Bike
MTB
How big mountains dominate the ride trails in the Swiss region of Jungfrau
The town of Grindelwald is your gateway to discovering the trails that sit beneath the imposing Eiger mountain. Check out how to get there, where to stay and where to ride in our guide.
The towering, vertical north face of the Eiger is one of nature’s true wonders, but there are few ways to better appreciate its overpowering presence than by riding the trails that weave around the base of this legendary mountain.
The towering Eiger is a dominating backdrop
© Dan Milner
Immortalised by Clint Eastwood in the 1975 classic movie The Eiger Sanction, the 3,967m-high Eiger draws countless summer tourists to Grindelwald, the small town at the foot of this mountain. But while Grindelwald’s main street is busy with energetic tourists, its dozens of quiet bike trails let you find solitude while you swallow up breathtaking views of the Eiger’s tumbling glaciers.
The Eiger is a 3,967m mountain overlooking Grindelwald
© Dan Milner
The Jungfrau region’s Eiger-induced popularity means it now has world-class hospitality on tap, offering an enviable collection of hotels and incredible restaurants that are perfect for post-ride refuelling.
Reach new heights
© Dan Milner
Throw into the mix the area’s many bike-friendly cable cars and funicular railways that effortlessly lift you and your bike to trails above 2,100m, as well as Grindelwald’s weekly street party of food stands and live music every Wednesday evening throughout the summer, and you can consider riding in Grindelwald an officially Eiger-sanctioned bucket-list destination.
Stunning scenery and epic singletrack
© Dan Milner
If you fancy a day off from riding, then join the other tourists for a spectacular journey on one of the most ambitious engineering projects on the planet – riding the 130-year-old railway to the 3,454m-high Jungfraujoch station perched among a sea of glaciers.
The riding
As you’d expect from a destination dominated by a very big mountain, most of the riding in Grindelwald and the nearby villages of Wengen and Lauterbrunnen is on natural mountain footpaths. These trails range from the loose rocky scree that shapes the moraine trails above Kleine Sheidegg to fast, flowy, loamy trails through the forests below First and around Wengen.
An old ski lift sits by the mountains
© Dan Milner
Using the many lifts allows you to gain height easily and connect different trails to form whole day tours or ride shorter, single descents. With so many different trails to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start, so luckily Grindelwald tourism have produced a bike trail map with several suggested itineraries.
Bachalpsee loop
A good warm-up is the Bachalpsee loop (signed trail number one), reached by a 1,000m road climb or taking the bus from Grindelwald to the Grosse Scheidegg pass (bus runs hourly May to October, 32CHF/€27 including bike, max six bikes per bus so a reservation is recommended, free bike transport on last bus of the day).
Trail number one from Bachalpsee is a good warm-up
© Dan Milner
The trail begins as an easy pedalling traverse with incredible views across to the Eiger. The 4,158m Jungfrau peaks will help distract you from the 200m uphill gain to the mountain café at First. First can also be reached by taking a string of three cable cars from Grindelwald (these operate from April 3 to October 28), but one thing is for sure: however you reach Bachalpsee lake – a hub of activity just beyond First – ahead of you lies a full 1,200m of descent.
Trails along the Grosse Scheidegg pass
© Dan Milner
The downhill begins as a braided trail that cuts down open hillside. Its many bedrock roll-overs and natural obstacles are a test of reflexes but will leave you grinning. Once in the trees a recently resurfaced gravel trail soon becomes a fast, loamy sprint all the way back to Grindelwald. From here you can easily take the cable car from Grindelwald back up to Bort or First to ride different variations of the descent.
Experience the Bachalpsee descent below
3 min
Grindelwald – Bachalpsee descent
POV Clip of the Grindelwald - Bachalpsee descent.
Kleine Scheidegg
Meanwhile jumping aboard the funicular (runs all year, bikes permitted after 4pm) to the 2,061m-high Kleine Scheidegg pass on the opposite side of the valley opens up a wealth of other trail options and allows you to connect to the trails around nearby Wengen, Lauterbrunnen and Murren.
