Bonistock Trail

The train from Melchsee-Frutt to Bonistock is full of wonders. Firstly there is the view across to Mount Titlis and the Obwalden peaks, then the idyllic magic of two lakes – Tannensee and Melchsee.

From the Melchsee-Frutt mountain station, the roughly nine-kilometre snowshoe tour begins with a sustained ascent across open terrain. After a good hour, the route passes Restaurant Bonistock and reaches its highest point near Bonistock at just under 2,170 m. Around 420 metres of ascent must be tackled by the end of the circuit.

The trail then descends to the Chringen pass and sweeps in a wide arc across the open slopes towards Tannalp. Roughly halfway along the route, the Tannalpkapelle and Berggasthaus Tannalp stand directly beside the trail.

From Tannalp, the route continues to Tannensee, following its shore for a while. Dammed in 1958, the lake collects the waters of the Tannenbach and other streams; its water is used to generate electricity. The circuit then leads back across the broad high plateau. Towards the end, it reaches Melchsee, another dammed mountain lake. Along its shore, the trail follows the final stretch to Melchsee-Frutt and ends near the mountain station.