Switzerland has a large network of mountain huts, enabling you to stay overnight in beautiful remote places in comfort and safety.
Staying in a mountain hut can be a memorable experience with kids, but choosing the right hut makes a big difference. Some require long or demanding hikes, while others are surprisingly accessible and have plenty to explore around the hut.
This guide highlights our favorite Swiss mountain huts for families. They’re reached by manageable, family-friendly hikes and offer features that make an overnight stay easier and more enjoyable, such as private family rooms, playgrounds, and interesting places to explore nearby.
I hope you find one you like!
Need help choosing a hut or planning an itinerary? Book a travel consult with Tanya.
What is a Swiss mountain hut
Mountain huts in Switzerland provide simple accommodation and meals in the alps. It’s a good alternative to wild camping, which is prohibited in much of the country.
Most huts have basic sleeping arrangements, typically bunks in shared rooms, with shared bathrooms. Blankets and pillows are usually provided, but you’ll generally need to bring your own sleeping bag liner.
Breakfast and dinner is usually included with your stay, so you don’t need to carry food for your overnight stay.
Summer hut season is typically mid-June to September, depending on the elevation and snow conditions. Reservations are usually required and can be made online or by phone. For weekends and popular huts, best to book a few months in advance.
If you’ve never stayed in a Swiss mountain hut before, see our Beginner’s guide to Swiss Mountain Huts.
Choosing a family-friendly hut
When looking for a hut for your family, you primarily need to evaluate the difficulty and safety of the hike to the hut.
Even if the hike is short, it may have a steep ascent, gaining a lot of elevation quickly. In this case, make sure to give your family plenty of extra time to take breaks and ascend slowly.
A trail full of boulders can be fun for kids, but can also take a lot longer. Also look at the trail rating (best to stay with T1/T2 with kids) and any safety concerns like exposed sections that may have chains or ladders, common for many huts. I try to look at a photo story or video of the trail so I know what we are getting into.
I would also consider activities near the hut to keep the kids interested and busy. It’s nice if you can drop your bags at the hike then do a short walk to a nearby lake, river or other safe meadows to run around.
If the hut is perched on a cliff, it may be stressful constantly keeping the kids away from the edge.
Lucerne Region Mountain Huts
1. Lidernen Hut
This hut is very popular with families with small children because it’s only a 500 m walk from the top of the gondola to the hut.
The hut has a swing set and games and toys inside for nighttime. I liked that the bunks had separators about every 4 places, so our family was slightly separate from the other guests.
For daytime, there is a short hike to a beautiful alpine lake or continue up to the ridge for a more challenging loop.
To reach the hut: easy • 15 mins • 500 m • ↗ 30 m
See our full review of the Lidernen Hut
2. Bergsee Hut
This was our first mountain hut experience when my kids were 5 and 8. It’s a good choice for young kids because the hike is short but a tough climb for little legs. So the kids feel a real sense of accomplishment when they reach the hut.
Gorgeous views from the hut overlooking a lake and lots of mountains. Near the hut, there is a short “learning trail” (20 mins) and a Kinderklettergarten, or rock climbing garden for kids.
To reach the hut: moderate • 2 h • 2.8 km • ↗ 540 m
See our full review of the Bergsee Hut
3. Brünni Hut Engelberg
The Brünni Hut is right next to the chair lift, super easy to access. During the day, it can be busy here, as the hut is close to many fun activities for children: Tickle Path, treasure hunt trail and marble runs, and alpine playground.
But it’s so peaceful in the late afternoon when day trippers have left. It’s a great choice for families.
Location: Brunnibahn cable car in Engelberg – Wydenstrasse 55, 6390 Engelberg
Hut website: brunni.ch
4. Glattalp Hut
This hut is a short walk from the cable car station and the beautiful Glattalpsee lake.
There’s an an easy trail around the lake and the Charetalp trail, which wanders around a large alpine meadow and visits the stunning Pfaffenkreuz viewpoint.
Location: Glattalp cable car – Bus stop: Bisisthal, Sahli Seilbahnstat
Hike to hut: 10 mins from cable car
Hut website: www.glattalphuette.ch
If you want a longer hike, you can skip the cable car and hike up: 2h30 • 4.3km +779m. See trail map.
