ℹ️ Click on the + to view the trail info.
🥾 Trail Info 🔽
- 🚗 Arrival: The starting point of this winter hike is reached via Lauterbrunnen. where the cable car next to the train station takes you up to Grütschalp. Parking is available in the large parking garage in Lauterbrunnen for around 18 Swiss francs for up to eight hours.
- 💰 Costs: Expenses only apply to the cable car connection from Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp, with a one-way ticket costing around CHF 8 without a Half Fare Card. With the Swiss Travel Pass, the return journey from Mürren or Gimmelwald is usually free. With a Half Fare Card or GA travelcard, the cable car is often cheaper; depending on your ticket and validity, it’s worth checking connections and prices in advance via the SBB timetable.
- 🥾 Equipment: Good winter boots with proper grip, sunglasses, some snacks, easy-to-put-on traction cleats, and sun protection, as the winter sun reflects strongly off the snow.
- 🥵 Difficulty: T1. The winter hike from Grütschalp to Mürren is mostly flat, with only a few very gentle inclines that are easy to manage and suitable even for less experienced hikers.
- 📍 Start and end: The hike starts in Grütschalp above Lauterbrunnen. The regular endpoint is Mürren, with the option to extend the route to Gimmelwald depending on your fitness level.
- 🚶♂️ Distance: The distance from Grütschalp to Gimmelwald is around 8.4 kilometers. The route can be divided into shorter stages depending on your chosen path. If you’re looking for more elevation gain, the hike can be extended via Allmendhubel before descending back into the valley.
- ⏱️ Time: Plan around 2.5 hours of pure walking time for this winter hike. If you take your time to enjoy the views, stop for breaks, and walk at a relaxed pace, you’ll spend about 3 to 3.5 hours on the trail. The hike is ideal for a half-day outing without the need for an early start.
- 📊Ascent & Descent: The total ascent is around 200 meters, while the descent is approximately 330 meters, spread comfortably over the entire route.
- 🌿 Surface: Around 5 kilometers follow groomed winter paths on snow up to Mürren. The remaining approximately 3.4 kilometers run along a road that is mostly snow-covered during winter.
- 🦌 Wildlife: Along the route, we spotted a herd of chamois that move to lower elevations in winter in search of food and milder temperatures. We also saw a squirrel foraging, accompanied by the soft chirping of various winter birds along the trail. Wildlife sightings are especially likely during the early morning and late afternoon hours.
- 👨👩👧 Family-Check: This winter hike is generally suitable for families with children, as the paths are wide and easy to follow. However, snow covers the trail throughout winter, so a stroller is not recommended, as some sections slope down into open terrain.
- 📌 Signposts & Markings: The winter hiking trail is well signposted throughout and always follows established paths rather than crossing open wilderness, making it almost impossible to get lost. In winter, it’s important to consistently follow the pink signposts marked for winter hiking routes.
- 🐕 Hiking with dogs: This winter hike is generally suitable for dogs, as the trail is wide and easy to follow. However, extra care should be taken with small or short-haired dogs, as their paws can cool down quickly on snow and in cold temperatures.
- 💡 Tips: To enjoy as much sunshine as possible, it’s best to start this winter hike around 10 a.m., as the panoramic trail stays sunlit for much of the day. In Mürren, you also have the option to take the funicular up to Allmendhubel and hike back down to Mürren from there.
- 🏡 Accommodation & Restaurants: Mürren offers a wide range of restaurants and accommodation options for every time of day and budget. There is also a cozy restaurant at the Winteregg intermediate station, making it an ideal spot for a break during the winter hike.
- 🌄 Highlights: The main highlight of this winter hike is the continuous panoramic view of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, combined with an easy and relaxed route. The experience is further enriched by the idyllic village of Gimmelwald below Mürren, which impresses with its authentic alpine charm.
If you enjoy panoramic trails, a summer hike around Lungernsee is also highly recommended. With its turquoise-blue water and impressive mountain scenery, it ranks among the most beautiful panoramic hikes in Switzerland.
When we arrived in Lauterbrunnen, we immediately sensed that a beautiful winter day was ahead of us. For January, the temperatures were pleasantly mild and the atmosphere felt calm and peaceful. We stopped by a local bakery to pick up some bread rolls and a few snacks, planning to enjoy a relaxed picnic later on along the trail in the winter sunshine.
The winter hike starts directly at the train station in Lauterbrunnen. After crossing the station area, you are already standing in front of the cable car station, which takes you up to Grütschalp and also marks the starting point of the hike. With our SBB day pass, the ride was free, and the journey is also included with the Swiss Travel Pass.
