The 5 Lakes Trail is one of the most popular day hikes around Zermatt, and for a good reason. The route connects five mountain lakes, three of which offer one of the most iconic views in the Alps: the Matterhorn reflected on the water. It's not a hard trail, it's well-marked, and you can do it in half a day.
We did this trail after completing the Haute Route, more than 220km of walking across the Alps. Our legs were tired, our bodies were done, but the promise of Matterhorn reflections on the lakes was enough to get us moving one more time. Whether you're spending a few days in Zermatt or finishing the Haute Route, this is a hike worth fitting into your schedule.
How to Get There
From Zermatt, take the Sunnegga Express — an underground funicular that climbs from the village to Sunnegga (2,288m) in about 4 minutes. During summer, it runs every 10 to 20 minutes. From Sunnegga, you can continue up to Blauherd by gondola when it's operating.
You can check current timetables and lift status at matterhornparadise.ch.
Zermatt itself is a car-free village, so you'll arrive by train from Täsch or Visp, or by foot like we did. The whole journey from Sunnegga station to the start of the trail is very easy to navigate — there are signs everywhere.
The 5 Lakes Route
The 5 Lakes Trail (or Fünf-Seen-Wanderung in German) covers around 10km, and you can complete it in 3 to 4 hours at an easy pace. The trails are wide, mostly smooth underfoot, and well-signed. This is not a technical route, no exposed sections, no navigation challenges. It's a good trail for any fitness level.
The classic route starts at Blauherd (2,571m), reached by taking the train from Zermatt up to Sunnegga, then the gondola up to Blauherd. From there, you walk through the five lakes in this order:
- Stellisee: the most photographed lake on the trail, and for good reason. On a clear day, the Matterhorn reflects perfectly on the water.
- Grindjisee: a quieter lake, often less crowded, with another beautiful Matterhorn reflection.
- Grünsee: you can swim here. The water is cold but refreshing, especially in July and August.
- Moosjisee: a smaller reservoir lake, less dramatic than the others but a nice spot for a break.
- Leisee: the final lake, right above Sunnegga, where you can also swim. There's even a small kids' area here in summer.
You finish the route at Sunnegga and take the underground railway back down to Zermatt. If you want to start directly from Sunnegga, it's also possible, there is a trail connecting the two places.
The Lakes and the Matterhorn Reflection
The big draw here is the Matterhorn reflection on the lakes, and three of the five lakes deliver this if the conditions are right: Stellisee, Grindjisee, and Leisee.
"If the conditions are right" is doing a lot of work in that sentence. When we did this hike, the Matterhorn was almost completely covered by clouds. We had a few short windows where the tip of the mountain appeared, and we caught some partial reflections on Stellisee and Grindjisee, but not the postcard view we were hoping for.
We don't regret going. The lakes are beautiful regardless of the Matterhorn, the air at 2500m felt clean after weeks on the trail, and there was something satisfying about finishing the Haute Route with one last walk in the Swiss Alps. But if you're going specifically for the reflection photos, aim for early morning on a clear day. The light is better, the water is calmer, and there are fewer people around.
Fluhalp Hut: A Great Overnight Option
The trail passes close to Fluhalp (2,620m), a mountain hut between Stellisee and Grindjisee that's worth knowing about. We spent our last night in the Alps there, in a private room with views straight to the Matterhorn. Dinner was excellent, proper Alpine cuisine, not just soup and bread. It felt like a fitting way to end our crossing of the Alps.
The hut is open roughly from mid-June to early October and offers a mix of accommodation: private double rooms, triple rooms, and shared dormitories. If you want to catch the morning light on Stellisee without waking up at 5am in Zermatt and rushing to catch the first lift, staying at Fluhalp is the way to do it.
Book in advance during July and August — it fills up fast.
The 5 Lakes Trail is one of those hikes that earns its reputation. The combination of five different lakes, easy terrain, and the Matterhorn as a constant backdrop makes it one of the best half-day routes in the Alps. Even with clouds — like when we did it — it's a beautiful walk.
If you're considering combining this trail with a longer route like the Haute Route, check out our full Walker's Haute Route guide for everything you need to know before you go.
