Zermatt is one of the best walking destinations in Switzerland with well-marked trails and stunning landmarks. Here are all our favourite hikes in Zermatt for an easy to strenuous day out in the mountains.
By: Mark Barnes | Last Updated: | Jump to Comments
This post covers the best hikes we’ve completed around the Zermatt area.
As you are probably aware, the Matterhorn dominates the scene from the town, but there are plenty of other impressive landmarks to explore on foot from Zermatt.
The Gorner Glacier is an enormous curve of ice circling Dufourspitze, the highest mountain in Switzerland. A maze of trails explores the Alpine lakes, meadows, and narrow gorges, perfect for easier hikes.
We’ve provided all the information you need to hike in this beautiful part of Switzerland. All the hikes are organised by difficulty with maps, instructions and tips.
MAP: BEST HIKES IN ZERMATT
This post consists of 9 day hikes and 3 multi-day hikes. The 9 day hikes are shown on the map below and cover most of the Zermatt region. If you walk each of them, you’ll get great views of the Matterhorn from several different angles.
USING OUR MAPS. Click on the top right corner to open in the Google Maps app. Click on the star to save to your Google account.
EASY ZERMATT HIKES
Our 4 easy hikes are under 6 kilometres and can be done in 2 hours and 30 minutes or less. They have relatively little uphill with an ascent of no more than 200 metres.
1. RIFFELSEE TRAIL
We’ve done this hike a couple of times now, and in our opinion, it’s the best easy hike in Zermatt. It has excellent views from beginning to end and requires very little effort.
To do the hike, we took the train to the top of Gornergrat, then spent some time at the observation platform overlooking the Gorner Glacier. It has incredible views of Dufourspitze, the highest mountain in Switzerland at 4,634m.
From the summit, we took the trail that heads down to Riffelsee, a small lake with excellent reflections of the Matterhorn. Then we continued to Riffelberg to catch the train back to Zermatt.
The wonderful thing about this hike is that the Matterhorn is in front of you all the way.
RIFFELSEE ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 4.8 kilometres (3 miles) | Time – 1 hour and 30 minutes | Elevation – 100 metres (330 feet) ascent; 450 metres (1,500 feet) descent | Difficulty – Easy | Start – Gornergrat | End – Riffelberg.
2. GORNER GORGE HIKE
This easy trail runs from the cable car station at Furi down to Zermatt. There are two excellent reasons to undertake the walk.
Firstly, it passes through the village of Blatten, a collection of traditional Swiss wooden houses with a restaurant that makes an excellent place for lunch.
Secondly, it heads through the Gorner Gorge. This tight, narrow canyon has a suspension bridge and wooden walkways on the canyon walls.
The path to the Gorner Gorge is easy to miss and heads out the back of Blatten restaurant. Keep an eye out for it on the route detailed in the map above.
We finished by taking the trail through the Forest Fun Park on its way into Zermatt.
GORNER GORGE ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 3.5 kilometres (2.2 miles) | Time – 1 hour 30 minutes | Elevation – 280 m (920 ft) descent | Difficulty – Easy | Start – Furi | End – Zermatt | Map – Grey trail
3. MATTERHORN GLACIER TRAIL
This hike is high above Zermatt and explores the rocky and icy landscapes found at this altitude.
We started the hike from Trockener Steg cable car station, then took the trail that heads across a rocky wilderness left behind by a retreating glacier.
The glacier formed an imposing wall of ice on our left. To our right, the views over Zermatt and the mountains that surround it were impressive. In front, the Matterhorn is viewed from its most perfect triangular side.
We finished the walk at Schwarzsee where the picturesque Marie chapel sits on the shores of the lake.
We were thrilled to find such an easy, yet exciting hike high up in the mountains.
MATTERHORN GLACIER TRAIL ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 6.6 kilometres (4.1 miles) | Time – 2 hours and 30 minutes | Elevation – 170m (560 ft) ascent and 515m (1,690 ft) descent | Difficulty – Easy to Moderate | Start – Trockener Steg | End – Schwarzsee | Map – Purple trail.
4. CRYSTAL TRAIL
This is a wonderful short hike that captures many Alpine highlights in a couple of hours. Grand mountain views, crystal clear lakes, charming mountain huts, and glaciers.
We started at Rothorn Cable Car Station. At an altitude of 3,103m, the views across to Weisshorn and other 4,000m high giants are excellent.
