This snowshoe trail loops around sun-facing slopes of Gamplüt, a quiet mountain area in the Toggenburg valley. It’s a steep climb up a peaceful landscape with beautiful mountain views, leading to a restaurant for lunch.
While it’s a popular area for winter hiking and ski touring, it remains relatively quiet since there’s no busy ski hill.
Since this area is low elevation, it doesn’t always have snow throughout the season. But you can usually still hike here, even with minimal snow.
Quick Info
| Region | Toggenburg region, Eastern Switzerland |
| Address: | Chuchitobel parking, Wildhaus |
| By car: | Metered parking – Egg 289, 9658 Wildhaus From Zürich 1hr30 |
| By public transport: | Bus stop: Wildhaus, Dorf From Zürich 1h45 |
| Trail: | 2h • ⬇️trail map |
| Distance: | 5.8 km loop |
| Difficulty: | moderate • 330m up, 330m down |
| Condition: | marked snowshoe trail |
| Elevation: | 1110m to 1437m |
| Open: | Dec to March, assuming snow |
| Cost: | free |
| Services: | restaurant & WC at middle point and parking |
| More info: | www.gamplüt.ch • trail status • weather • webcam |
Gallery
Trail Map
The Wildhaus Gamplüt area has snowshoe Route 711 (dotted) and groomed winter trail Route 153 (solid). Our preferred snowshoe route combines these two.
Going clockwise, we start on the snowshoe route up to the restaurant. Then hike up to the viewpoint. Then hike down on the winter trail, completing the loop.
The trail map below shows our preferred snowshoe route. I like this variation because it is a bit longer than the official Route 711 and has more variety of scenery.
See trail map on SwitzerlandMobility • Komoot.
If you prefer to hike without snowshoes, instead follow the winter hiking Route 153 to Gamplüt.
More in Toggenburg region: we also like the Wildhaus Gamperfin winter trail and Sellamat snowshoe route.
How to get there
This snowshoe trail is located in Wildhaus, in the Toggenburg region of Eastern Switzerland.
By car:
Park in the metered parking lot at Egg 289, 9658 Wildhaus. You can pay the meter with EasyPark mobile app.
By public transport:
Take a bus to Wildhaus, Dorf. Then a 4 min walk to the trail start at the Chuchitobel parking lot.
Planning your day
Opening times
The snowshoe trail is usually open from December to March, depending on snow conditions. Check trail status on SchweizMobil.
If there isn’t much snow, you can usually do the winter hiking Route 153 without snowshoes as see the same scenery.
Services
The Gamplüt restaurant is in the middle of the trail, at the top of the gondola. Usually open daily 8:30 – 16:30. Cash only!
For a picnic, we like the benches at the highest point of the trail – see on map.
There is a free public WC near the parking and at the Gamplüt restaurant (door is behind the restaurant, near the wind turbine).
Snowshoe rental
They rent snowshoes + poles at the Gamplüt cable car station, short walk from the parking.
Photo story of trail
1. Starting the trail
Here’s the Wildhaus parking. Both the winter trail and snowshoe trail start here.
Start of the trail next to the parking. We didn’t need snowshoe for a few minutes.
The winter trail follows the service road. If it has snow, the trail is groomed with machines so it can be used by winter hikers and sledders.
Heading up the hill on the snowshoe route.
Follow those pink trail signs.
View of Mt Säntis from the trail.
2. Arriving at the restaurant
At about the halfway point, you reach the Gamplüt restaurant next to the top of the cable car. The restaurant is open almost every day. Cash only.
Nice big sunny terrace with a view.
Also a cozy inside if you need to warm up.
View from the restaurant.
3. Detour to viewpoint
We suggest climbing the hill just above the restaurant to get a bit closer to the mountains.
It’s a bit steep, but short.
I was glad to have the heel lift on my snowshoes to make this part easier.
The reward for the climb.
You can explore farther up the valley, but then you have to come back the same way to rejoin the main trail. There is a steep trail down through the forest, but we don’t recommend it.
4. Down on the winter trail
Instead of hiking back on the snowshoe lollipop, we joined the winter hiking trail and followed that down to the parking.
It was early December, so the trail wasn’t groomed yet.
No snow on the last few minutes of the trail as we returned to the parking.
Hope you enjoy this day out!
See more winter trails and snowshoe routes.