Kleine Scheidegg funicular train
© Dan Milner
Pedalling the 200m climb on the gravel road above the Kleine Scheidegg funicular station towards a wall of mighty glaciers hanging above you leads to the Eigergletscher station and a lesser-ridden trail that starts on a narrow ridge of moraine.
Take a moment to absorb the views before you launch into the descent as this narrow, loose, demanding trail won’t give you another chance once you start. Following this trail around its many fun switchbacks and over dozens of rock gardens in the grassy alpine section will eventually connect you to trail number four, that you can follow to Wengen.
2 min
Grindelwald – Eigergleitscher moraine trail to Wengen
POV Clip of Grindelwald - Eigergleitscher moraine trail to Wengen.
The trail becomes wider and faster with occasional wooden steps to keep you on your toes. The last descent from Wengen to the valley floor is a fast spiralling luge-like run that brings you out just below Lauterbrunnen. From here you can pedal up to Lauterbrunnen to take a funicular train back up to Kleine Scheidegg or roll down a riverside trail to Zweilütschinen for a train ride back to Grindelwald.
Endless descents
© Dan Milner
Staying in the Grindelwald valley, riding from the top of the Kleine Scheidegg funicular throws you straight into fun, all-mountain trails that descend back to Grindelwald. Meanwhile trail number six is a lively, undulating traverse from Männlichen (only reached by pedalling up), that ultimately connects with the long, winding forested descent (trail number five) that begins at Kleine Scheidegg.
Jump on board the trail number five descent below:
2 min
Grindelwald – Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald
POV Clip of Grindelwald - Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald.
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Grütsch Freeride Trail
If shaped gravity trails are your bag, then try the Grütsch Freeride Trail at Lauterbrunnen. Accessed by a single cable car to Grutschalp this trail drops 700 vertical metres down steep, drifty switchbacks that'll be a test of stamina and focus.
Bike guiding is available locally, while for bike rentals and bike spares try Backdoor Shop in Grindelwald.
Where to stay
As you’d expect, Grindelwald is not short of accommodation options, from bike hotels to campsites.
There are plenty of places to eat and sleep
© Dan Milner
We stayed at the stylish, modern, comfortable and centrally located Eiger Selfness Hotel with its own spa and fitness centre. The hotel makes its own ice-tea and its restaurant, Barry’s Bar, has a great fusion menu, with traditional Swiss dishes, a Mongolian BBQ and many vegan and vegetarian options.
Mountain views anyone?
© Dan Milner
For mid-ride lunchtime eats or a post-ride beer, roll up to the Eiger café next door to the tourist office. Aside from burgers and homemade cakes, their build-your-own salad option is the beeline healthier option.
How to get here
Grindelwald is 75km from Bern, 130km from Zurich and 230km from Geneva airports. International rail connections through Swiss Rail make nearby Interlaken easy to reach, from where it's a short regional train ride into the centre of Grindelwald.
How will you get to Grindelwald?
© Dan Milner
If coming by train, it is worth considering the various rail passes on offer, all with a choice of duration. The Swiss Travel Pass includes travel on national railways and on the funiculars and cable cars of the area. The Jungfrau pass includes rail travel from Interlaken, most mountain lifts and gives a special price on the Jungfraujoch train. The Berneroberland rail pass includes rail travel in the region, free access on most mountain lifts and half-price fares on others.
When to ride
Although the Kleine Scheidegg funicular is open year round and the cable cars to First operate from early April onwards, the typical riding season in Jungfrau region is June to October.
The typical riding season in Jungfrau region is June to October
© Dan Milner
Snow may linger on north facing trails until July, but usually this is easy to cross if you encounter it. Riding the shoulder months of June, September and October will likely mean having these amazing trails to yourself, but riding in the summer season is fine too if you exercise a little courtesy to other trail users. The Eiger and its 4000m+ neighbours can affect the weather locally, so be prepared when heading out on the trails.
The mountains can make weather unpredictable
© Dan Milner
With thanks to our partners at Jungfrau Region Tourism and Grindelwald Tourism.