We followed the trail that slowly winds down to Fluhalp Hut, with sweeping views of the Findel Glacier. The hut itself is a charming Alpine chalet with a fantastic outdoor terrace.
Continuing down towards Stellisee, there is a great view of the Matterhorn reflected in the lake, but unfortunately, our view was a bit greyed out by clouds.
We finished at Sunnegga and then walked the Gourmet Trail back down to Zermatt. However, you could also get the funicular down.
CRYSTAL TRAIL ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 5.4 kilometres (3.3 miles) | Time – 1 hour and 45 minutes | Elevation – 50m (165 ft) ascent and 570m (1,850 ft) descent | Difficulty – Easy to Moderate descent | Start – Rothorn | End – Blauherd | Map – Yellow trail.
MODERATE ZERMATT HIKES
Our 4 moderate walks are either longer in distance, up to 9 kilometres in length, or require more ascent and descent. They take two to four hours and are more physically demanding. We would put the Hörnlihutte hike somewhere between moderate and challenging.
5. GLACIER GARDEN HIKE
This walk explores the area below the Gorner Glacier.
We started at Riffelberg and then took the path that drops down into a wooded valley, twisting around large rocky outcrops cut by the glacier.
After descending to the valley floor, we hiked alongside the rocky riverbed, then took the short detour to a hanging suspension bridge (Hängebrücke).
The trail now doubles back on itself and passes through the Dossen Glacier Garden. Here, strange rock formations and smooth, polished boulders show what usually lies beneath a glacier.
We finished this hike at Furi Cable Car station.
TIP | This hike can be combined with either the Riffelsee Trail or the Gorner Gorge Trail. If you want one longish all-day hike, you could put all three together.
GLACIER GARDEN HIKE ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 6.2 kilometres (3.85 miles) | Time – 2 hours and 15 minutes | Elevation – 40m (130 ft) ascent and 750m (2,460 ft) descent | Difficulty – Moderate | Start – Riffelberg | End – Furi | Map – Green trail.
6. BREITHORN ASCENT HIKE
This hike takes you to the summit of Breithorn, an altitude of 4,164m.
It’s rare to be able to walk to the top of a 4,000-metre mountain with so little effort. Breithorn is the perfect way for first-timers to get an idea of what it is like to trek in high Alpine ice.
The trail begins at Klein Matterhorn (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car station). It ascends just over 400 m to the glaciated summit.
The views all along the way are sensational, including the Matterhorn and the peaks of Castor and Lyskamm.
The return journey takes just over three hours.
Although it’s only a little over three miles, the altitude and snow make it harder going than a regular hike of the same distance.
You’ll need a guide to do this hike as it requires some experience and the route changes regularly. Book a Breithorn guided tour here.
BREITHORN ASCENT ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 5.4 kilometres (3.4 miles) | Time – 3 hours and 30 minutes | Elevation – 415m (1,360 ft) ascent and descent | Difficulty – Moderate | Start – Klein Matterhorn | End – Klein Matterhorn.
7. FIVE LAKES HIKE
This walk is probably not our favourite on this list, but it’s one of the most popular hikes in Zermatt, so we thought we should include it.
As the title suggests, it includes 5 lakes near Zermatt which are: Stellisee, Grindjisee, Grünsee, Mossjesee and Leisee.
We started at the Blauherd Cable Car Station and followed the well-signed path to Sunnegga Funicular Station. The whole walk took us just under 3 hours.
The Sunnegga station has a great terrace for lunch, or you could follow the Gourmet Trail down to Zermatt, stopping off at one of the restaurants along the way.
Tip // The Five Lakes Trail and Crystal Trail cover some of the same ground and can be combined. If we had to choose one of them, we would choose the Crystal Trail. It’s less busy, the views are more varied, and it includes Stellisee, the most attractive of the five lakes.
5 LAKES ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 9.8 kilometres (6.1 miles) | Time – 3 hours | Elevation – 165m (540 ft) ascent and 455m (1,500 ft) descent | Difficulty – Moderate | Start – Blauherd | End – Sunnegga | Map – Blue trail.
8. HÖRNLIHÜTTE HIKE
This out-and-back walk was one of our favourite challenging hikes in Zermatt, and Switzerland for that matter.
The destination is Hörnli Hut, base camp for the Matterhorn summit climb.
The trail begins at Schwarzsee and works its way up a series of ridges to the hut. There are a few metal staircases and a very short, narrow section where a head for heights is useful. Otherwise, there is nothing technically difficult.
