Oberblegisee

The hike to Oberblegisee is a great day hike with great views of the lake, waterfalls, nearby glaciers, and surrounding mountains. Because the train stations (and buses as well) are fairly close together, there are several options for doing point-to-point hikes, or a full loop.

The hike begins at the Luchsingen-Hätzingen train station. The trail is quite well marked, so follow the signs toward Oberblegisee. It begins on a road, which turns to a gravel road soon. The gravel road continues for quite a while before becoming a trail and then a gravel road again. At each intersection, just follow the yellow signs - this part of the hike is very well marked.

When you reach the Oberblegisee sign, the hike begins to head right and toward Schwanden/Schwändi. However, you first may want to turn left and see the lake, which is known for its deep blue color. The lake itself is only a 5-minute walk along the grassy path toward the left, or you can continue straight along the gravel road for 5 minutes to the other end of the lake.

After the excursion to the lake, begin following the signs toward Schwanden. The trails are still well marked here. Follow the trail all the way to the "pass" near Chilchli, where the trail begins its descent again. Here you have excellent views of the Guppenfirn glacier over 1,000 meters above you.

At this point the trail is less maintained and a bit harder to follow. It descends down toward Guppenseeli, then heads back up toward Guppen Oberstafel, where you can refill water in summer. After passing Oberstafel, take the trail to the left, down the hill. The trail leads through several cow pastures, and the trail can be a bit messy.

As of July 2018, there is a detour arond a construction site near the bottom of this trail, which is well marked and easy to follow. The detour leads you to a paved road, then follow the yellow sign toward Schwändi. Here you can choose where to finish your hike - you can take the bus from here, or continue walking to the Schwanden or Mitlödi train stations.

You can also choose to shorten the hike by turning right at Guppen Oberstafel, where the trail leads steeply down toward Leuggelen and Schwanden. See Switzerland Mobility for detailed maps.

Enjoy the scenery at Oberblegisee, and happy hiking!