Four Headwaters Trail

GPX

PDF

Bookmark

85.53 km long
Difficulty: difficult
condition: difficult
Great panorama
Long distance hiking trail
  • 03:50 h
  • 4,553 m
  • 4,326 m
  • 1,353 m
  • 2,776 m
  • 1,423 m
  • 85.53 km
  • Start: Andermatt
  • Destination: Furkapass, Belvédère
This trek in the Gotthard massif will take hikers to the four sources of the Rhine, Reuss, Ticino and Rhone rivers. Mountain shelters directly along the route and hotels in nearby villages can be used for overnight accommodation.

The Four Headwaters Trail is an Alpine hiking trail around 85 kilometres in length. Over the course of its five daily stages, hikers will discover not only the sources of four important rivers, but also clear blue mountain lakes, gushing streams and rocky transitions to other valleys. You will walk across wide plains with mossy areas as well as green Alpine pastures with grazing cows. Depending on the time of year, the diversity of flowers around Lake Toma and the colourful larch forests in the Val Bedretto will be inspirational. Along your hike, it isn't only the landscapes that will change, but also the languages. You'll be ordering your first coffee on the Oberalp Pass in German but, a little while later, you'll be greeted with a Romansh "Bien di" in the Maighels mountain shelter. If you then hike over the Lucendro Pass, you will find yourself in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland: Benvenuti in Ticino. The tour concludes in the canton of Valais where a final climb up to the Belvedere crag on the Furka Pass awaits hikers. The view of the Rhone Glacier is the final highlight of this trek.

Good to know

Best to visit

suitable
Depends on weather

Directions

Andermatt - Oberalppass - Tomasee - Vermigelhütte - Piz Giübin - Gotthardpass - Lago Lucendro - Piansecco - Nufenenpass - Obergesteln - Rhonegletscher

Tour information

  • Cultural Interesting

  • Stop at an Inn

Equipment


  • Clothing appropriate for the weather

  • Sturdy footwear

  • Hiking poles are recommended

  • Camera

  • Daypack

Directions & Parking facilities

Andermatt ist im Sommer aus allen vier Himmelsrichtungen sehr gut erreichbar und daher ein angenehmer Ausgangspunkt. 

Es wird empfohlen in Andermatt oder Realp zu parkieren. 

Der Startpunkt Andermatt ist der Verbindungspunkt der Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn und ist daher sehr gut mit dem Zug erreichbar. Auch vom Zielpunkt, dem Rhonegletscher, ist man mit dem Postauto erschlossen. Der Fahrplan ist folgender: Fahrplan SBB

Additional information

Package Eurotrek

Author

Andermatt-Urserntal Tourismus GmbH

Organization

Ferienregion Andermatt

Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author


  • Sasso San Gottardo

  • Museum Nazionale Gotthardpass

Safety guidelines

Beachten Sie Wegsperrungen und die Wetterprognosen. In den Alpen kann es zu schnellem Wetterumschwung kommen. 

Nearby

Getting there
Four Headwaters Trail
6490 Andermatt