Best Gorge Hikes in Switzerland

Learn about the best gorge hikes in Switzerland based on my extensive experience! Do you like to do walks in shady, cool areas? Gorge hikes are great for hot summer days when you want to get outside but keep cool. They get you close to water where you can even take a refreshing dip!

I will share with you five gorge hikes I’ve done since May 2020 in the French region of Switzerland where I live. These gorges are all free with no entrance cost. Some other gorges may charge a small fee to enter the park. I hope you can experience these unique hikes in Switzerland or find some local gorges where you live!

Gorges de Dailley

I’ve done this hike three different times. It never ceases to amaze me! You can make it short or long depending on the time you have. This year, we walked up to the waterfall and back down the other side of the trail.

If you don’t mind climbing the 631 steps to the top (so they say, I didn’t count!), you’ll love the views from this hike. You can start in Salvan and walk through the village before following a flat forest trail for approximately 30 minutes.

You will then come to the long wooden bridge that leads to the well-constructed, sturdy steps to the top. From there, you can already see a breathtaking view of the waterfall.

Here is a word of caution to those who may get vertigo with heights. When looking back down the steps, it can be quite daunting. The day we were there, we saw a young lady who had to crouch down on the steps to let her dizziness pass before continuing.

They say the best time to go here is in the Spring when the water flow is at its max. We were not able to reach the very top this year as they were working on improving the path. It was blocked after a certain point before we reached the highest point.

Normally, you can walk past the top of the falls into an open valley where there is a typical mountain restaurant. It is called the Auberge du Vallon de Van. We stopped here once before and had a nice lunch on the sunny terrace. From here, you can walk further to follow different mountain paths or return back down the hill.

After taking some great photos right by the water, we took a different route back down through the forest. It helped to have hiking poles to get down the steep descent.

The whole trip took 2-3 hours, depending on how often you stop and admire the surrounding beauty. When we have visitors again, we’ll definitely take them to experience this impressive gorge and waterfall.

For more info about the Gorges de Dailley area, check out this website here.

Gorges de la Vièze

If you are looking for a short, easy walk, this one is ideal. Small children could do this walk. The time to walk from the start to the suspension bridge is approximately 30 minutes.

We combined this walk with another gorge visit on the same day. After doing this one, we drove a bit further to do the Gorges de Dailley hike.

The path is mostly flat with a few uphills. Many families were there the day we walked the path. It’s a perfect place for a stroll by the water and a picnic.

There was one cave on this hiking trail. Unlike most gorge caves, this one had a light switch at both entrances – how clever and useful!

When you get to the end of the 30-minute walk, you will then cross the 100-meter suspension bridge. It sways a bit when there are other people walking on the bridge. If you are not afraid of heights or swinging bridges, you can easily cross it.

At this point, you can return back on the same path or take the road on the other side back to the village. We chose the circular route to see some different scenery. The paved road path back has nice views of the surrounding mountains and country farms.

Here is more info about this hike and the Gorges de la Vièze.

Gorges de l’Areuse

This hike is close to the town of Neuchatel. The entire path takes 3-4 hours from one end to the other. We chose to do only the upper half of the trail which started in Noiraigue. After we reached Champ-du-Moulin, we turned around and walked back on the same path.

One option to do the entire one-way path is to park in Boudry and take the train up to Noiraigue. This alternative will reduce the total walking time while still allowing you to see the different scenery along the complete trail.

I wanted to go to this gorge especially to see the ancient stone bridge called ‘Saut de Brot’. It looks like something out of a fairytale and was last reconstructed in 1897.

The bridge was as fascinating as the photos I had seen. We were lucky to not have other people around us so that we could take our time getting some nice photos and videos.

I adored the cascading falls along the flat portion of the walk. We stopped at one of them for a picnic. The water was lime green and pale yellow. It would be a good place to walk into the water to cool off on a hot day.

After two hours of walking, we stopped at the Champ du Moulin restaurant by the river for some refreshing white wine. From the bridge beside the restaurant, we watched many trout fish swimming in the shallow river below. You can even taste the local-caught fish at this cute restaurant.

It was a perfect gorge hike! We want to go back again to do the lower half of the gorge. You will find more information about this hike here.

Gorges de la Jogne

I’ve been to the Gorges de la Jogne several times over the years and twice already this year! It is one of the prettiest gorge walks I’ve done in this area of Switzerland. It is very popular so you’ll need to get there early to get a spot in the small parking area near the town of Broc.

From the parking lot, you will walk down a wide dirt road for 15 minutes. You will see to the right a water cascade down the face of a steep rock. You can walk up to the falls to get wet or take photos from lower down.

