March in Switzerland: 15 Best Hikes for Early Spring

In Switzerland, the month of March is more winter than spring. Although the snow melts in the valleys, most mountains will have snow through late May to late June.

So if you want to hike during this time, you will probably doing low elevation hikes along rivers and lakes or snowy winter trails in the mountains. Here are our suggestions for March hiking in Switzerland.

What to expect when hiking in March

Winter trails for March

If you want to hike in the mountains in March, you will most likely be on snowy winter hiking trails, where the snow is groomed with a machine. This means you only need regular hiking shoes (preferably waterproof with good tread), but no snowshoe attachments. Winter trail are easy to follow with trail signs and pink poles.

Learn more about Swiss winter trails.

However, as snow conditions worsen, some winter trails and whole resorts may close starting the middle of March. So definitely check the trail status and opening times of lifts and restaurants on the relevant websites.

Also as temperatures warm, the snow on winter trails often becomes wet and slushy with mud patches. So check webcams and plan your footwear accordingly. See what to wear for a winter hike.

Low elevation hikes for March

As the snow melts in the lowlands, you can hike on many low elevation trails along rivers, around lakes and through the countryside. Since the trees will be bare until about late April, I suggest picking trails that rely on nice views, rather than forest trails. 

Trail conditions in March

Check trail conditions carefully before heading out. A late snowstorm may make the trail impassable. Plus trails are often in bad shape after winter, covered with mud and debris. Trails usually aren’t cleaned up until just before prime hiking season starts in late May and June. So exercise caution.

Also, don’t expect a classic Swiss lush green landscape in March. The grass will be green but the trees are mostly still bare until late April or mid May. 

What services are open in March?

In the lowlands, don’t expect any services on the trails in March. Restaurants will probably be closed, no firewood will be at the picnic areas, activity trails and playgrounds may have the play equipment removed or blocked off.

If you plan to ride a cable car to the trail, check the website to make sure it’s running. Even if ski resorts are scheduled to be open, they may close due to poor snow conditions or bad weather.

During winter and spring, buses often run reduced schedules or not at all. So if you are traveling by public transportation, check the schedule carefully, noting all special markings and notes. 

When does summer hiking season start in Switzerland?

Winter season in the Swiss mountains lasts until about mid-April. Then gondolas and cable cars usually close for a few weeks until the snow melts and mountain trails are ready for walking. During this time, they will often do maintenance on the trails, clearing landslides and repairing damage on the paths.

Hiking season in the mountains starts about mid-May to end of June, with more cable cars opening for summer season each week. Many start by only opening on weekends and holidays, then opening every day starting in July. Always check the mountain websites for current opening times.

March hikes near Zurich

Below are trails near Zurich to consider for March. See also Winter Hikes near Zurich and Easy Nature Walks near Zurich.

1. Rigi Panorama Trail

Since the Rigi trains run year round, you can access this trail all spring, even if the ski resort has closed and the snow has only patchy. Check the Rigi webcams to see how much snow is left up there. I’ve seen it completely snow-free in early March and also completely full of snow as late as mid April.

The Panorama trail starts at the top at Rigi Kulm and stretches as far as Rigi Scheidegg, although you don’t have to walk that far. You can walk as little as 1 to 4 km a and catch the mountain train down. 

See the Rigi trail status on their interactive map.

Learn more about the Rigi Winter Trail

In March boat from Lucerne is running, so you can do the classic round trip that includes a boat ride and mountain train. But note that the Weggis cable car is closed for maintenance during this time.

2. Ibergeregg to Rotenflue

Even if the small ski resort here closes, you can access this winter trail by driving to the Ibergeregg pass. You’ll see locals on this trail all spring, as the snow slowly turns to mud. The trail has fantastic views of Lake Lucerne and the Mythen peak, which you can usually start climbing in May.

If the ski resort is closed, they will no longer groom the trail with machines. So the snowy can get quite lumpy and at times difficult to walk on. Lots of people will go anyway and their feet will keep the snow trampled down.

