Hike /Luzern Tourismus
Fräkmüntegg – Alp Gschwänd – Hergiswil
FräkmünteggHergiswil
- Distance
- 6.9 km
- Duration
- 2:10 h
- Ascent
- 5 m
- Descent
- 965 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Fitness
- Moderate
- Route type
- One way
- Season
- May - October
01/ Overview
The route
From the slopes of Pilatus, this almost continuously descending mountain hike leads across alpine pastures and through woodland to Hergiswil, with views of Lake Lucerne, Rigi and Bürgenstock along the way.
The panoramic gondola from Kriens takes hikers to Fräkmüntegg, where the route reaches its highest point at around 1,400 m. Right at the start, the trail passes the Fräkmünt mountain chapel. It continues across open pastureland to Alp Gschwänd and then to the Brunni viewpoint. The views extend across Lake Lucerne to Rigi and Bürgenstock.
The mountain trail then descends steeply along the slopes of Pilatus. Brunni offers an opportunity to stop for refreshments before the route enters the forest on Schattenberg. Via Vorder Rengg and Schönegg, where there is another restaurant, it steadily loses elevation. After the steeper middle section, the trail widens again.
At Stalden, the route follows Schützenweg and Weg Obkirche through the first houses of Hergiswil. Passing directly by the Catholic Church of St Nicholas, it descends towards the village. Lake Lucerne is now close by, before Hergiswil railway station is reached after just over two hours.
Route data: Luzern Tourismus / Lucerne Tourisme · CC BY 4.0 · Source
02/ Along the route
What's along the way
Where the route climbs and where it descends. Hover the profile to find the spot on the map.
03/ Conditions
Current conditions
What to know before you set off. Closures and snow are re-checked every day.
How we check: Every night we match the route against the official closures and detours from the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). Any reported closure that touches the route shows up here.
How we check: We look up a live public transport connection from your starting point to the stop closest to the trailhead. If it ends further away, the nearest stop may be a cable car or bus that isn't running right now.
How we check: Snow depth estimated daily at the lowest and the highest point of the route. Estimates: check the situation on site.
04/ Getting there
Getting there
From your door to the trailhead and home again, by train and bus or by car. Computed live from the timetable.
Or from
Outbound
Return
05/ Weather
Weather on the way
Forecast for the lowest and the highest point of the route.
Weather
06/ Trail & landscape
Trail & landscape
Which paths you walk on and the landscape they lead through.
Larches count as conifer forest here.
07/ Export
Take the route with you
Load the track onto your GPS device, print a route sheet for the trail or send the route to your hiking group.
Share
Send the link to friends or your hiking group.
Export GPX File
For hiking apps, GPS watches and navigation devices.
Print Route Sheet
A4 with map, elevation profile, waypoints and emergency numbers.
