This short hike leads to a pretty lake surrounding by mountain peaks.
You start with a fun ride in a tiny open-air cable car, skipping most of the climb. Then you wander up through alpine meadows the lake, passing a dairy along the way where you can buy cheese.
You can picnic by the lake or eat at the little hut a couple mins walk above the water. The lake is a too chilly for a swim, but nice for a quick cold dip.
Contents
Quick Info
| Region | Lake Lucerne Region |
| Starting point: | Chäppeliberg-Spilau cable car in Riemenstalden valley / Canton Uri |
| By car: | Metered parking next to the cable car From Luzern 1hr, Zürich 1hr15 |
| By public transport: | Bus stop: Reimenstadlen, Chäppliberg – best to reserved in advance From Luzern 1h30, Zürich 1h33 |
| Trail: | 1h15 • ⬇️trail map |
| Distance: | 3.5 km loop |
| Difficulty: | moderate • 170m up & down |
| Condition: | marked route |
| Elevation: | 1718m to 1885m |
| Open: | Dec to March, assuming snow |
| Cost: | free |
| Services: | restaurant near the end of trail |
| More info: | www.weissenberge.ch • weather • webcam |
Gallery
Trail overview
This trail starts at the top of the Chäppliberg-Spilau cable car, hikes up to the Spilauersee lake. Then back the same way.
For lunch, you can eat at the hut near the lake or a short detour to the Lidernen mountain hut (a family-friendly hut, fun for an easy overnight in the mountains).
If you want a longer hike, try the loop around the Hundstock peak.
Hiking map
This map shows the trail to the lake, with a detour to the Spilau Alp hut cafe.
See trail on Komoot
For a longer hike, you can loop around the Hundstock peak before arriving at the lake.
How to get there
This mountain area is located in the Uri canton, southeast of Lucerne.
This trail is reached by the Chäppeliberg-Spilau cable car near the end of the Riemenstalden valley – see location on map.
By car:
Drive to Sisikon, then turn east on Riemenhaldenstrasse, following the winding one lane road for about 15 mins to the cable car (GPS: 46°56’47.7″N 8°41’11.0″E).
There is metered parking on the street next to the cable car station. Don’t forget to pay the meter!
By public transport:
Take a train to Sisikon. Then PostAuto Bus 541 to Reimenstadlen, Chäppliberg
⚠️Since it’s a small bus with limited spots, they recommend making a seat reservation on their website or by phone (+41 817 75 00 Mon-Fri). Must be made by 3pm the day before.
⚠️This bus has a limited schedule, running only a few times a day. The schedule varies by month and day of the week.
In 2026, here are some of the regular departures. Check the schedule very carefully for your specific date of travel.
| Travel direction | Mon-Fri | Weekends |
|---|---|---|
| depart Sisikon train station | 8:00 12:00 15:00/15:45* | 7:45 8:45/9:08* 12:08 |
| depart from cable car station | 6:44 8:35 12:35 15:15/15:35* 16:15/16:35* 17:15, 17:35* | 8:15 9:15/35* 12:35 15:35/15:44* 16:35/16:44* |
* These departure times are different depending on the time of year. Check the schedule for your specific date of travel.
Sample schedule
The hike is about 90 mins there and back. Add an hour if you are having lunch at the lake.
For a weekday, you could catch the 8:00 bus from Sisikon, and return with the 12:35 bus. Or depart Sisikon at 12:00 and return on the 15:15/35 bus.
For a weekend, you could depart Sisikon on the 8:45/9:08 bus, and return on the 12:35 bus. Or depart Sisikon at 12:08 and return on the 15:35/44 bus.
Planning your day
Ticket prices
In 2026, a round trip ticket for the cable car costs CHF 16/adult and CHF 10/child. Cash only. Large dogs also require a ticket. www.spilau.ch
Operating times
The cable car runs most of the year, but hiking season is usually June thru October. https://www.spilau.ch/
The cable car has different hours depending on the season. In 2026, the cable car runs July to September 6.00 – 19.00, June & October 7.00 – 16.30.
Where to eat
Near the lake, there is Alp Spilau, a small cheese hut with a café and 6 beds for an overnight. See on map. You can pay with cash, card or Twint. They have a toilet.
A 500m walk from the cable car, there is the Lidernen mountain has a restaurant and is a family-friendly hut if you want to stay overnight. See our review of this hut here.
There is a picnic area next to the cable car station gondola with tables. No other picnic areas along the trail.
Photo story of trail
Riding the cable car
Here is the Chäppliberg cable car station. The cable car only fits 4 people, so you might need to wait a bit. But they run it continuously if there is demand.
If there is a worker there (usually is in the mornings), you can pay them in cash and they’ll help you into the open-air cable car. If there isn’t a worker there, you can use the telephone to call the upper station so they will operate the cable car remotely (there is also a video camera so they can see you).
When the car comes down, simply get in, lock the door and wait for them to start it. There will be a loud signal, indicating that the car is about to start moving. You can pay in cash at the top.
Here is the open air cable car. You can place your backpacks in the little cage outside the car. There are blankets on the seats if you are cold during the ride.
View as you ride the cable car.
Riding up out of the clouds. The mountains on the other side are part of Stoos.
View as you ride the cable car. You can see the Lidernenhütte, only about a 500m walk from the cable car station.
Arriving at the top
Here is the cable car station. I don’t think there is a toilet here
You see a couple signs pointing to the lake: Spilauersee.
Exit the cable car station and start by walking on the path past this first hut.
If you see a trail sign, walk direction “Spilauersee.”
It’s a mild uphill walk to the lake on a bumpy path.
You’ll pass this private hut. Sometimes they have a sign up inviting you to buy their cheese.
Making our way through the meadows.
Keep following footpath.
At this sign, follow the “Zum See” sign, which means “to the lake”.
The path up to the lake.
Arriving at the Spilauersee
It’s 1.5 km from the cable car, the sign said 40 mins. It took us about 30 mins walking very slow. In July, it’s super green with wildflowers.
Here’s what the lake looks like in late September.
You can walk along the lakeshore for a bit, but not all the way around the lake.
We’ve seen people swimming here but it is very cold. If you go in the water, enter slowly so your body can adjust to the temperature and doesn’t get a shock.
Alp Spilau hut for lunch
The Alp Spilau hut is just above the lake, hidden by the big boulders. It takes about 5 mins to walk up there. They don’t have a view of the lake.
During summer their “Beizli” cafe serve drinks and simple meals, like dried meat and cheese platters and soup. See menu. They aren’t always open, so bring snacks in case you can’t eat there. You can pay with cash or Twint.
With our order, we got to sample their cheese aged for a different amounts of time. You can buy their cheese. They have a large drinks menu, with lots of local fruity Schnaps.
When you are done, return the way you came to the cable car.