After the waterfall, the path narrows and you will see the emerald-colored water of the gorge. The path is initially flat but gets steeper as you approach the end of the one-hour walk to the lake.

There are a few caves to walk through along the way. As the caves are very dark with puddles, you will benefit from a phone flashlight to see where you are stepping. There is an opening in one cave to look out onto the clear gorge water below.

This gorge path is very well cared for. We noticed this year new bridges and reinforced rails. Although I consider it safe, you will need to hold onto small children as you walk along the steep edges.

If you get dizzy walking along drop-off edges, you may not appreciate this walk. If there has been recent rain, the path is quite muddy and slippery in places. I used my hiking poles which helped a lot.

Along the path, there are a few spots where you can walk out onto large rocks for a better view or for a peaceful picnic.

As you reach the end of the gorge, you will find the suspension bridge. After crossing over, you will walk up many steep steps for 10 minutes before arriving at the Montsalvens dam and lake. The dam was built in 1920 and is quite impressive. From the narrow gorge walls, you will come out onto the scenic lake and rolling green hillsides.

Many people stop at the dam for a mid-way picnic before returning back through the same gorge route. Another option is to continue walking the path around the lake. We chose this longer hiking route this year. It was a 5-hour total walk but well worth it for the different and varied scenery along the way.

For more info about this longer Montsalvens Lake tour, check out this website.

If you are looking for a meal or refreshment, you will find a nice chalet restaurant at the end of the gorge. You have to walk up a paved road and you will find it on the left. The name of the restaurant is Buvette Chez Boudji. I would advise to reserve a table as it gets quite crowded.

Another idea to combine with this two-hour total hike is to visit the nearby Cailler Chocolate Factory or the Gruyere Cheese Factory. We’ve taken many visitors to these two locations, as well as the touristic village and castle of Gruyere.

La Tine de Conflens

This short, easy hike is another good choice for younger children. It takes 30 minutes max to reach the end of the path leading up to a beautiful waterfall. The waterfall was formed where the two rivers Venoge and Veyron meet.

They don’t advertise this hike as a gorge walk, but it resembles all of the other gorge hikes I’ve done. You will walk through a shady forest with a few ups and downs but nothing too strenuous. You will arrive by the river after going down some steps. There is a rope barrier at the end that advises not to pass it, but everyone was doing it to get closer to the water.

Plan to take a picnic to stay longer and appreciate the fairytale setting at the falls. You should also wear your bathing suit if you want to take a dip in the inviting pools. It would be a good idea to bring some water shoes for a better grip while walking on the slippery rocks toward the pools. I used my water shoes and felt much more comfortable walking in the water.

We spent at least an hour at this spot wading in the water and getting close to the waterfall. It was a photographer’s paradise. We even saw a few local fishermen walking into the water where they caught some small fish!

For more info about La Tine de Conflens, check this website.

What are your favorite Gorge Hikes?

Have you been to any of the gorges I described here? What other hikes would you recommend? I’ve been to a few more spectacular gorges in this area in Switzerland – see the links below.

• Gorges du Durnand
• Gorges du Trient
• Gorges du Chauderon (one of my favorites very close to home)

Please leave a comment below and give us your ideas! With the intense summer heat these days, a cool refreshing gorge walk is the best way to enjoy the outdoors!

HERE’S A TIP: People ask me often how I discover these hikes. I start by searching on google or I see some photos on social media that motivate me to research the areas. Check out this website for lots of good info. Another method I use are free phone apps like Outdooractive or Alltrails. These dedicated hiking applications often provide better details about each hike.

If you are looking for assistance to plan your next trip, I am here for YOU! I love to plan travel itineraries for myself and others. For more details on how I provide this service, please check out my Itinerary Planning page and drop me a quick email at jan@janadventures.com to get started!

If you are looking for other ideas on what to see in Switzerland, you will want to see my other posts below!

• Best Gorge Hikes in Switzerland
• Want to know the Secret Spots in Switzerland?
• Cool Things to See in Flims Switzerland
• Spring in Switzerland
• Biking the Heart Route in Switzerland
• 9 Activities Not To Miss in Switzerland
• 3 Day Itinerary in Ticino Switzerland
• 5 Lakes Walk in Zermatt Switzerland – a Must-Do!
• 9 Top Spots near Interlaken Switzerland
• E-Biking in Switzerland
• Discover Adelboden Switzerland in Summer
• What to See in Meiringen Switzerland
• Unexpected Excursions in Lugano
• Best of Appenzell Switzerland
• Awesome Autumn in the Swiss Vineyards
• Schynigge Platte Things to Do
• 2 Days in Basel Switzerland
• Pizol 5 Lakes Hike
• Switzerland Destination Page