Spring Hiking in Switzerland

It's natural, once the first sign of spring occurs, we get antsy. We look for our hiking boots and we are eager to get out there after a long winter. Not so fast though. Spring is not alpine hiking season, as the snow is still very present in the mountains and hiking during this time of the year can be dangerous. If you are looking for safe and nice hikes, we provide a few details below. Most of the hikes we mention are in our first book, Fresh Air Kids Switzerland, so all the details will be found there.

River Walks:

Sticking to lower elevations is advised and therefore, river hikes are incredible. Lucky for us, Switzerland has lots of rivers, making this an easy hike or route to seek out. For us, and our proximity to the Rhine, we can advise the Rhine River Loop. A quick 5km walk from our front door, this scenic route is a favorite. The route goes over the Wettsteinbrücke to Schwarzwaldbrücke by the Tinguely Museum.

Lake Walks:

Spiez:

The lakes in Switzerland are a sight to behold and hiking along them is a true pleasure. We love the Spiez area and the easy walk from Faulensee to Spiez is family-friendly and visually stunning. This is a perfect walk for visiting family or friends who are not accustom to hiking in the Alps, plus, you can participate in this stroll year round.

Thun:

A walk along the shores of Lake Thun is the perfect way to enjoy a weekend. With the route we selected in our book, there are two playgrounds along the way and lots of opportunities to get close to the water.

Please note, the last time we participated in this walk, there was construction by the second playground. The playground was still open (whew!), but the construction obstructed our gorgeous view. Hopefully that will be complete soon!

Cherry Blossoms:

Need I say more, who doesn't love a good cherry blossom stroll? My goodness, they make the most beautiful walks and the photos will be cherished for years to come. Remember, that the cherry blossom season is short and typically best witnessed in early to mid-April depending on where you go. We were anxious to check on the trees along the Frick route the weekend of March 13th. There are indeed buds on the trees, but they have yet to pop! Perhaps a few more weeks and they will be ready to go!

Below we list our three favorites.

Gempen to Muttenz or Arlesheim with a stop at Schönmatt. Schönmatt is a family - friendly farm that has a small shop that sells jam, meat, fruits, veggies and more. They also have outdoor dining on nice days. This route is incredible and people come from all over to witness the cherry blossoms in all of their glory!

Frick - Chiesiwäg:

Whew, it is beautiful out there! This hike is relatively easy and stroller friendly. Pack a picnic, as there is a place to grill with picnic benches and delight in the views.

Zug:

Zug takes their cherry season very seriously, as they should. This area is lovely with the lake and the views. If you are interested in finding out if the trees are blooming, you may contact the tourist office at info@zug.ch and they will update you on the tree blossom status. How cool is that?

Local Hikes:

Our final tip, is don't overlook your local area. Switzerland is incredible with the amount of trails available in the country. Sometimes you don't have to travel far to witness trail magic. We personally love hiking through Muttenz, Pratteln, and Arlesheim, and other neighboring villages. We even step - up our hiking game by searching for castles and we just started Geocaching, which adds an additional element of fun!

Happy spring!