Breathtaking hike in the Zurich Oberland from Wald ZH via Alp Scheidegg into the Tösstal valley.

Text and pictures Marc Gottwald

• Especially in spring, the waterfalls carry a lot of water thanks to the meltwater
• Those who wish can stop off at the restaurant on Alp Scheidegg
• Unique panoramic view of the Tösstal valley, Lake Zurich, Zurich Oberland and the Swiss Alps
• There are two fountains in the Tösstal where you can fill up your water bottles

Route: Wald ZH – Alp Scheidegg – Tösstal – Steg im Tösstal

Start of the dream hike to the Tösstal

Our dream hike in the “Zurich Oberland” area starts in Wald ZH. Today we have about five hours of hiking ahead of us. If you want, you can spare yourself the initial efforts and take the bus from Wald train station to “Wald ZH, Abzw. Oberholz”.

You not only have to climb about 300 metres less in altitude, but the route is also fantastic, leading you through a charming hamlet called Oberholz. We opted for this variant. The post bus leaves Wald ZH every hour.

Alp Scheidegg – Restaurant and a view

Even from a distance we can see our first stopover, Alp Scheidegg. It is the highest restaurant and inn in the canton of Zurich at almost 1200 metres. The hike is worth it, but those who want to can also drive up and enjoy the great view over the Zurich Oberland, Lake Zurich and the Etzel. Because the restaurant is popular. In our case, the terrace was completely occupied at lunchtime.

But on nice days, there is a self-service area where guests still don’t miss out. The restaurant offers home-style menus such as cordon bleu, spaetzli and bratwurst.

Paragliders also take off from Alp Scheidegg and fly towards the lake. Simply fantastic to watch it. In winter, by the way, there is a toboggan run from the alp down into the valley.

Tösstal at the Tössscheide – Place with fireplace and fountain

After a picnic, we continue into the Tösstal valley. The descent through the Tösstal forest is very steep. The route should not be done in the rain, as the clayey-loamy soil can make anyone slide.

Our next stopover is the Tössscheide. Here two streams come together. It also has a fireplace and even a fountain with drinking water. That means it’s the perfect place for barbecuing. Especially in summer when the temperatures are hot, this place is great to linger.

The artificial course of the river Töss is particularly striking. Again and again there are steps that make life very difficult for animals. The reason is that flooding has occurred over time after heavy rain. In this way, the speed of the flood masses can be slowed down.

Two waterfalls in the Tösstal

But we want to see the two waterfalls: the Buri and Lauf waterfalls. That is why we hike in the direction of the day’s destination „Steg im Tösstal“. Again and again we see smaller waterfalls. Particularly striking are the rock faces, which are composed of Nagelfluh and sandstone. On the one hand, this is due to the sea, which covered the Central Plateau about 30 million years ago. On the other hand, it is due to the glaciers.

And right from the start, these are probably the two most beautiful waterfalls in the Zurich Oberland. After about 30 minutes of hiking in the Tösstal valley comes the first waterfall, the Lauf waterfall. The water plunges proudly from a height of several metres and continues to flow down the valley. The descent to the waterfall is very steep and not recommended. But there is the second one, the Buri waterfall.

I was particularly enchanted by this waterfall. The water of the Töss, the bridge in the background and the pool where you can also swim are perfect. In spring, the water is still a little too cold.

Best time to hike in spring

The hike is especially worthwhile when the snow melts. In summer, there is no more water in some places in the Töss because the water seeps away underground. Then the fish have to be rescued.

Fun fact: in the 19th century, the riverbed of the Töss was used as a road when the Töss dried up.

After about 4.5 hours we reach our destination Steg im Tösstal, where a train leaves every half hour for Winterthur and Rüti ZH.