This pleasant wander through a moor with mountain views is a good choice for spring, when the wildflowers are out and gondolas are closed. It’s at a low elevation so you can usually start hiking here in early May. The trail passes through fields and forests and over moors on wooden walkways.
I wouldn’t say it’s my first pick because sometimes we had to walk on dirt access roads between farms, which is not my favorite. But it was very beautiful and we had a lovely day, particularly enjoying the relatively easy trail with not much elevation gain. We definitely suggest ending your hike by visiting the Voralpsee lake just below the starting point of this trail (see more about that here).
| Location: | Eastern Switzerland near Liechtenstein |
| Address: | Voralpsee, Grabs |
| Car: | 1hr30 from Zurich Parking GPS: 47°09’52.8″N 9°23’00.4″E |
| Transport: | 2hr45 from Zurich to Grabserberg, Höhi bus stop |
| Trail: | 7.1 km loop |
| Highest point: | 1440m |
| Condition: | dirt road and foot paths |
| Skill: | moderate, 250m up/down |
| Open: | best mid-May through October |
| Prices: | free except parking fee |
| Services: | mountain restaurant |
| More info: | www.voralp.ch |
Trail Overview
This trail is located next to the Voralpsee in eastern Switzerland, near Liechtenstein.
This trail loops around the alpine meadows and moor above the Voralpsee. It’s a relatively easy hike, with not much elevation gain and well built paths.
After this hike, we recommend walking down to the Voralpsee for your lunch break and to enjoy the view. Details about that in this post.
Getting There
By car: Get off the highway and Buchs, then drive to Grabs, then follow signs to Voralpsee up the mountain road. It’s a good road, but narrows to one lane eventually, so drive carefully.
Note: our GPS took us a strange way through Gams towards Wildhaus, then on a different mountain road, which was much more narrow. Don’t go that way. Use the route I show above from Grabs.
On your way, you’ll pass a few overflow parking areas. This place must get really crowded in summer. Your goal is P5, which is the largest lot right next to the path to the lake. If you must park in one of the other areas, you still have to purchase your parking pass at P5 since the others don’t have parking ticket machines.
Parking costs CHF 6 for the day, coins only. There is no entrance fee to the lake.
By public transport: There is only one bus from Grabs to the lake in the morning at 9:05. The next bus isn’t until 11:53. If you are coming from Zürich, you would take a train/bus to Buchs, a bus to Grabs, Post, then bus 412 to Grabserberg, Höhi, which drops you at the Voralpsee parking area. Total travel time about 2hr45 to 3hr15.
Arriving at the parking
Here is the P5 parking and the bus stop. The only parking ticket machine is here.
A view of the parking from above. You can fit a lot of cars here, but I bet it gets full in summer.
Next to the parking there is a dairy with a cafe and counter where you can buy cheese made here. There is also a public toilet that is free to use.
Here’s the trail sign at the parking lot, so many options. To reach the Moorweg Gampfin trail, follow signs to
Start on road
You start walking on the paved road above the parking.
At your first right, take the road up into the forest, following signs to Gamperfin. Same road as route 55 for the bikes. I wasn’t happy about starting on the road, especially when a few cars passed us. But it gets much better, so stick with it.
Going up that road.
Here’s parking 7. Here you turn right and follow the signs to Summerweid. If you are only doing this hike and not visiting the lake later, this parking is much closer and skips the long bit on the road. Remember you have to buy your parking ticket at P5 below before driving up here.
Continuing on a dirt road for awhile.
Passing by parking 9.
So many wildflower fields, much prettier in person.
The road becomes a path.
Once you reach the moor, there are lots of wooden walkways to protect the ground. Dogs must be on a leash in these parts.
The moor is so pretty but hard to capture in a pic because the charm is in the tiny purple flowers speckling the field. You can’t walk around here or stop to picnic. You have to stay on the walkways.
Make sure you look back at the mountains behind you.
Some portions in the forest.
Just after this farm, you join a dirt road again. Turn left towards Oelberg.
You walk along this dirt road for about 15 mins.
A view down to the Liechtenstein valley.
This is the far side of the loop. At the fork in the road, turn left following signs to Gamperfin and Voralp.
You continue on a dirt road for a bit.
Then the path forks to your left on a footpath through the meadow. Follow signs to Gamperfin and Voralp.
This is a particularly nice part through the meadows. Eventually you connect back to the dirt road you came up.
