Hikes on the Rigi: from the panorama trail to the Mark Twain Trail

Many people know the Rigi as an excursion mountain, yet it is also a very fine walking mountain. Most visitors ride to the summit, enjoy the view and go back down without ever setting foot on one of the trails. Because the mountain stands alone and is gently shaped, almost every path keeps lakes and Alps in view without becoming alpine and difficult. And thanks to the dense network of railways you can start at the top, walk in one direction and get back on board at any of many stations. Here are six routes we recommend ourselves, from a path suitable for a pushchair to Mark Twain's laborious ascent.

1. Summit circuit at Rigi Kulm, for everyone

approx. 30–45 min. · easy · start/finish: Rigi Kulm top station

This short walk leads from the top station to the summit cross and across the Kulm plateau. Panorama boards name the peaks. From the benches the view stretches over thirteen lakes. If you only make one walk on the Rigi, this should be it. It is at its best at sunrise or in the evening light, when the day visitors have gone back down.

2. Panorama trail Rigi Kaltbad → Rigi Scheidegg, the classic for non-hikers

approx. 7 km · approx. 2 h · easy, almost level

The mountain's most popular walking trail follows the trackbed of a former railway line along the south side. Because a railway can only manage gentle gradients, the path is practically level. It is also wide and easy to walk in trainers. On your left the Uri and Schwyz Alps accompany you the whole way. At Rigi Scheidegg, the quiet part of the mountain, the small railway takes you down to Kräbel on the line to Arth-Goldau. The trail can be walked in either direction. In winter it is prepared as a winter walking trail and is just as rewarding then.

3. Rigi Kulm → Rigi Kaltbad, the descent with a view

approx. 45–60 min. · easy, downhill

You ride up and walk down to the spa. The wide path descends gently alongside the railway line, with Lake Lucerne always in front of you. On the way you pass the Känzeli viewpoint, which inspired generations of painters. To finish, a visit to the mineral baths is worthwhile before you take the cable car down to Weggis. More about the baths in post Mineralbad & Spa Rigi Kaltbad.

4. Rigi North: Rigi Kulm → Arth, the quiet north side

6.3 km · approx. 2 h · moderate, downhill

We recommend this route to anyone who wants to meet as few people as possible. The path leads from the summit through high pastures and forest down towards Lake Zug. On the way you look across to the Mythen and, further down, over the area of the Goldau rockslide of 1806, one of the great natural disasters in Switzerland. The route ends in Arth, where trains and buses run in all directions. Full details of the route: From Rigi Kulm down to Chräbel.

5. Mark Twain Trail: Weggis → Rigi Kulm (→ Arth), in Mark Twain's footsteps

10.8 km · approx. 5 h · demanding · around 1,450 m of ascent

In 1878 Mark Twain set out to climb the Rigi from Weggis. As is well known, it took him three days, while locals walked it in three hours. He turned the mishap into a comic chapter of his travel writing that is still enjoyed today. The waymarked Mark Twain Trail follows his route from the lakeshore in Weggis through orchards, forest and alpine pastures to the summit. With almost 1,450 metres of ascent this is a full mountain day. Even a slow walker still beats Twain. Along the way, boards quote his complaints exactly where he experienced them. You ride back down by rail. If you want to cross the whole mountain, carry on to Arth. Full details of the route: From Weggis on foot up to Rigi Kulm.

6. Towards the Hochflue, for the surefooted

variable · demanding sections

To the east the Rigi massif runs out towards Gersau and the Hochflue. Here the terrain is markedly wilder than on the rest of the mountain, with narrow paths, rock steps and long drops towards the Urnersee. These trails are only suitable for experienced walkers. Our route described in detail starts at Obergschwend: Up the Hochflue from Obergschwend.

Which route suits you?

Practicalities

• Hiking tickets: the Rigi railways sell combined tickets for walkers who ride up and walk down, or the other way round. That way you do not pay for a stretch you are not riding. How to reach the starting points is set out in post Getting to the Rigi.
• Season: routes 1–4 are usually free of snow from late May to November. The panorama trail is prepared as a winter walking trail. For the Mark Twain Trail, June to October are the best months. What the Rigi offers in winter is described in post The Rigi in winter.
• Food and drink: there are mountain restaurants at Kulm, in Kaltbad and at Scheidegg, plus several alpine dairies along the way. The Rigi is not a remote wilderness mountain, and many guests value precisely this easy access.
• Check conditions: before choosing one of the long routes, it is worth a look at the weather page for Rigi Kulm.

FAQ

What is the easiest hike on the Rigi?

The easiest is the panorama trail from Rigi Kaltbad to Rigi Scheidegg. It takes about two hours, runs practically level and offers views of the Alps along its whole length.

How difficult is the Mark Twain Trail?

The ascent from Weggis to the summit is 10.8 kilometres with around 1,450 metres of ascent, so you are out for a whole day. Technically the path is straightforward, but it does require good fitness.

Can you walk down from the Rigi instead of taking the train?

Yes. The descents to Kaltbad, Arth or Weggis are well waymarked. With one-way hiking tickets it is easy to ride up and walk down.

Are the Rigi trails open in winter?

In winter the Rigi maintains 35 kilometres of prepared winter walking trails, including the panorama trail from Kaltbad to Scheidegg. Pure summer paths such as the Mark Twain Trail, by contrast, are closed once snow lies.