Learn more about Glattalpsee
5. Lake Toma: Badus Hut and Maighels Hut
The Tomasee is one of my favorite lakes in Switzerland. It’s the source of the Rhine river, a magical place
The hike here is not super long, but quite steep. So with kids, it’s helpful to stay overnight to make the outing a bit less rushed and restful.
The Badus Hut is about a 30 min hike above the Tomasee lake. For day two, you could hike back the same way or for a more challenging hike, go over the Pazolstock peak then down to the Oberalppass.
Or you stay at the nearby Maighels hut, about 1h from the lake. It has much better food and swings. For day two, hike down to the Oberalppass, partially on the service road, about 2h.
Location: start hike at Oberalppass, near Andermatt
Trail: Oberalppass to Badus Hut 2h30 • 6km +669m -210m
Huts: Badushütte and Camona da Maighels
Learn more about hike to Tomasee
6. Albert Heim Hut
Although this hut feels very remote, it’s relatively easy to reach with a short hike. It’s near the base of a small glacier and the trailhead for other beautiful hikes. We did this in fall when the hills were bright orange and red with blueberry bushes.
Trail to hut: moderate • 1.2h • 3.5 km • ↗ 490 m
Eastern Switzerland
7. Berggasthaus Forelle – Appenzell
The route to Berggasthaus Forelle is scenic, but the true reward is obvious upon your arrival at Seealpsee.
The lake is picturesque and the guesthouse provides the perfect overnight accommodation to maximize the views and tranquility of the area. Don’t forget to take a walk around the lake early in the morning.
Trail to hut: Moderate – 2 h • 3 km • ↗ 280 m
Location: start hike from Wasserauen train station
Hut website: Berggasthaus Forelle
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More about Seealpsee trail
8. Bollenwees Berggasthaus at Falensee lake
This mountain guesthouse is near the famous Saxer Lücke viewpoint and next to the beautiful Falensee lake. During the day, this area can be quite busy with hikers. All the more reason to stay overnight to have a more peaceful experience.
You can reach this hut in multiple ways. The easiest is by riding the Staubern cable car, hiking across to Saxer Lücke, then down to Bollenwees.
Trail to hut: from Stauben, 1h30 • 4.4km +168m -446m
Location: Frümsen-Staubern cable car – Frümsnerbergstrasse 9467 Sennwald
Website: bollenwees.ch
Info for Saxer Lücke hike.
For a longer hike, you can start at Hoher Kasten and hike to Stauben before continuing to Bollenwees.
To save money, you can skip the cable cars and hike up from Brülisau.
9. Legler Hut in Glarnerland
In Glarnerland in Eastern Switzerland, this hike starts at the top of the Mettmenalp cable car and hikes up to the Leglerhütte, with panorama views across the Glarnerland region.
This hut is on the top of a mountain with panorama views around the Glarus region, an amazing place to watch the sunrise and sunset. In addition to the mattress bunks, the hut has double and single rooms for more privacy.
This hut is very popular and book out early in the season.
Trail to hut: moderate • 3 h • 5.8 km • ↗ 700 m
Location: Schwanden train station, then mountain bus to Mettmenalp cable car
Hut website: Leglerhütte
Jungfrau Region & Bernese Oberland
10. Lobhorn Hut
It’s a steep, but short hike to the Lobhorn hut, perched on a mountain overlooking the Jungfrau Region
First you need to get to the Isenfluh cable car near Lauterbrunnen and ride up the mountain. Then hike steeply up the mountain to the hut. Near the hike, there are large meadows to explore and a small lake, lovely a short cold swim.
Location: Isenfluh cable car – see on map
Trail to hut: 1h40 • 2.9km • +472m -47m
Hut website: lobhornhuette.ch
For a longer hike, you can hike to the Lobhorn hut from Allmendhübel (10km 3h30 +590m) or Grütschalp (3h • 6.8km +769m).
