Andermatt to Goscheneralpsee via the Devil’s Bridge

If you are looking for a hike that packs centuries of dramatic history, amazing alpine engineering, mythic folklore, and raw glacial lake beauty into a single trail, then this is it. 

This hike takes you from the high-alpine crossroads of Andermatt, down through the roaring abyss of the legendary Schollenen Gorge, and then back up into the serene, granite-walled Gaschenertal valley to the Goscheneralpsee. It’s a hike through the very landscape that shaped modern Europe.

Route Summary

• Distance: c.16 Km (approx. 10 miles)

• Elevation Gain: +760 meters (mostly during Stage 2)

• Elevation Loss: -410 meters (mostly during Stage 1)

• Start: Andermatt Train Station (1,437 m / 4,714 ft)

• Mid-Point: Goschenen (1,106 m / 3,628 ft)

• End: Goscheneralpsee Reservoir/Dam & Bus Stop (1,792 m / 5,879 ft)

• Best Season: Late June to mid-October - check the bus schedules…

Stage 1: Descent Through the Devil’s Gorge

Launchpad: Andermatt

The adventure begins at the Andermatt train station. Before taking your first step, drop into the Andermatt Tourist Information center next to the station. The staff are incredibly helpful and will gladly provide you with up-to-date trail conditions for the gorge, weather forecasts, and even physical maps. 

As you walk out of the village toward the north, you are immediately immersed in Andermatt's military history. You will pass the imposing Altes Zeughaus (Old Arsenal) and the Kaserne Andermatt. For centuries, Andermatt was the strategic gateway to the Swiss Alps - a massive wartime mountain fortress designed to defend the nation. 

Look up to the peaks framing the Ursern Valley; to the south rises the imposing Piz Gabin (2,776 m) and the rugged massifs guarding the Gotthard Pass corridor.

Braving the Schollenen Gorge

Soon, the valley floor fades. You will pass the quiet Mariahilf-Kapelle, a small chapel where centuries of nervous merchants and travelers stopped to pray for safe passage before entering the perilous Schollenen Gorge.

For generations, this sheer granite canyon was entirely impassable, fiercely resisting human traffic. That changed in the 13th century when daring pioneers hung wooden walkways by chains over the roaring Reuss River, unlocking the Gotthard Pass as Europe's vital north-south trade route. 

You enter the gorge by walking through the Urnerloch tunnel. Blasted out of solid rock between 1707 and 1708, this 64-m passage was the first road tunnel ever built in the Alps, replacing the fragile wooden boardwalks that the river routinely smashed to pieces.

Myths, Monsters & the Devil's Bridge

Emerging from the tunnel, you find yourself face-to-face with the roaring waters and the legendary Devil's Bridge (Teufelsbrucke). According to local folklore, the chasm was so treacherous that the villagers made a deal with the Devil to build a stone bridge overnight. In return, the Devil demanded the soul of the first creature to cross. The clever locals outsmarted him by sending a goat over, causing the enraged Devil to drop a massive boulder down into the valley. Keep an eye out for the vibrant modern painting of the Devil and his goat on the cliff face! (See my other articles on hikes and VF climbs in this area.)

Standing on the current 1830 stone arch bridge, you are also at the site of the historic Sept. 1799 Napoleonic clash where Russian Marshal Alexander Suvorov pushed back retreating French forces. The staggering, 12-meter-tall Suvorov Monument carved directly into the sheer cliff wall honors the soldiers who fell.

The Hidden Ridge Viewpoint

Look high up onto the steep hill to the left of the bridge. Perched over the canyon is a strategic viewpoint hiding the secret, rock-carved bunkers of Fort Schollenen (see my other article). Built centuries after Suvorov's battle, these hidden artillery positions were designed by the Swiss military to defend this bottleneck from above, ensuring that no one could pass the bridge undetected.

The Baelematt & Peaks Above

Peer upward out of the chasm to notice the jagged spine of the Baelematt ridges framing the gorge. The enclosing walls are so vertical that the high summits mostly peak out like silent titans standing guard over the abyss. The Diavolo Via Ferrata route can be seen climbing straight up by the Suvorov monument.

Learning about Alpine Transit History

As you follow the trail north, you are walking parallel to one of the world's most impressive transport corridors. For centuries, engineers wrestled with this gap. The early bridle path became a carriage road in 1830, which was eventually bypassed by heavy transit when the original standard-gauge Gotthard Rail Tunnel opened far below in 1882. 

To directly link Andermatt to this mainline network, builders constructed the Schollenenbahn in 1917. This incredible meter-gauge branch line uses a rack-and-cogwheel system to tackle a staggering maximum gradient of 17.9% - one of the steepest rack-railway climbs in the country! If you travel in 1st class here, you travel in style...

You will get an up-close look at this engineering marvel by walking directly along the flat, concrete gallery "roofs" that shield the railway and modern highway from avalanches. Looking down over the edge gives you a thrilling view of the modern red trains slipping out from beneath your feet while the river churns below. 

