Best Family Hikes in Switzerland: 10 Trails You & Your Kids Will Love

best family hikes in Switzerland

Hiking is inarguably the best way to experience Switzerland. The Swiss have long known this, and that’s why the county has 65,000 kilometers of well-kept and well-marked hiking trails.

Hiking in Switzerland isn’t just an extreme sport, either. Gondolas and cable cars help you skip the difficult parts, and you’ll find day hikes at every skill level. And Family-friendly hikes with themed trials centered around storybook characters, puzzles to solve, or category trails like nature and educational hikes will keep little ones motivated.

You or the kids don’t need any special equipment for these family-friendly hikes except for a good pair of hiking shoes and a backpack. However, it is important to do your research and pick the most appropriate ones for your family.

We’re here to help with all the information on the best family hikes in Switzerland.

Brunni Barefoot Tickle Trail

Tickle path at Härzlisee – © Brunni Tourism

The Brunni Barefoot Tickle Trail near Engelberg in Central Switzerland is quite unique and a good choice for younger children. The themed trail is a sensory path that follows around a small pond where children ooh, ahh, and ick over surfaces like sticks, bark, mud, and even cow pies.

In addition to the sensory path, kids get to walk down the treasure hunt trail. It’s called the Globi Treasure Hunt Trail and features 11 hidden treasure chests along the way. Kids who find all the clues get a prize at the onsite restaurant.

Kids can also play on a huge playground with an alpine slide (called the rodelbahn), climbing structures, swings, and a trampoline. Parents will love the surrounding mountain views, and there is a relaxing picnic area with a nearby water play area.

The Barefoot Tickle Trail is open from mid-June to mid-October. Parking is available at the Brunni cable car station.

  • Hike: Loop
  • Distance: 0.5 km
  • Time: 30 min
  • Difficulty: Easy

Oeschinensee Panorama Trail

Oeschinensee Panoramic Trail

If you have older kids with hiking experience, the Oeschinensee Panoramic Trail is a good choice. The category trail is a scenic one with a panorama loop that circles stunning Lake Oeschinen nestled in the Berner Oberland. A cable car or shuttle will take you to the trail.

With some effort, sure-footed older kids who appreciate nature will be rewarded with gorgeous views. And on hot days, brave kids can take a dip in the chilly lake. The family can enjoy a picnic in an area near the lakeshore or dine at the onsite restaurant and enjoy the views.

Oeschinensee is located in the heart of Switzerland about 40 minutes from Interlaken and two hours from Zurich. The trail to the lake and back is 4 kilometers long. Visit the trail between May and October.

  • Hike: Loop
  • Distance: 8.5 km
  • Time: 3 hr 30 minutes
  • Difficulty: Moderate

Swiss National Park Bear Trail

Swiss National Park

Learn all about bears on this fun-themed trail in the Swiss National Park. The short trail near Scoul is in a picturesque setting in the Engiadina Bassa/Val Müstair Region. Stop by all nine interactive stations along the way to learn all about bears in an engaging and educational way.

The 1.5-kilometer trail is a dirt path in good condition and suitable for strollers. Several picnic areas with grill pits are situated along the way. Although it really isn’t necessary, trail maps are available at the park’s visitor center. Green trail signs shaped like bear paw prints lead the way.

It only takes around 30 minutes to walk the entire trail, but plan on spending around three hours including time to explore the interactive stations and have a relaxing picnic lunch in a scenic setting.

The trail is open from mid-June to October.

  • Distance: 1.5 km
  • Time: 30 min
  • Difficulty: Easy

Toggenburg Tone Trail

Toggenburg

This musical-themed trail is located in Eastern Europe a little less than two hours from Zurich near the Austrian border. A variety of around 20 interactive musical “instruments” are placed along the trail to keep little ones engaged. Only a few minutes go by between each musical station. Kids can hear the clangs and bangs of the next station and are motivated to move along.

The trail, partly paved and part dirt, is fairly easy and stroller friendly. Plan on spending around four hours on your visit including stopping for lunch in one of the picnic areas with grill pits or in one of the restaurants along the way. Playgrounds are located on each end of the trail and in the middle.

The Toggenburg Tone trail is in a stunning setting among dramatic mountain peaks and fields of wildflowers growing on the rolling hills. It’s open from late May to mid-October.

  • Distance: 6.1 km
  • Time: 3 hr
  • Difficulty: Moderate

Five Lakes Trail

Lake Moosjisee – © Zermatt Tourism

The Five Lakes Trail is 9.8 kilometers long and is an easy-to-moderate trail suitable for older kids and teens. Located in Zermatt near the Matterhorn, one of the most popular areas in Switzerland, the trail begins at Sunnegga Valley Station where you will ride the funicular to a gondola that goes up to Blauherd Mountain Station.

The trail passes by five stunning alpine lakes—Stellisee, Grünsee, Grindjisee, Leisee, and Moosjisee. Adding to the ease, the trail is mostly downhill with minimum inclines. The entire hike takes around 3-4 hours. You’ll enjoy varying views of the Matterhorn, and three of the lakes reflect the famous peaks in the mirror-still waters.