Location: parking at Ibergeregg pass / with public transport, use  Rotenfluebahn gondola

Hike: moderate • 2h15 • 7.2 k • 230m up & down – check trail status

Cost: free if you start from pass

Learn more about the Ibergeregg winter trail

3. Pizol High Mountain Trail

This trail is at a pretty high elevation at over 2200m. So the snow tends to stick around here a little longer. The ski resort is usually open through early April (this year through 10 April 2023), meaning the lifts accessing this trail will be running until then.

Location: Pizol Wangs gondola, southeast of Zurich. See on map.

Hike: Easy • 1h15 • 3.7 k • 30m up & down – check trail status

Cost: Gondola Adult CHF 46. Discount for children, youth, and Swiss travel cards.

Learn more about the Pizol Winter Hike

4. Amden-Arvenbüel

Though technically a winter trail, the snow usually melts here early due to the low elevation and sun exposure. So you can often be hiking here with grassy slopes and mountain views in late March and April.

You can drive or take a bus to the trail head at Arvenbüel (no mountain lift required). Then follow the trail towards Vorder Höhi. This is both a summer and winter trail. If there’s snow, it is so well traveled that you won’t need snowshoes unless it just snowed the day before.

Location: parking Föhrenstrasse 4, 8873 Amden / bus stop Arvenbüel

Hike: easy • 2h • 6.6 km loop • 260m up & down

Cost: free

See status of the Amden Vorder Höhi trail.

5. Türlersee

I talk about the Türlersee a bit too much. But it’s a such an easy choice when we want a simple outdoor outing for a sunny warm day in March. This easy 4km loop around a small lake near Zürich is nice any time of year, even in snow and light rain. 

Location: parking Türlen 15, 8915 Hausen am Albis / bus stop Hausen am Albis, Türlersee

Hike: easy • 1h30 • 4 km loop

Cost: free

See details for Türlersee lake walk

6. Greifensee

Biking around this lake is one of our spring traditions, using during spring break in the second half of April. But we’ve also biked and walked here on sunny days in February (below pic) and really enjoyed it.

The full path around the lake is about 19 km, but there are bus stops along the way allowing you to customize the length as needed. 

Location: parking near Breitistrasse 1, 8606 Greifensee / bus stop Greifensee, Städtli

Hike: 19km loop, bus stops along the way to shorten route

Cost: free

See details for Greifensee lake path

7. Uetliberg

If you live in Zürich, hiking up Uetliberg is a great choice to get your mountain legs in shape before true hiking season begins. You can hike up and down the mountain and hike across the ridge along the panorama trail.

If you do the panorama trail, note that the cable car from Felsenegg to Adliswil is very often closed for maintenance in March and April, so you might have to change your route. Check their website for current operating times.

See my post 3 Trails up Uetliberg and the Uetliberg Panorama trail.

8. Thur River

We hiked this trail the last weekend in March and really enjoyed walking along the rushing water with snowcapped mountains in view. It’s an easy walk, suitable for children. Lots of places to picnic along here.

This is a one way trail with train and bus connections at each village along the way.

Location: start at Krummenau train station, end at Neu St. Johann train station

Hike: from 5.5 km to 15 km

Cost: free, except train fare back to starting point

See details for Thur River trail

March hikes near Lucerne

and Winter Hikes near Lucerne.

9. Swiss Path

This long distance path wraps around the southern end of the Vierwaldstättersee (aka Lake Lucerne). The path never gets higher than 890m, so it is usually free of snow in March, though a late snow storm could change that. The path is divided into 7 sections, all connected by public transportation.

So you could hike as 2 km and as long as 35km. Our family hiked it in four parts, one each spring for four years. We’ve always hiked it in May, when the hills are greener and the trees are more full. But the lake and mountain views are always nice, even if the trees aren’t green yet.

See Overview of Swiss Path, with links to details for each section

10. Lungernsee

Since this trail does not rely on mountain transport, you can walk around this lake anytime of year, assuming the path doesn’t have too much snow. This walk has nice mountain views. But in March, the trees will be bare, the waterfalls probably not running yet, and the lake water level can be quite low.