The cable car ride itself is an experience. During the ascent, the view opens up to the side into the Lauterbrunnental, where the morning sun bathes the rock faces and waterfalls in warm light. The view is especially beautiful if you stand near the door, as this spot offers the best angle looking down into the valley.
Once we arrive at the top, we find ourselves directly at Grütschalp station. From here, we could continue by train to Mürren, but since we’re here for the winter hike, we follow the signposts marked with the panoramic viewpoint symbol and the designated hiking trails. Right next to the station, there is a terrace with a beautiful panorama toward Wengen on the opposite side of the valley, and there is also a restaurant here, perfect for an early break or a stop later on.
Before we set off, we put on our traction cleats, as parts of the trail are heavily frozen on this day. Since we had spent some time earlier in the Lauterbrunnen valley, we didn’t start our hike until around noon. However, for the best lighting conditions and as much sunshine as possible, we recommend starting this winter hike around 10 a.m.
Especially in icy conditions, traction cleats provide significantly better grip and safety, making winter hiking on frozen sections much more relaxed.
After fitting our traction cleats, we immediately spot the pink winter trail sign marked 711. Alternatively, you can simply follow the pink-and-black marked poles along the route, making it almost impossible to lose your way. The start of the winter hike leads gently uphill at first, but thanks to the regularly passing trains and the continuous panoramic views, this section hardly feels strenuous at all.
We take small breaks again and again, soaking in the views and waiting for the next train, which passes by roughly every fifteen minutes. Throughout this section, we’re accompanied by impressive views of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. If you’re looking for one of the most beautiful winter panoramas in the region, this part of the trail is exactly the right place.
After the short and easy ascent, we reach a section with several benches and open views down into the valley. The scenery is just as impressive as expected. Since it was already after noon and we hadn’t eaten yet, we stop here for a short break. This spot is especially well suited for a picnic, with multiple benches and plenty of sunshine to enjoy the views in a relaxed setting. There’s hardly anything more enjoyable than eating outdoors in nature, surrounded by winter silence and wide-open views.
The sun warmed us far more than expected, so much so that we had to peel off layer after layer in true onion-style to avoid overheating. Well refreshed, we continued our winter hike. Ahead of us, the trail opened into an exposed section with no trees at all—just panoramic views in every direction. At the same time, we began to notice more and more clouds slowly gathering in the sky.
Along the way, we realized that the seemingly easier option would probably be to hike from Mürren to Grütschalp. In winter and snowy conditions, however, walking downhill is noticeably more challenging. In some sections, the snow feels like a slippery slope and almost behaves like sand, causing you to slide slightly backward with every step. Walking uphill offers far more control and stability, which is why we clearly recommend this direction in winter.
After around an hour of relaxed walking, we reach the intermediate station Winteregg. From a distance, we can already hear music and notice that there’s much more activity here. Winteregg also works very well as a landmark along the route, as several hiking paths, the railway, and the cable car all meet at this point. In addition to a restaurant where you can warm up and recharge, Winteregg is also a popular meeting place for skiers and snowboarders, as the cable car takes them back up the mountain from here.
As photographers, this winter hike once again reminded us how important it is to keep looking back from time to time. The perspective changes completely. On the opposite side, the view opens up to the right, where a gap in the forest reveals the village of Wengen. Behind it rise the mountains around the Schynige Platte, and it’s exactly in this direction that the valley leads toward Grindelwald.
The trail then leads through a short forest section, which feels pleasant on the eyes in sunny winter conditions and provides some brief shade. After this stretch, the winter hiking path runs parallel to the railway tracks. On our left, the trains accompany us, while on the right we continue walking at an easy pace toward Mürren. Within just about fifteen minutes, noticeably more clouds roll in—a perfect example of how quickly weather and light can change in the mountains and how strongly this can alter the overall mood of the landscape.
After just under an hour and a half, we already reach Mürren. For our legs, the distance feels surprisingly short, and we hardly break a sweat—the only real factor was the strong winter sun bringing warmer temperatures. In Mürren, we take off our traction cleats, as the path from here on is gravelled and no longer slippery.
Mürren is a car-free mountain village and one of the most popular destinations in the Bernese Oberland. Its car-free setting makes Mürren especially pleasant, allowing tranquility, crisp mountain air, and village life to unfold without traffic noise. Around 450 people live here year-round, and thanks to the many visitors, the number of people in the village typically rises to about 1,500 on most days. Despite its popularity, Mürren has managed to preserve its calm and authentic character.
We could hardly believe our eyes—the village feels incredibly idyllic and immediately creates a sense of arrival and belonging. In Mürren, there’s also the option to take the funicular up to Allmendhubel and either go sledding from there or walk back down to Mürren at a relaxed pace. Especially in winter, however, it’s worth keeping an eye on the time, as daylight fades quickly in the afternoon and light and temperatures can change rapidly.