The best time to hike the Five Lakes Trail is May through October. Dogs are welcome and are even allowed off-leash in some areas, so bring the family pet along.

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  • Distance: 9.8 km
  • Time: 3 hr
  • Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Mürren Flower Trail

Murren Flower Trail – © Grindelwald Tourism

Open since 2016, this flower-studded trail with views of the Jungfrau, Eiger, and Mönch peaks and the glaciers of the Bernese Alps is a popular hike for families with elementary school-aged children. The trail is a bit steep but short (2.13 km) and is classified as an easy trail.

The Mürren Flower Trail begins in Mürren, a mountain village at the foot of the Schilthorn peak, and leads up to the Allmendhubel, a hill overlooking the valley of Lauterbrunnen. You can also reach the Allmendhubel by funicular.

The revolving restaurant at the top of the hill has a terrace with panoramic views and was once featured in a James Bond movie. There’s also a fun playground for the kids.

May through October is the best time to visit, and dogs are welcome.

  • Hike: Point to Point
  • Distance: 2.13 km
  • Time: 1 hr 3 min
  • Difficulty: Easy

Elm “Giant Forest” Theme Trail

Elm Giant Forest © Glarnerland Tourism

Children of all ages love this themed trail in Elm, a village in Eastern Switzerland in the canton of Glarus. Elm is a 1.5 hour drive south of Zurich. The trail is 2.6 kilometers long and takes about 1.5 hours to hike.

The Giant Forest trail has over a dozen play stations, a giant xylophone, a suspension bridge, and an obstacle course. Although most of the trail is in the forest there are enough views to keep parents happy, and the trail loops back to a restaurant and terrace with spectacular views. A playground next to the restaurant has trampolines for the kids to jump on.

Families wanting to cook out and have a picnic will find plenty of picnic areas with fire pits. End your visit by letting the kids ride down on a scooter or three-wheeled monster bike.

The Giant Forest Trail is suitable for strollers and is open from June through October.

  • Hike: Loop
  • Distance: 2.6 km
  • Time: 1.5 hr
  • Difficulty: Easy

Flumserberg Wild Man Nature Trail

© Flumserberg Tourism

The Wild Man Nature Trail is a theme trail the whole family will love. It’s located in Eastern Switzerland at Heidiland in the border region of the cantons of St. Gallen and Graubünden. The 3.2-kilometer trail is an easy hike and can be completed in 1.5 hours.

The trail is so-named after a charming legend about a mean-spirited little man who lived in a cave at Flumserberg. The wild man was exiled from the region for being unkind to animals. After the little man has a change of heart, he’s allowed to return for three days every year to make amends.

Storyboards throughout the trail tell the story, and kids get to solve a word puzzle along the way to qualify for a prize. A playground with rope courses for both big and little kids and a restaurant are at the end of the trail.

Be aware that the trail is bumpy and not suitable for strollers. It’s open from mid-June through October.

  • Distance: 3.2 km
  • Time: 1.5 hr
  • Difficulty: Easy

Pizol Heidi Trail

Pizol Heidi Trail – © Pizol Tourism

The whole world is familiar with the story of Heidi, an orphaned girl who lived with her eccentric grandfather high in the Swiss Alps. Let your children experience the story with this easy hike in Maienfeld in the canton of Graubünden and the inspiration for poet Johanna Spyri’s character.

Heidi and grandfather’s house and the goat shed have been recreated along the trail. There is also a village shop and a museum. The trail begins at the Maienfeld station and winds through the narrow alleyways of the historic town to Rofels and Heidi Village.

The Pizol Heidi Trail is well-marked and stroller-friendly. It’s open from April through November.

  • Hike: Loop
  • Distance: 4.1 km
  • Time: 1 hr 17 min
  • Difficulty: Easy

Wirzweli Witch Trail

Wirzweli Witch Trail – © Wirzweli Tourism

The “Witch Trail” is a themed trail in the foothills between Lucerne and Engelberg that kids of all ages will enjoy. In addition to witch-themed activities, there is a huge playground, a summer toboggan, and ponies to pet back at the gondola.

The story of the forest is told by Lizi, an herb witch, along with interactive stations such as a witch’s house, a flying broom zip line, and witch objects like bats, spiders, brooms, and animal statues hidden among the trees. Several nice picnic spots with grill pits are available.

The trail is mostly downhill and an easy hike. However, it’s not stroller friendly and is recommended for kids aged 4 and older. It’s open from late April through the end of October.

  • Distance: 3 km
  • Time: 1.5 hr
  • Difficulty: Easy


Written by Ashley Faulkes
As a twenty-year resident of Switzerland, I am passionate about exploring every nook and cranny of this beautiful country, I spend my days deep in the great Swiss outdoors, and love to share these experiences and insights with fellow travel enthusiasts.

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