The 700 metres of ascent and descent require a reasonable level of fitness, but the hut is well-positioned for a midway break.
The views are sensational, but the real thrill is the sheer sense of adventure in a rugged and wild Alpine scene.
At the hut, keep an eye out for climbers preparing to summit the next day and bring some binoculars. There may be a few climbers still on the impossibly narrow-looking ridge to the top.
HÖRNLIHÜTTE ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 8.6 kilometres (5.3 miles) | Time – 4 hours | Elevation – 695m (2,280 ft) ascent & descent | Difficulty – Moderate to Challenging | Start – Schwarzsee | End – Schwarzsee.
CHALLENGING ZERMATT HIKES
Our 4 challenging hikes are over 20 kilometres long with three of them being multi-day hikes. They require a high level of fitness and a bit of planning.
9. EDELWEISS TRAIL (HÖHBALMEN)
Höhbalmen Meadows has probably the best view of the Matterhorn we have ever seen, and the only way to get there is on the Edelweiss hike.
We started from Zermatt Village and climbed up to Edelweiss Hut. From here, there’s a very strenuous climb (with little relief) to Trift Guesthouse. This is a great place to stop, with two-thirds of the ascent out of the way. They also do an excellent iced tea.
From Trift, the path continues to rise, contouring a grassy slope. Suddenly, the Matterhorn appears ahead, stretching above the Höhbalmen meadow.
The hard part is over now, and the rest of the trail descends gradually with the Matterhorn in front of you all the way.
After about 4 kilometres, we dropped down into the valley, past the Arbebach Falls and followed the left-hand side of Zmuttbach into Zmutt.
This hike is not to be underestimated. It’s over 20 kilometres and takes about 7 hours with 1,200m of ascent and descent. However, it’s one of the most exhilarating hikes we’ve ever done.
EDELWEISS TRAIL ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 20.7 kilometres (12.85 miles) | Time – 7 hours and 30 minutes | Elevation – 1,200m (3,940 ft) ascent and descent | Difficulty – Challenging | Start & End – Zermatt | Map – Red trail.
10. EUROPA TRAIL
Zermatt is the destination for several excellent multi-day hikes.
They all require planning, and they are all quite challenging. But they are another excellent way of exploring the region.
The Europa Trail is a 2-day hike that contours the valley’s eastern side between Grächen and Zermatt. It’s considered one of the most beautiful hikes in the region.
The views across to Weisshorn and up to the Matterhorn are sensational.
Just above Randa, the trail crosses the Charles Kuonen Hanging Bridge. As the third-longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world, it’s a notable attraction on the trail.
EUROPA TRAIL ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 33.5 km (20.75 miles) | Time – 2 days | Elevation – 2,550m (8,350 ft) ascent and 1,880m (6,150 ft) descent | Difficulty – Challenging | Start – Grächen | End – Sunnegga.
11. HIGH ALTITUDE TRAIL
The high-altitude trail (Höhenweg) connects the beautiful balconies that overlook Zermatt, using many of the shorter hikes in the area.
It starts by taking the Edelweiss Trail over the Höhbalmen meadows. From here it heads across to Schwarzsee, then up the Matterhorn Glacier Trail before dropping down to Furi.
From Furi, it climbs up the Gornergrat (with an optional ascent to Monte Rosa Hut). Next, it completes the Five Lakes and finally winds its way down into Täsch.
All in all, a spectacular way to explore the entire Zermatt region.
HIGH ALTITUDE TRAIL ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 89 km (55.3 miles) | Time – 5 to 7 days | Elevation – 5,750m (18,850 ft) ascent and 5,920m (19,500 ft) descent | Difficulty – Challenging | Start – Zermatt | End – Täsch.
12. HAUTE ROUTE CHAMONIX-ZERMATT
The most famous of the multi-day treks in the Alps is the Haute Route.
It covers a staggering 210 miles, ascending and descending about 14,000m. The trail is considered one of the best hikes in the world.
Beginning in Chamonix in France, it crosses 10 mountain passes. Along the way, it drops into cute towns and traverses wild and rugged Alpine scenery, before finishing in Zermatt.
It is an extremely tough physical challenge. The entire route takes about 2 weeks, with much of that time spent above 2,800m in altitude.
