Pizol 5 Lakes Hike - The Disappearing Glacier

Walking Through History: Tectonic Secrets & Turquoise Waters at Pizol

The Pizol 5 Lakes Hike is a stunning alpine trail in N.E. Switzerland that takes you past five crystal-clear mountain lakes with views of the UNESCO World Heritage Sardona tectonic area. 

By starting the hike at the high plateau of Laufböden and then crossing over to the Pizolhütte, you seamlessly merge geological wonders, a famous Swiss photo spot, and five world-class mountain lakes into a single epic route.

Quick Trail Facts

Start Point: Laufböden Chairlift Station (via the Bad Ragaz gondola).

End Point: Gaffia Chairlift Station (descending to Wangs or Bad Ragaz).

Distance: ~13.5 km (~8.4 miles) including the panoramic detour.

Duration: 5-6 hours (allowing time for food and photos, 4.5h hiking).

Elevation: ~640 m ascent, ~1,000 m descent (highest point at Wildseeluggen: 2,493 m).

Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult (flat start followed by steep, rocky alpine climbs T2-3).

Last Lift Warning: You must reach the Gaffia chairlift by 4:30 PM to catch the final ride down. Note: this would be the same even if you did the more challenging version coming from Gaffia to the Pizolhut.

See my recommended gear list article...

Step 1: The Panorama High Trail & Grand Tour Sign

Your adventure begins in Bad Ragaz. Take the gondola up to Pardiel, followed by the chairlift to Laufböden (2,222m). Step off the lift and you're straight into the Pizol Panorama High Trail.

A Coffee Stop: Before taking your first step, walk over to the terrace of the Laufbodenstübli (2,100m). Grab a fresh morning espresso or a traditional Swiss Kafi Lutz (coffee with fruit schnapps) paired with regional nut cake to warm up against the crisp alpine air.

The Grand Tour Viewpoint: Follow the well-marked path toward the Tagweidlichopf viewpoint (2,275m). Here, you will find the official red Grand Tour photo frame. It perfectly frames a 360-degree view that stretches past the Rhine Valley all the way to Lake Constance.

UNESCO World Heritage Sardona: The information panels at this viewpoint explain the giant textbook of earth's history surrounding you. You are standing inside the Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona. 

Look across at the mountain faces to spot the Glarus Thrust, a distinct line where 250-million-year-old ancient rock was violently pushed over much younger 35-million-year-old rock when the African and European tectonic plates collided.

Step 2: Crossing to Pizolhütte & Lake 1

From the viewpoint, follow the easy gravel path as it winds across the natural stone platform of the high plateau.

Wangsersee: After roughly 25 minutes of flat walking, you will reach the first lake of the day. This quiet, peaceful body of water sits on a plateau right next to your next major hub.

Basecamp: Right past the lake sits the Pizolhütte (2,227m). Stop at their kiosk to stock up on extra trail snacks and water bottles, because from this point onward, you leave civilization behind for the next 4h or so.

Note that this is also a great location for winter activities such as snowshoeing, although not (of course) to the 5 lakes because of the avalanche risk.

Step 3: Into the High Alps & The Disappearing Glacier

Behind the Pizolhütte, the real alpine climbing begins. A steep, unrelenting zig-zag trail gains roughly 250 m of elevation up to the rocky ridge of Wildseeluggen (2,493m).

Wildsee & The Pizol Glacier: As you crest the ridge, the earth drops away to reveal the breathtaking, glowing turquoise waters of the Wildsee. Look up into the rocky cirque behind the lake to view the remnants of the Pizol Glacier. In 2019, scientists declared it "dead" because it lost too much mass to flow, prompting 250 locals and scientists to hold a symbolic funeral service for the ice sheet on this very mountain. When I went in 2020, its final melting pieces continued to tint the lake its brilliant turquoise color.

Step 4: Deep Dive into Lakes 3-5

While the Wildsee captures a lot of attention for its dramatic glacial backdrop, the final three lakes on the horseshoe loop offer completely distinct landscapes, microclimates, and visual styles.

Lake #3 Schottensee: The Surreal Turquoise Mirror (2,266m): After dropping down from the high glacial pass of Wildseeluggen, the trail leads directly to the grassy basin housing Schottensee. On a bright, clear day, it transitions into a brilliant turquoise or rich cyan. 

The water is incredibly translucent, reflecting the surrounding gray limestone peaks like a perfect mirror. It is bordered by a wide, gentle alpine meadow, making it the most popular spot on the trail to spread out a jacket, eat lunch, or dip your feet into the freezing meltwater. 

Lake #4 Schwarzsee: The Moody Tectonic Basin (2,368m): Reaching Schwarzsee (the "Black Lake") requires a steady climb back over the Schwarzplangg ridge. True to its name, this lake sits in a deep, shadowed hollow beneath dark rock formations. The water absorbs the dark minerals of the surrounding basin, giving it a deep sapphire, almost ink-black appearance that shimmers under direct sunlight.

As you approach the shoreline, you will walk through the Rossstall plateau, an area covered in dozens of giant, hand-built stone cairns (Steinmannli). On a misty afternoon, walking through this maze of towering rock sculptures feels ancient and ceremonial. Note: many hikers disapprove of this practice thinking that small markers are sufficient.