Since it was already close to 3 p.m. and winter days are notoriously short, we decide to stroll through the village and continue the winter hike toward Gimmelwald.
Photographically, the village ranks among the most beautiful places in the region, as it offers one of the best views of the Eiger. Especially in the evening light, a very special atmosphere unfolds when warm light touches the mountain faces.
To reach Gimmelwald, we deliberately choose the road, as the official hiking trails are very steep in winter and often deeply covered in snow. During this season, the road is the only sensible and safe connection between Mürren and Gimmelwald. As we continue walking, it slowly grows darker, and for a brief moment we even think that snowfall might start soon.
Even so, the winter hike from Mürren to Gimmelwald is very easy and well manageable. Depending on the section, you’ll walk either on snow or along partially cleared road surfaces, reaching the village in about an hour.
In recent years, several new cable cars have been built in Mürren, including projects connected to the world’s steepest cable car. As a result, despite the new infrastructure, Gimmelwald remains well connected to the outside world.
Gimmelwald is a very small village located between Mürren and the Lauterbrunnen valley, yet it is one of the most authentic places in the region. Traditional wooden chalets, narrow lanes, and its peaceful setting give the village a truly distinctive and timeless character.
We reach Gimmelwald only after sunset, and darkness sets in quickly. Unfortunately, this means we don’t have time to explore the village in detail on this occasion. Since we’ve been here several times before, however, we know the small village well and truly appreciate its authentic and peaceful atmosphere. 😊
We reach the cable car station in Gimmelwald almost in complete darkness. No problem at all—the cable car operates here until around 10 p.m., ensuring that locals can also get home safely in the evening.
Down in Stechelberg, the PostBus is waiting and takes us directly back to Lauterbrunnen. From there, it’s either a train ride home or a short walk to the nearby parking garage if you’re traveling by car.
For us, this winter hike from Grütschalp to Mürren and on to Gimmelwald ranks among the most beautiful tours in the Bernese Oberland. The well-signposted winter trail offers impressive panoramic views of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau over long stretches, while remaining comfortable and easy to walk. Thanks to the straightforward access via Lauterbrunnen and the reliable train and cable car connections, this route is ideal for a relaxed winter hike with maximum scenery. Anyone looking for winter hikes in Mürren will find a true classic here. One that is just as enjoyable as a summer hike, depending on the season.
If you’d like to hike this tour yourself, save this post for later or share it with someone who loves winter hiking just as much as we do.
Details and Elevation Profile
Frequently Asked Questions about the Winter Hike from Grütschalp to Mürren
ℹ️ Click on the question to view the answer.
Yes, this winter hike is very well suited for beginners. The trail is wide, well groomed, and features only a few very gentle inclines. Thanks to the clear route layout and easy navigation, it is also suitable for hikers with little or no winter hiking experience.
The pure walking time from Grütschalp to Mürren is around 1.5 hours. If you take regular breaks, stop for photos, or enjoy the views, you should plan about 2 to 2.5 hours in total. If you continue the hike from Grütschalp all the way to Gimmelwald, expect a walking time of around 2.5 hours.
Yes, the route is very well signposted in winter. You simply follow the pink signposts and marking poles for winter hiking trails throughout. As the route stays entirely on official paths, getting lost is practically impossible.
Getting there without a car is very easy. Take the train to Lauterbrunnen, where a cable car runs directly up to Grütschalp. After the hike, you can conveniently return to Lauterbrunnen from Mürren or Gimmelwald using a combination of train, cable car, and bus.
Yes, the winter hike can easily be extended to Gimmelwald. From Mürren, a simple and well-walkable road continues down into the valley. You should plan around an additional hour for this extra section.
The route is generally suitable for both children and dogs. However, snow covers the trail throughout winter, which is why strollers are not recommended. For small dogs, attention should be paid to cold paws, especially during longer breaks.
The best time to start the winter hike is in the morning, ideally around 10 a.m. At this time, the panoramic trail is especially sunny, the lighting conditions are ideal, and temperatures are usually pleasant.
Traction cleats or light crampons are highly recommended in icy or heavily frozen conditions, as they provide much better grip and safety on slippery sections. In fresh snow, they are not strictly necessary, but they do increase walking comfort.
Yes, there are several places to stop along the route. Restaurants are available in Mürren and at the Winteregg intermediate station. Public toilets can also be found in Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, and Gimmelwald.
What makes this winter hike special is the combination of an easy route and continuous panoramic views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. The scenery accompanies the hike over long stretches, making it one of the most beautiful winter routes in the Bernese Oberland.