HAUTE ROUTE DETAILS
Distance – 210 km (130 miles) | Time – 12-14 days | Elevation – 14,300m (47,000 ft) ascent and 13,700m (45,000 ft) descent | Difficulty – Extremely Challenging | Start – Chamonix | End – Zermatt.
WHICH ONES SHOULD YOU NOT MISS?
We’ve covered what we think are the best day hikes around Zermatt. However, you may not have time to do all of them. If that’s the case, here are our personal favourites.
- Riffelsee Trail (1) – it’s mostly downhill, and the views are wonderful.
- Crystal Trail (4) – it’s diverse with high mountains, lakes and huts.
- Hörnlihütte Hike (8) – getting to the Matterhorn base camp is challenging and exciting.
- Matterhorn Glacier Trail (3) – the icy rocky landscape is unique.
- Edelweiss Trail (9) – for the best Matterhorn views you can get.
HOW LONG?
We’ve been to Zermatt several times to put this guide together. In our general Zermatt guide, you can read about all the other things to do in the area.
For a hiking holiday, we suggest you spend at least 2 full days in Zermatt. That way, you can visit the most iconic viewpoints and hike several of the best trails.
Here is a brief itinerary:
Day 1 – Visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at Klein Matterhorn and hike either the Matterhorn Glacier Trail or the Hörnlihütte. Assuming conditions hold up, you could do both.
Day 2 – In the morning, take the train to Gornergrat and hike the Riffelsee Trail. In the afternoon, head up to Rothorn and hike the Crystal Trail back to Sunnegga.
If you are a keen hiker, spending 3 or 4 full days is worth it.
Day 3 – Hike the challenging Edelweiss Trail that heads over Höhbalmen Meadows.
Day 4 – Organise a guide to conquer the 4,164m high Breithorn. If you don’t want to climb Breithorn, explore the Gorner Gorge, the Hanging Bridge, and the lovely restaurants around Furi.
If you are short on time, we’ve put together a 1-day itinerary for Zermatt.
WHERE TO STAY?
Zermatt is a car-free village with access via train from Täsch. There is ample covered parking at Täsch, and trains depart every 30 minutes.
Most accommodation is easy to get to from the Zermatt train station, either on foot or by porter transport arranged via your hotel.
For a hiking holiday, we suggest staying in the village or in the area near the Matterhorn Express station (around 1 kilometre from the town).
You can find all our recommendations in our Zermatt accommodation guide.
BEST TIME TO HIKE IN ZERMATT
The summer hiking season in Switzerland runs from mid-June to mid-October.
However, early in the season, snow often still covers the higher trails and can return in late September.
With mountain peaks around 3,000 metres, the main season in Zermatt is from early July to mid-September.
Most mountain cable cars and restaurants close for a few weeks between the ski season and the summer season. This is usually mid-April through mid-June and mid-October to mid-December.
If you are looking at other areas as well, read our guide on the best hikes in Switzerland.
ZERMATT CABLE CAR & TRAIN TICKETS
Most of our best hikes in Zermatt (except the Edelweiss Trail) require cable cars, trains, or funiculars. The costs of getting this transport quickly add up, so it is worth considering purchasing a Peak Pass.
PEAK PASS
The Peak Pass can be purchased from 1 to 21 days and offers unlimited use of all the transport in the Zermatt region.
If you plan on at least making a return journey to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (Klein Matterhorn) and the Gornergrat, then you will more than likely save money with the pass.
OTHER PASSES
If you are combining Zermatt with other destinations in Switzerland, consider getting a Swiss Travel Pass, which can be used in conjunction with regional passes.
The Swiss Travel Pass provides unlimited access to trains, buses, and boats throughout Switzerland, including panoramic trains.
The Swiss Half Card provides a 50% discount on trains, buses, boats, mountain railways and cable cars. If you are driving yourself, this is an excellent option, but plan on using some cable cars.
USEFUL LINKS
MORE SWITZERLAND GUIDES
- See the best of Zermatt on our 1-day itinerary.
- Here’s how to get the best views of the Matterhorn.
- These are the best things to do in Zermatt.
- Our top hikes around Zermatt are ranked from easy to challenging.
- Find your perfect stay with our Zermatt accommodation guide.
- Looking for something different? We highly recommend Appenzell.
- Take a scenic road trip on the Furka Pass.
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WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR TO GET NICE BLUE SKY IN BACKGROUND, IN SWITZERLAND. THANKS
That’s a good question. Weather can be unpredictable in the mountains, but June and July are supposed to be the sunniest months in Switzerland.