Lake #5 Baschalvasee: The Green Valley Sentinel (2,174m): After a final push over the east face of the Gamidaur ridge, you begin your last major descent toward the fifth and final lake, Baschalvasee. 

This lake trades the high-alpine blues and blacks for a soft, jade-green color palette. It sits at a lower elevation where alpine turf and wild heather begin to reclaim the rocky landscape. 

Baschalvasee is uniquely situated right on the shelf of the mountain before it drops into the valley below. Standing on its banks allows you to look past the green waters to take in a sweeping panoramic view directly down into the sprawling St. Gallen Rhine Valley, stretching across to the mountains of Liechtenstein.

Step 5: Celebrating at Gaffia

After a final downhill, the trail terminates at the Gaffia Mountain Station (1,861m), where three excellent dining locations are waiting to fuel you back up:

Alte Alp Gaffia (1,861m): A rustic, traditional mountain farm-turned-beiz run by a local family. It is the ultimate spot to celebrate completing the hike with a cold beer, a regional Salsiz (cured alpine sausage) served with fresh bread, or homemade fruit tarts.

Berghotel Gaffia: Located right next to the lift, this hotel offers a larger hot food menu. You can sit out on the terrace and order hearty classic plates like Gaffia Rösti (shredded potatoes topped with cheese, tomato, bacon, and a fried egg), or traditional Swiss macaroni and cheese with applesauce.

Berghotel Furt: If the Gaffia restaurants are packed, you can hop right onto the chairlift down to the middle station at Furt. The Alpenhotel Furt serves great, affordable lunch menus.

The Backpack Alternative: If you prefer to eat your lunch sitting on a rock overlooking the lakes, you can book the official 5-Lakes Picnic Backpack online ahead of time. Pick it up at the Wangs valley station packed with local specialties (bread, Salsiz, Heidiland cheese, trail mix, wine, and water), and drop the empty backpack off at the Gaffia lift station when you finish.

From Gaffia, simply catch the chairlift to Furt, then the final gondola down to the Wangs valley station to head home. If you are lucky there’s a shuttle bus to take you back to your start point if you came by car.

Example Day-Trip Itinerary

To successfully complete the entire panoramic detour and the 5 Lakes route before the mountain lifts close, timing is critical:

08:15 AM Gondola Ascent from Bad Ragaz: Board the first morning gondola lift from the valley station in Bad Ragaz up to Pardiel.

08:35 AM Chairlift to the High Plateau: Transfer immediately to the Pardiel-Laufböden chairlift to rise above the tree line.

08:50 AM Morning Coffee at Laufbodenstübli: Step off the lift and grab a table on the terrace of the wooden hut for a quick espresso and a slice of regional nut cake.

09:15 AM Grand Tour Photo Spot: Take the short walking path up to the Tagweidlichopf viewpoint. Frame your photos at the red Grand Tour sign and trace the horizontal yellowish line of the Glarus Thrust across the rock faces.

09:45 AM Panorama Walk to Lake 1: Follow the flat, scenic ridge trail over the plateau toward the Pizol side, passing the peaceful waters of Wangsersee.

10:15 AM Refueling at Pizolhütte: Reach the Pizolhütte. Use the restroom and visit the kiosk to purchase pre-made sandwiches and extra water bottles before entering the wild terrain.

10:30 AM Strenuous Ridge Climb: Begin the steep alpine ascent up the gravel switchbacks to the Wildseeluggen ridge.

11:30 AM Turquoise Views & the Glacier: Crest the ridge to view the luminous waters of Wildsee below the gray peak where the historic Pizol Glacier once flowed. Note that if time allows you could take a detour to the left of the lake to see the glacial area up closer.

12:00 PM Picnic Lunch at Schottensee: Descend the rocky shale path to the wide meadows surrounding Schottensee. Find a flat rock by the translucent turquoise water to unpack your lunch, maybe even take a quick dip to cool off?

01:00 PM Traversing to the Dark Basin: Tackle the ascent over the Schwarzplangg ridge, keeping an eye out for alpine ibex on the cliffs...

01:45 PM Exploring the Cairn Forest: Arrive at the ink-black shores of Schwarzsee. Walk slowly through the maze of giant hand-built stone structures on the plateau.

02:30 PM Valley Sentinel Viewpoint: Cross the final ridge to reach the jade-green waters of Baschalvasee, taking great photos of the Rhine Valley stretching into Liechtenstein.

03:00 PM Final Descent: Keep your trekking poles ready for the steep, grassy downhill path heading into the Gaffia basin.

03:45 PM Celebration at Gaffia: Arrive at the Gaffia station. Pull up a chair at Berghotel Gaffia or Alte Alp Gaffia for a massive plate of Gaffia Rösti or a cold local beer.

04:30 PM Final Chairlift Departure: Crucial Deadline. Board the final Gaffia chairlift down toward Furt. Missing this means a very long, difficult walk down to the valley.

This hike was walked by Greg Turnbull on 19th august 2018. Contact me for questions and more photos.