Understanding Swiss Hiking Trails

Introduction:

When choosing a hiking route, it is very important to be aware of how swiss hiking trails work and what each colour means. In the Swiss Mobility App you can find all the trails marked by colours, which can be useful when planning your hike.

The trails explained:

🟡Yellow Trail: Hiking trails T1, easy to moderate, well marked and maintained, perfect for most hiking levels

🔴Red Trail: Mountain hiking trails T2/T3, can be steep and contain exposed bits, you have to be secure in your step and not be afraid of heights, sometimes you will need to use your hands, suitable for more experienced hikers

🔵Blue Trail: Alpine Routes T4, the hikes are very exposed and technical, there are no continous markings, navigation skills needed, high alpine experts only

⚪Not Marked: T5-T6, Not marked, high alpine, climbing skills are required, you need full alpine equipment, routes are extremely exposed and potentially dangerous, professional mountaineers only

The trails outside:

Outside you will encounter following signs:

🟡 Yellow Sign: Normal hiking trail

⚪️🔴⚪️: White-Red-White: Mountain hiking trails lead partly through rough terrain and are mostly steep, narrow, and in some places exposed. Particularly difficult sections are secured with ropes or chains. Hikers must be sure-footed, free from vertigo, and in good physical condition, and they must be familiar with mountain hazards (falling rocks, slipping and falling dangers, sudden weather changes). Wearing sturdy shoes with a good grip, weather-appropriate equipment, and carrying topographic maps are recommended.

⚪️🔵⚪️ White-Blue-White: Alpine hiking routes partly cross snowfields, glaciers, or scree slopes and lead through rocky terrain with short climbing sections; in some places there is no marked path at all. Structural safety installations cannot be assumed. Hikers must be sure-footed, free from vertigo, in excellent physical condition, and have a very good understanding of mountain hazards. In addition to the equipment required for mountain hiking trails, a compass, rope, ice axe, and crampons may also be necessary.

🩷: Pink: Marked winter hiking trails are generally accessible and intended for pedestrians. They are monitored and groomed, and they run as far as possible away from busy roads, usually over snow-covered terrain.

🩷🥾 Pink with Snowshoe Sign: Marked snowshoe routes are generally accessible and intended for snowshoe hikes. These snow-covered routes are usually located away from groomed trails and are not tracked. Particularly difficult sections are usually secured.