The Gatekeeper: Haderli Bridge

As the canyon finally begins to widen, you will cross the historic, stone-arched Haderli Bridge (Haderlisbrucke). First documented as a wooden packhorse bridge in 1470, it was upgraded to local solid granite in 1649 to withstand the elements. Though it survived centuries of alpine history, the original structure was tragically swept away by a catastrophic flood in August 1987. 

Between 1989 and 1991, the community painstakingly rebuilt it, using original stonemasonry techniques and the exact same stone quarry to ensure that this iconic gateway remained true to its 17th-century roots. Crossing its high stone arch, you will follow the riverside path straight into the village of Goschenen.

Stage 2: Up the Hidden Valley to the Dam

Goschenen: Industrial Forge of the Alps

Arriving in Goschenen, you enter a village that went from a quiet alpine mountain outpost to an epicenter of world engineering. In 1872, Goschenen became the northern construction portal for the historic Gotthard Rail Tunnel - the longest tunnel in the world at the time. 

Led by engineer Louis Favre, the project brought thousands of Italian miners to the village, turning it into a crowded boomtown overnight. It was also a site of immense human struggle; the grueling conditions sparked the tragic Goschenen Riots of 1875, where local troops opened fire on striking miners demonstrating for fair wages. 

To discover this hidden world, head to the train station. Goschenen is world-famous for its minerals, and right by the station, you can browse a local crystal shop filled with giant, smoky quartz unearthed by local treasure hunters (Strahler). 

Directly adjacent, you can step into the Visierstollen - an authentic, historic underground alignment tunnel used by 1870s surveyors. Inside, the cool rock walls hold fascinating exhibits detailing the grueling, heroic building of the rail line and the legendary crystal discoveries made along the way.

Wild Isolation: Into the Gaschenertal

From the station, turn your back on the busy transit corridors and head west into the pristine Gaschenertal. The transformation is sudden. Because the main Gotthard transit lines slice straight through the mountain north to south, this east-west lateral valley escaped modern urbanization entirely. It remains a wild, quiet alpine paradise dominated by towering granite peaks, roaring waterfalls, and aromatic pine forests. 

Historically, this secluded valley was populated by hardy mountain farmers and Strahler (crystal hunters) searching the steep crevices for quartz treasures.

Follow the mountain trail as it climbs steadily along the Goschener Reuss river. You will pass through tiny, idyllic hamlets like Gwuest, navigating past historic boulder fields and lush alpine meadows. 

Giants of the Sky: Mountain Views Along the Valley

As you journey deeper into the Gaschenertal, the horizon breaks open to reveal some of the most dramatic summits in Central Switzerland. 

• Northern Wall: Towering high to the right is the formidable Fleckistock (3,417 m), the highest peak in the Urner Alps north of the Susten Pass corridor. Its steep, grey rock flanks and hanging snowfields look down directly onto the trail. Adjacent to it stands the jagged crown of the Stucklistock (3,313 m).

• The Guard Dogs: Flanking the head of the valley like fortress walls are the twin giants of the Salbitschijen (2,981 m) and Schijenstock (3,107 m). The Salbitschijen is legendary in the international mountaineering community for its razor-sharp granite west ridge, widely considered one of the finest rock-climbing routes in the entire world - see my other article…

Reaching the Goscheneralp Dam

The final, steep push rewards you with an awe-inspiring sight: the massive earthen dam of the Goscheneralpsee, built between 1955 and 1960. Standing at a towering 155 m high, it was a monumental engineering feat constructed to fuel Switzerland's appetite for hydroelectricity. The creation of the reservoir flooded the ancient, high-altitude hamlet of Hinteralp, meaning roughly 100 mountain residents had to be permanently evacuated as their traditional wooden homes were submerged beneath the rising waters.

Step out onto the top of the dam wall to see the deep, turquoise reservoir perfectly contrasting against the blinding white ice sheet of the Damma Glacier dominating the horizon. Framing the ice sheet are the spectacular pyramid of the Dammastock (3,630 m) - the crown peak of the entire region - and the dark, sharp tooth of the Dammahund (3,293 m). Again, see my other articles on this area…

Walk entirely across the massive dam wall to truly appreciate the sheer scale of the engineering. Then head right back to your well-deserved endpoint: the mountain restaurant and the waiting bus…

Food & Fuel Options

After a trek this long and steep, satisfying your appetite is a priority! Here is where to eat along the route...

Mid-Way Fuel (Goschenen Village):

Before you start the climb up the valley, stop in Goschenen to stock up on energy:

• Local Bakery (Backerei-Conditorei Truttmann): Located near the station, this is the perfect spot to grab fresh Swiss bread, sandwiches, or a slice of traditional Nusstorte - perfect fuel for the uphill climb.

Grand Finale (Goscheneralpsee):

Once you have conquered the dam and finished your hike, celebrate at the top of the valley:

• Berggasthaus Goschener Alp: Situated right at the end of the trail next to the reservoir & bus stop, this rustic mountain lodge features a beautiful sun terrace looking out over the peaks.

This hike was done by the Author on the 26th of August 2018. Contact me by email for photos or to ask questions.