Hiking is just so very easy in Switzerland. No matter your hiking (or strolling) experience, you’ll find rewarding trails to suit your experience. You don’t even need to be able to read a map. Obviously, you should take a map (or GPS) with you, but I have never once needed a map (and I have the worst sense of direction in the world).
Instead, the yellow signposts are your new best friend. Whether you’re climbing out of a cable car at the top of a mountain or stepping out of a train station in the middle of a busy shopping town, you’ll find an array of yellow signposts waiting there to greet you. As well as displaying a tantalising choice of potential destinations, the signposts inform you of the approximate time it should take you to walk there.
What’s more, the walks and signs are helpfully colour-coded. Once you’re on your way, the coloured signposts continue to pop up to give you helpful updates, supplemented by splashes of matching colour-coded paint on rocks and tree trunks. Add to this the fantastic free maps handed out at most tourist offices showing the popular tourist walking trails, and you’re good to go.
What do the coloured signposts mean when hiking in Switzerland?
Yellow – Yellow hiking trails are relatively easy underfoot, so ideal for first-time hikers or easy strolling days. They are often wide gravelled footpaths but can also be uneven or narrow in places. Yellow trails range from riverside pathways and meadow crossings to higher altitude routes with spectacular alpine views.
Red/white – Mountain hiking trails are suited to more experienced hikers with a good head for heights. If you have a few Lake District hikes (or similar) under your belt, you should be comfortable on most trails. But always do your research in advance, as they can vary substantially. Red/white trails often include pathways through rough or loose rocky terrain and sometimes across scree slopes. They are usually steep, narrow and more exposed than the yellow trails, occasionally with the odd bit of light scrambling. Steeper sections of red/white routes may include fixed handrails and the occasional small ladder.
Blue/white – Alpine hiking trails (marked blue/white) are few and far between compared to the amount of yellow and red/white trails. Steer clear of these. There’s really no need for even serious hikers to consider blue/white trails when there are so many equally rewarding red and white routes. Alpine hiking trails are signed but often not clearly visible. They include exposed trails, fixed ladders, snow fields and/or glacier crossings. Or require rock climbing that is significantly more than a light scramble. Depending on the hazards present on each specific Alpine hiking trail, you will need at least some items of mountain hiking equipment such as a rope, ice pick and/or crampons. So, advance research is essential, and an Alpine guide is recommended.
Do your research to ensure safe and responsible hiking in Switzerland, starting here.
How to get started on your first Swiss hike
Hiking is so ingrained in Switzerland’s culture that even if you’re not usually a hiker, you should try to squeeze a couple of walks into your holiday. A leisurely lakeside stroll is a good place to start. For a taste of hiking in the mountains, you’ll find short circular routes to get you started at the top of most mountain lifts. Plus inviting mountain restaurants to reward yourself at the end (or midway through).
- Check at the local tourist office (or online) that your trail is open and in good condition before setting off.
- Check the weather forecast – don’t go if thunder is expected. I like to download the Meteo Swiss App.
- Be aware of the high altitude and take it easy if you’re not used to it.
- Never hike if you feel unsafe – there’s no harm in changing your mind and retreating to a mountain restaurant instead.
What to wear and pack in your rucksack when hiking in Switzerland –
When hiking in Switzerland, I personally wear hiking shoes rather than boots for yellow hiking trails. I wouldn’t recommend trainers as they don’t have the grip or protection you need for the rougher sections.
You may prefer hiking boots for extra ankle support on the more rugged red-white trails. Since taking up trail running, I’ve become so used to running about in lighter-weight trail shoes that I generally never wear boots. But it definitely depends on what you, your feet, and your ankles are used to. If in doubt, definitely go for the most supportive option.
For blue/white trails, this is where I would be most likely to dig out my hiking boots and hope that they still fit. Especially if a snow or glacier crossing is involved. You must check the equipment required for your chosen route before setting off.
I stuff a small rucksack full of the following items as a minimum –
- Water and snacks
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Insect repellent
- Waterproof
- An extra layer (or room for an extra layer if you’re wearing it to start in)
- Woolly hat (you never know how cold it will be, and a woolly hat is an easy way to keep the heat in while taking up little space)
- Sun cream and lip balm
- Mobile phone
- Money/credit cards
- A little first-aid kit may be useful
- Swiss Travel Pass and passport
- Free walking trail map from tourist office or lift pass station (I’ve also been known to take the maps that are often kindly printed on paper place settings in restaurants)
Don’t know where to start?
Walking, hiking, and running the Swiss trails are my favourite ways to summer holiday in Switzerland. Look out for posts on my most memorable meanders, from the flat and easy to the steep and precipitous.
To start with, check out my posts on Easy hikes in and around the Jungfrau region and Easy hikes around Lake Lucerne.
