Family-friendly summer hikes through the Alps

If you’re struggling to find a vacation that everyone in your family will enjoy, an active hiking trip through the Alps can be the perfect choice. The scenery is unbeatable, featuring picturesque mountain lakes, thick forests, and hundreds of glaciers, all easily accessible by well-marked trails.

However, this hiker’s paradise does have some fairly challenging trails that might be too tough for your little ones, but older children might complain that the easier paths are “boring.” For a hiking experience that will excite kids of all ages, here are some of the best routes to consider:

Toggenburg Tone Trail

This stroller-friendly trail features over twenty musical instruments spread along the path that you’ll discover every few minutes of your hike. Kids will love to stop and make noise at the various music stations, and even the youngest children will be motivated to keep hiking because they can usually see or hear the upcoming instruments. The trail also has a playground and a few picnic areas, so you can make an entire day out of this simple 6 km trip.

Kitzel Trail

Also known as the “Tickle Trail,” this short but sweet path circles a small pond located at the very top of the Brunni chairlift. Unlike other hikes, this one is meant to be enjoyed barefoot! The short walk has several different textures underfoot, shifting from pebbles, clay, wood chips, water, and more. According to the Engelberg website, the soothing sensations of the various textures feels like a foot massage, which “stimulates blood circulation and has a positive effect on the whole organism.”

Globi Treasure Hunt Trail

This is an ideal hike for adventurous kids of all ages—even those who are kids at heart! The trailhead features a giant playground, a water play area, a trampoline, and an alpine slide for children to let loose and have potentially hours of fun. You still won’t have any trouble convincing them to come on the hike, though, since you’ll be searching for treasure chests along the trail.

There are a total of 11 chests along the path, each one containing clues that will help them find the next chest. If each chest is discovered and the kids are able to solve the puzzle, they’ll get to win a prize. This trail also changes every year and the chests are hidden in different locations, so this is an excellent trail to visit again and again throughout your child’s younger years.

Sihlwald Forest Trail

This charming forest trail has a dozen interactive stations along the path, including a barefoot section and a wood log xylophone, that will encourage your kids to enjoy the natural beauty of the beech forest. Although this fun and easy trail is accessible year-round, the forest is especially pretty when the flowers begin to bloom in the springtime and when the leaves change colors in the fall. The region is described as a “national nature experience park,” and it also features a museum, restaurant, and souvenirs shop for your family to enjoy.

Flumserberg Saga Trail

Along this 2.4 km hike, your children will get to experience the tale of the “wild man,” a man who was said to have lived in nearby cave many, many years ago. Legend has it that this man was so unkind and cruel to nature that he was banished from Flumserberg; but now he’s sorry for his actions and wants to make things right again. He’s supposedly welcomed back once a year, for just three days, in order to make amends for his past mistakes.

As you and your kids walk along the path, you’ll encounter storyboards that describe the wild man’s journey, and your kids can use their knowledge of the story to enter a contest! The end of the trail has a fun ropes course that’s suitable for adults and kids, a giant play area, and a restaurant for the perfect ending to an exciting day.

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