Experience three of the most beautiful hikes in Canton Schwyz. From the Grosser Mythen to the ridge hike at Fronalpstock to the moor of Rothenthurm.

Text and pictures by Marc Gottwald

The canton of Schwyz impresses with its natural beauty and unique hikes. This makes it a popular destination for “Zurich Switzerland”, among others. Here I present three of the most beautiful hikes.

1. Grosser Mythen Hike

The Grosser Mythen is the best-known mountain in the canton of Schwyz, and yes, even in Switzerland. Because only a few mountains present themselves so strikingly to a large audience, apart from the Matterhorn in Zermatt. The mountain has even made it onto a huge painting in the Federal Palace in Bern or onto the painting in the railway station of Basel Switzerland. That’s why it’s worth climbing this mountain on the “Grosser Mythen Hike”.

By the way: With over 11,000 posts on Instagram under the hashtag #grossermythen, the “Grosser Mythen” is one of the most hiked mountains in Switzerland that is not accessible by cable car. To shorten the hike by 300 metres in altitude, you can take the cable car from Brunni to Holzegg.

If you want to do the “Grosser Mythen Hike” at sunrise, the cable car is still closed and there are around 800 metres of altitude to climb on the hike. The hike in Canton Schwyz is very strenuous. But after a good 2.5 hours at the top, all the exertion is forgotten. The view over Lake Lucerne, Lake Zug, Lake Lauerz and the Swiss Alps is simply indescribably beautiful and makes it a perfect destination from Zurich Switzerland!

You can also stop at the restaurant. However, they do not offer overnight accommodation. As there are no restaurants between Holzegg and Grosser Mythen, I recommend taking enough to drink with you. The ascent makes you thirsty, especially in warm summer temperatures.

2. Fronalpstock Hike: Stoos – Fronalpstock

Stoos and the Fronalpstock is a pearl in the canton of Schwyz and also pretty close from „Zurich Switzerland“. What makes it even greater is that the place can be reached by the steepest funicular railway in the world. The most famous hike is the “Gratwanderung Fronalpstock”, you may also know it as “Gratwanderung Stoos”.

In this second top hike in the canton of Schwyz, I would like to introduce the hike “Stoos Fronalpstock” rather than the most famous “Stoos hike”. Of course you can also take the “cable car” to get to the Fronalpstock from Stoos in about 15 minutes.

The “Hike” to the Fronalpstock takes around 2 hours and is 600 metres in altitude. Passing many cows, the steady climb up to this mountain in the Swiss Alps is very pleasant. As soon as you arrive at the farm in Oberfrontal, the path becomes steeper and leads to the Fronalpstock with many hairpin bends. Once you got to the ridge, you do the last section of the most famous Fronalpstock hike, the so-called “Fronalpstock Ridge Hike”. 

The view over Lake Lucerne and the surrounding Swiss Alps is magnificent. Yes, the Fronalpstock above Stoos is a highlight in Canton Schwyz and so close from Zurich Switzerland. But the word has spreaded. That’s why I recommend visiting the Fronalpstock during the week if possible and not during the summer holidays. On the “Stoos Fronalpstock” hike itself, apart from the last section of the “ridge hike”, you won’t meet many people. There is often fog on Stoos and Fronalpstock. Therefore, I recommend looking at the webcam in the morning.

If you want, you can take the “cable car” back to the village. You can also hike back down on a different path, in which case it would be a circular hike (approx. 1.5 h). Here you also have a great view to the “Grosser Mythen”.

You get the whole hiking route in this Switzerland map:

3. Hike Moor Rothenthurm 

Very close to Einsiedeln in the canton of Schwyz and only 45 minutes away from “Zurich Switzerland” is the “Moor Rothenthurm”. Doesn’t sound spectacular at first, but this is the largest moor in Switzerland.

An impressive hike takes you in about three hours through the largest moorland area in Switzerland with many rare species and a beautiful landscape. This is a hike with few people and the perfect place to enjoy peace and quiet.

You start in Biberbrugg at the railway station, where you take the moorland path towards Rothenturm. This way you always walk towards the sun and recharge your batteries in this quiet idyll. At the beginning, you hike through a forest and pass a renaturalised river. Some of these attempts at renaturation look very artificial, some are really beautifully done. But in any case, it is positive that nature is being given a chance to reclaim this habitat. Even if it is only a drop in the ocean at the moment.

After the forest walk you are almost in the middle of the impressive and unique moor landscape of Rothenthurm. Depending on the season, you will see many rare animal and plant species. For example, Swiss orchids can be found here.

Swiss Army wanted to destroy the moor

Where today is still a beautiful moor, a Swiss army armoury for around 500 soldiers was nearly built in the 1970s. But the project did not come to fruition due to the resistance of the local population, which then became a popular initiative to “protect the Swiss moors”.

The Swiss electorate voted in favour of the initiative. Today, peatlands and floodplain areas are protected in Switzerland. By the way: although the moors are protected, they are still in poor condition. Why?

Because many moors were drained. These canals still exist today, where the water is drained off. But since moors are wetlands, they need this water. So many Swiss moors are drying out.

Peat was also mined here in the moor, which was used as fuel and for garden soil. You can still see the traces today. The many wooden houses, for example, are a reminder of this.

The Rothenthurm Moor hike is definitely a very impressive experience and on the to-do list in Canton Schwyz. You can combine the hike with a visit to Einsiedeln (e.g. the Einsiedeln monastery), which is very close by. It is also great that the region can be reached in only about 45 minutes from „Zurich Switzerland“.

Conclusion of the three Hikes in the Canton of Schwyz

Canton Schwyz has a lot to offer and, thanks to its proximity to „Zurich Switzerland“, is a great region for hiking in the Alps. Whether it’s the Stoos Hike, the “Grosser Mythen Hike” or the Rothenthurm Hike near Einsiedeln. Each hike has its own facets and beauty. This testifies to the incredible diversity in Canton Schwyz.