Mountainbiking

Visp-Zermatt Bike
Visp–Zermatt

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Visp-Zermatt Bike
Visp–Zermatt
The physically challenging route follows the Vispa from the Rhone Valley floor up to Zermatt. It passes historic buildings and picturesque villages, goes through vineyards, forests and over meadows as one conquers almost 1,400 m altitude. The backdrop: snow-covered peaks and at the end, the Matterhorn.
After the start at the train station, the trail leads through the Visp rec-reational area. Without major gradients, one reaches the hamlet of Neubrück, which belongs to the commune of Stalden. From here to the southern end of the village the Vispa proudly passes under nine bridges, which are the reason why Stalden is also called «Brückendorf». The bike route follows the old cantonal road, which was partially carved into the rock as a semi-open tunnel. Via Kalpetran and to St. Niklaus you cycle along the track of the old mule trail in the Mattertal, which was rebuilt between 1852 and 1868. The path is listed in the inventory of Historic Swiss Traffic Routes (IVS). Over long stretches, the old, well-preserved dry stonewalls are visible.
Before St. Niklaus, the bikers enter into the Chipferwald. A section was built as a single track here for them. In part along the old course of the cantonal road, the St. Niklaus hamlets are passed, including Birchmat-ten, Stahlen or Schwiedernen. Worthwhile: A visit to the local mountain guide museum, because several well-known mountain guide dynasties come from «Zaniglas» as the locals call St. Niklaus.
After arriving at the Birchbach, which marks the border of Randa, the huge debris cone from the 1991 landslide is visible. Then the Bis Glac-ier appears along with the Breithorn and the Kleine Matterhorn in the distance. The Matterhorn is still hiding. The path via Randa continues towards Täsch. Just before the edge of the village, one changes to the other side of the valley and arrives at the Schalisee. Cooling off in the middle of the larch trees and open grass areas along the lake. Be-cause afterwards comes the last challenging section up to Zermatt over a changing and challenging single-rider trail. On a rise just before the destination, one arrives at the highest point of the route (1,620 m) and a view of the Matterhorn for the first time: the mountain of moun-tain is the reward.
Before St. Niklaus, the bikers enter into the Chipferwald. A section was built as a single track here for them. In part along the old course of the cantonal road, the St. Niklaus hamlets are passed, including Birchmat-ten, Stahlen or Schwiedernen. Worthwhile: A visit to the local mountain guide museum, because several well-known mountain guide dynasties come from «Zaniglas» as the locals call St. Niklaus.
After arriving at the Birchbach, which marks the border of Randa, the huge debris cone from the 1991 landslide is visible. Then the Bis Glac-ier appears along with the Breithorn and the Kleine Matterhorn in the distance. The Matterhorn is still hiding. The path via Randa continues towards Täsch. Just before the edge of the village, one changes to the other side of the valley and arrives at the Schalisee. Cooling off in the middle of the larch trees and open grass areas along the lake. Be-cause afterwards comes the last challenging section up to Zermatt over a changing and challenging single-rider trail. On a rise just before the destination, one arrives at the highest point of the route (1,620 m) and a view of the Matterhorn for the first time: the mountain of moun-tain is the reward.
The physically challenging route follows the Vispa from the Rhone Valley floor up to Zermatt. It passes historic buildings and picturesque villages, goes through vineyards, forests and over meadows as one conquers almost 1,400 m altitude. The backdrop: snow-covered peaks and at the end, the Matterhorn.
After the start at the train station, the trail leads through the Visp rec-reational area. Without major gradients, one reaches the hamlet of Neubrück, which belongs to the commune of Stalden. From here to the southern end of the village the Vispa proudly passes under nine bridges, which are the reason why Stalden is also called «Brückendorf». The bike route follows the old cantonal road, which was partially carved into the rock as a semi-open tunnel. Via Kalpetran and to St. Niklaus you cycle along the track of the old mule trail in the Mattertal, which was rebuilt between 1852 and 1868. The path is listed in the inventory of Historic Swiss Traffic Routes (IVS). Over long stretches, the old, well-preserved dry stonewalls are visible.
Before St. Niklaus, the bikers enter into the Chipferwald. A section was built as a single track here for them. In part along the old course of the cantonal road, the St. Niklaus hamlets are passed, including Birchmat-ten, Stahlen or Schwiedernen. Worthwhile: A visit to the local mountain guide museum, because several well-known mountain guide dynasties come from «Zaniglas» as the locals call St. Niklaus.
After arriving at the Birchbach, which marks the border of Randa, the huge debris cone from the 1991 landslide is visible. Then the Bis Glac-ier appears along with the Breithorn and the Kleine Matterhorn in the distance. The Matterhorn is still hiding. The path via Randa continues towards Täsch. Just before the edge of the village, one changes to the other side of the valley and arrives at the Schalisee. Cooling off in the middle of the larch trees and open grass areas along the lake. Be-cause afterwards comes the last challenging section up to Zermatt over a changing and challenging single-rider trail. On a rise just before the destination, one arrives at the highest point of the route (1,620 m) and a view of the Matterhorn for the first time: the mountain of moun-tain is the reward.
Before St. Niklaus, the bikers enter into the Chipferwald. A section was built as a single track here for them. In part along the old course of the cantonal road, the St. Niklaus hamlets are passed, including Birchmat-ten, Stahlen or Schwiedernen. Worthwhile: A visit to the local mountain guide museum, because several well-known mountain guide dynasties come from «Zaniglas» as the locals call St. Niklaus.
After arriving at the Birchbach, which marks the border of Randa, the huge debris cone from the 1991 landslide is visible. Then the Bis Glac-ier appears along with the Breithorn and the Kleine Matterhorn in the distance. The Matterhorn is still hiding. The path via Randa continues towards Täsch. Just before the edge of the village, one changes to the other side of the valley and arrives at the Schalisee. Cooling off in the middle of the larch trees and open grass areas along the lake. Be-cause afterwards comes the last challenging section up to Zermatt over a changing and challenging single-rider trail. On a rise just before the destination, one arrives at the highest point of the route (1,620 m) and a view of the Matterhorn for the first time: the mountain of moun-tain is the reward.
Length | Number of stages
38 km
| 1 Stage
Roads and trails
Asphalted: 29 km
Natural surface: 9 km
Singletrail: 11 km
Natural surface: 9 km
Singletrail: 11 km
Ascent | Descent
1400 m | 460 m
Grade | Fitness level
medium
|
difficult
Arrival | return travel
More …
Push-only passage
Single trail Chipferwald: the width is only 1-1.2 m. Push the bike on the metal ramp.
Hint
Täsch-Zermatt: short, steep section with climb of >15%.
General safety
Consideration
The marked trails along the bike path are also used by hikers at the same time. Hikers have the right of way.
Arrival | return travel
Contact
Matterhorn Valley Trail Club
3929 Täsch
Tel. +41 (0)27 966 46 66
kanzlei@taesch.ch
www.gemeinde-taesch.ch
3929 Täsch
Tel. +41 (0)27 966 46 66
kanzlei@taesch.ch
www.gemeinde-taesch.ch