weather forecast, bringing layers like a fleece and windbreaker/rain jacket as needed. For hot days, shorts would be fine as there isn’t tall grass directly on the trail.
Make sure to bring sunscreen, sun hat, and sunglasses. Bring at least 1 L of water per person as there no fountains along the trail. You can buy drinks at the mountain restaurants at the start, middle and finish of the hike.
2 responses
Thank you so much for this extremely detailed description of the trail!!! Wonderful work, it’s so helpful.
Yay! I loved this hike so much and glad you found this post helpful.