11. Via Berna: Männdlenen and Faulhorn huts
One of my favorite hikes in the Jungfrau Region, is the Via Berna trail connecting Grindelwald First to Schynige Platte.
But at 16km, it’s just too long for most kids (and a lot of adults!). So staying overnight at one of these huts in the middle makes it more manageable.
I would start at Schynige Platte, hiking along the spectacular ridge then further to the Männdelen hut, about 3h30. You can overnight here. Or stop for lunch and hike another 1-1.5h to the Faulhorn for your overnight.
For day two, continue to Grindelwald First (3h from Manndlen, 2h from Faulhorn). On the way stop at the beautiful Bachalpsee lake for a picnic. At First, visit the cliff walk, maybe a zip line if the line is short. Then down to the Bort station for the playground if your kids still like that.
Full trail: 6h • 16.5km • +630m -840m
Hut websites: Berggasthaus Männdlenen and Berghotel Faulhorn
For a shorter hike, hike directly to the Faulhorn hut from Grindelwald First, about 2.5h.
More info for Via Berna trail
12. Bächlital Hut
A bit like a stair machine to reach a gorgeous high alpine river valley surrounded by mountains, with the hut is perched on a cliff at the valley.
The Bächlitalhütte is one of the huts recommended for families, because the hike to access the hut is relatively short and not technically difficult. We went when our kids were 5 and 8 years old and really enjoyed it.
To reach the hut: challenging • 1.5 h • 4 km • ↗ 520 m
See our full review of the Bächlital Hut
Engadin Mountain Huts
13. Ristoro Alpo Campo
This mountain hut is high up on the Val da Camp valley, southeast of St Moritz. You can hike here or ride a mountain bus directly to the hut, making it a great option for families and casual hikers.
From the hut, it’s a short hike to the beautiful Lake Saoseo and Lake Viola, surrounded by mountains and larch trees that turn golden in October.
Location: mountain bus picks up at Sfazù, Fermata, reservation required
Hike to hut: bus drops at hut
Hut website: www.valdicampo.ch
14. Boval Mountain Hut & Morteratsch Glacier
Hike along the beautiful Morteratsch glacier to reach this hut, where you can swap stories with serious mountaineers who get up before dawn to trek on the glacial ice.
To reach the hut: Moderate • 2.5 h • 5 km • ↗ 560 m
See my detailed post about Boval Hut
Ticino Mountain Huts
15. Capanna Cadagno near Lago Ritom
We love Lago Ritom on the south side of the Gotthard tunnel in southern Switzerland. To reach the lake, you ride a steep funicular then a short walk to the dam.
We always have lunch at the Cadagno hut, about a hour walk past the main lake. You can do a longer hike through the hills around the lake, visiting more tiny lakes and enjoying a peaceful landscape.
This hut is popular with families, because it’s relatively easy to reach and has plenty of beautiful places to explore nearby.
For day two, you can take a different trail back to the funicular. Or hike east on the Alpine Passes trail and stay at another hut or catch the bus back to your starting point.
Location: Piotta-Piora funicular – Bus stop: Piotta, Funicolare
Trail to hut: from funicular 2h • 6.7km +314m -125m
Hut website: www.capannacadagno.ch
Info about the Lake Ritom hike.
4 responses
Hi, I love your post. Friends of ours in northern Italy regularly hike up to a hut in the winter, spend the night and go sledging the next day. Do you know of anything like this in the Lake Geneva area? Thank you.
Most ski resorts have a sledding route, so look at the resorts that are near you. You might try Les Diablerets (we’ve done this one and it’s really fun, but we rode the gondola up and did it at night with a headlamp) and Le Moleson. Check out the sledding routes on https://map.schweizmobil.ch/.
I love your posts, thanks for sharing all your wisdom! Can you recommend any huts for an easy ski trip? We are moving to Switzerland from Colorado with our children, 8 and 11, and we love skiing into the 10th Mountain Huts in our home state. We would love to find something similar in Switzerland!
Mountain huts generally aren’t open during winter. However there are lots of mountain hotels on the ski pistes at most resorts, which may be more of what you are looking for. If you let me know more of what you are looking for, maybe I can point you in the right direction.