Location: parking –Pfrundmatte 419, 3822 Lauterbrunnen / Train station – Lauterbrunnen

Hike: easy • 2hr30 • 9.5 km loop • 140m up & down

Cost: free

See details for Lungernsee lake path

March hikes near Interlaken

Note that some popular destinations are closed in March, like Oeschinensee which is closed from mid March to mid May. Get more Spring ideas for Bernese Oberland.

11. Jungfrau Region winter trails

The Jungfrau Region ski resort is typically open through the first or second week of April. So if there is enough snow, a few of the winter trails may be possible in March. But definitely check the trail status because the resort may stop maintaining the winter trails late in the season.

Your best best is probably Grindelwald First, which has a nice winter trail that starts at the top of the gondola heads into the mountains towards the Bachalpsee. Although the lake is usually covered in snow and ice until June, the views are spectacular and well worth a visit. Plus you can do the slightly scary cliff walk near the gondola station.

The Grindelwald First gondola runs all spring, without taking a break. So you can always reach the trail. But check the interactive map to see if the trail is actually suitable for walking.

See details for Grindelwald First winter hike.

In the Jungfrau Region, you might also try the Grütschalp – Winteregg – Mürren trail, accessible from the Lauterbrunnen valley.

12. Hasliberg

This large ski resort east of Interlaken is typically open through the first week of April. If there is enough snow, they have some lovely winter walking paths with panorama views.

We combined two trails to make a full day hike. We started at the top of the Käserstatt gondola and hiked to Mägisalp. Then we rode up the gondolas to the Alpen Tower viewpoint for lunch. Then back down to Mägisalp where we continued walking on the winter trail down to Bidmi.

Location: Twing-Käserstatt gondola – Twing 365L, 6084 Hasliberg

Hike: first part 3 km, about 1 hour • second part easy 4.7k, about 90 mins – check trail status

Cost: hiking pass CHF 32/adult, discount for children, SBB GA & Half-fare

See details for Hasliberg Winter Hike

13. Lauterbrunnen Valley Walk

You can walk down the Lauterbrunnen valley any time of year. This easy stroll on a private country road has mountain views and dozens of waterfalls spilling over the cliff walls on either side. It’s an easy stroll on a private country road sometimes along the river. It’s about 4.3 km from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg, where you can catch a bus back to your starting point. 

Location: parking –Pfrundmatte 419, 3822 Lauterbrunnen / Train station – Lauterbrunnen

Hike: one way trail 6.7 km from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg

Cost: free

See details for Lauterbrunnen Valley Walk

March hikes in Ticino

In Ticino, the temperatures are usually warmer and the snow melts earlier. So you can often hike in the mountains without snow. But not all lifts and services will be open until later in spring. So check operating schedules carefully as you make plans.

14. Monte San Salvatore

Just south of Lugano, you can ride a vintage funicular up the San Salvatore mountain. Then a short walk up to the panorama terrace with views over Lake Lugano and surrounding mountains. If you want to hike, follow the trail along the ridge to Morcote, often described as the most beautiful village in Switzerland.

After some gelato, take a boat back to Lugano. The boat runs year round, but the schedule is limited in spring. So check the times carefully. 

Location: Via delle Scuole 7, 6900 Paradiso

Optional hike: Moderate • 3 h • 9.3 k • 290m up, 906m down

Cost: one way funicular CHF 23 + boat or bus fare back to starting point

See details for San Salvatore

15. Cardada-Cimetta

This mountain above Locarno has sweeping panoramic views over Lago Maggiore and a fun activity trail for children. The lifts here usually open for summer season already in mid March, with the whole area free of snow. 

Location: Funicular from Locarno: Viale Francesco Balli 2, 6600 Locarno. Then cable car and chair lift to the top.

Optional hike: easy 3 km walk down from top to middle station

Cost: from Locarno, about CHF 44/adult for mountain lifts

See details for Cardada-Cimetta