3 days
Zermatt in October
What you'll do
Zermatt is a great choice for autumn hiking in Switzerland, with beautiful fall colors and less tourists than summer.
However, you must plan carefully as lifts and services start to close in early October, meaning you cannot reach some trails.
Plus you must monitor the weather and trail conditions as early snow can make some trails impassible.
This itinerary has our favorite hikes for autumn. We did these hikes around the 5th of October, which already had great fall colors and the lifts were still open.
Day 1
This day focuses on the Gornergrat area. Since the cogwheel train here is open year round, this area is the safest choice for October in Zermatt. Assuming no snow, we definitely recommend doing a hike
Here is a short summary of possible activities on the Gornergrat for this day.
From Zermatt, ride the Gornergrat cogwheel mountain train to Gornergrat peak. About 35 mins.
Enjoy the views at the top and optional short loop walk. About 1 hour.
Ride the mountain train down one stop to Rotenboden. Then walk about 5 mins to Riffelsee lake. Take pictures, maybe a picnic. About 30-60 mins.
If you are not hiking, walk back to Rotenboden and ride the train back down to Zermatt. About 35 mins.
If you are hiking: • A. Riffelsee to Riffelberg (easiest): From the Riffelsee, follow signs to Riffelberg, where you can ride the mountain train down to Zermatt. About 1 hour. • B. Riffelsee to Riffelalp: From the Riffelsee, follow signs to Riffelalp, which is one train stop further down the mountain. More difficult trail. About 2 hours. • C. Gornergrat to Riffelsee: Instead of riding down to Rotenboden, start hiking at the Gornergrat stop down to the Riffelsee. Optionally continue to Riffelberg or Riffelalp or Zermatt. About 1hr to Riffelsee.
Sightseeing
Gornergrat
Best Matterhorn views
Gornergrat is a stunning mountain in Zermatt, whose peak reaches an impressive 3,135 metres above sea level. It's super easy to reach this viewpoint with the Gornergrat cogwheel mountain train.
Open: year round except short maintenance break in early November. See timetable.
This mountain is our favorite in the Zermatt area, with the prettiest trails and classic Matterhorn views. We much prefer the Gornergrat to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, which is technically closer the Matterhorn but the angle is different so it doesn't look quite right.
We love particularly like this area for families and non-hikers because you can get amazing views and pictures without much work. But if you do want to hike, there are great trails of varying length and difficulty, something for everyone.
How to get there
The Gornergrat mountain train is located across the street from the main Zermatt train station - Bahnhofpl. 1, 3920 Zermatt
The train ride is 33 mins from Zermatt to the Gornergrat, dropping you off at a spectacular viewpoint next to the hotel and restaurant. Make sure to follow the path above the hotel to a higher observation deck, which has a fantastic view of the Matterhorn, Gorner Glacier, and 20 four-thousand meter peaks.
I'd plan for at least 2 hours for this outing, longer if you plan to eat there or hike.
Tickets
A return train ticket is expensive, ranging from CHF 110 - 132/adult depending which month you visit.
If you are traveling on the Swiss Travel Pass or have another travelcard, you get a 50% discount.
We suggest buying tickets online, so you can skip the line, helpful on busy summer days. You don't need to pre-book these tickets as they don't sell out.
What to do
The Gornergrat train drops you at the top of the mountain, just below the Gornergrat hotel. You can get some great views at the stone wall directly across from the train station.
However, best to walk up to the Gornergrat Observation Platform just above the hotel. It has a great view of the Gorner Glacier and Matterhorn and is a much better place for pictures.
To get there, either walk up to the hotel or use the elevator. Then follow the path around the right side of the hotel and up a couple of switchbacks on the obstacle-free path.
The platform itself is large, room for everyone to spread out. There are walls on the sides to prevent you from falling off. But if you have small children, keep them close so they don't wander into unsafe territory.
TIP: At the far side of the platform, there is a dirt path that leads out on the ridge. We recommend walking out here, even just for a few minutes, as you can escape some of the people can get some amazing photos of the glacier.
Services
The Gornergrat hotel has a self-serve restaurant, gift shop, and toilets.
Add-ons
As part of this outing, you should definitely visit the Riffelsee lake (also on the map), just one train stop down the mountain and very short walk. 🥾 If you have time and energy, we suggest the Riffelseeweg trail, which allows you to leave the crowds behind and enjoy the Matterhorn view a little longer.
Learn more in my Gornergrat article.
photospot
Riffelsee Lake Viewpoint
Majestic lake with Matterhorn view
The Riffelsee lake is the perfect place for a photo with the Matterhorn. If you’re lucky enough to have no wind, the peak will be reflected in the water giving you the classic shot.
You can easily reach this lake by riding the Gornergrat cogwheel train from Zermatt to the Rotenboden stop. Then a 5 min walk down to the lake, no strenuous hiking involved. It’s a popular spot for tourists, so you might have to wait a minute to get a pic without a bunch of random people in it.
Many people stop here after visiting the Gornergrat viewpoint, one train stop higher. You can get on and off the train with a round trip ticket.
If you like hiking, you might enjoy hiking down from the Gornergrat to the Riffelsee, instead of taking the train. It's about 1 hour, descending 270m of elevation on a rocky trail.
You can also hike from Riffelsee down the mountain to either the Riffelalp or Riffelberg train stops. We highly recommend it as it allows you to escape most of the tourist crowds and enjoy the Matterhorn view longer. See trail info.
Hike
Riffelseeweg Trail
Hike with Matterhorn views
Our favorite family hike in the Zermatt area, starting with Matterhorn reflected in the famous Riffelsee lake. Then an easy hike down the mountain with the Matterhorn in view the whole time.
You can customize the hike from 2 to 7 km to meet the needs of your group.
The shortest and easiest option is from Riffelsee to Riffelberg, about 1 hour and pretty easy. Our favorite option when the kids were younger was from Riffelsee to Riffelalp, about 2 hours and a little more mountainous, with some steep switchbacks near the end.
Now that our kids are older, we like the longer hike, starting at Gornergrat down to Riffelsee, then continue to Riffelalp, about 2.5 - 3 hours. If we have extra energy, we hike all the way down to Zermatt, about another 1.5-2 hours.
When you hike, you skip some of the railway stations, making your train ticket a bit less expensive. Let the ticket office know which hike you plan to do and they'll sell you the right ticket.
See trail maps and more details on SwissFamilyFun.com