Swiss NP - Switzerland 1914

 

The Swiss National Park is located in the Western Rhaetian Alps, in eastern Switzerland. It is within the canton of Graubünden, between Zernez, S-chanf, Scuol, and the Fuorn Pass in the Engadin valley on the border with Italy. It is part of the worldwide UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Description

It was founded on 1 August 1914, the national holiday of Switzerland. It was one of the earliest national parks in Europe. As of 2022, it is the only National Park in Switzerland, though there are plans to create more. It has an area of 174.2 km² and is the largest protected area of the country. In the park, it's not allowed to leave marked paths; light a fire; or sleep outside the Chamanna Cluozza, the mountain hut located in the park. It is also forbidden to disturb animals or plants, or to take home anything found in the park. 

Dogs are not allowed, even on a leash. Due to these strict rules, the Swiss National Park is the only park in the Alps which has been categorized by the IUCN as a strict nature reserve, the highest protection level. A visitor centre is located in Zernez. The road through the park leads over the Fuorn Pass (or Ofenpass) to South Tyrol in Italy. In addition to the Swiss National Park, Switzerland also has sixteen regional nature parks.

The Swiss National Park looks like paradise, with flora and fauna flourishing freely, far beyond the reach of humankind. It is also the largest nature reserve in Switzerland,  where you can see red deer, lynx or eagles and admire the edelweiss. Visitors are welcome but are bound by strict rules: do not stray from the marked trails, do not pick anything and do not kill any animals or cut down any trees - just let nature take care of itself. 

The Swiss National Park is located in the canton of Graubünden, spread across the four communes of Zernez, S-chanf, Scuol and Val Müstair and covering an area of 170 km2 at an altitude of 1,400 to 3,174 metres. Established in 1914, it is the oldest national park in the Alps and indeed the oldest in central Europe. As of April 2021, the site is listed on the IUCN's Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas and is formally recognised as one of the 59 best managed sites in the world. 

Respect for and protection of nature in its purest form

The Swiss National Park has 45 employees, including biologists and eight wardens. "It is sometimes difficult for people to understand that we are letting nature take its course in the park," says Lozza. "We do research, we communicate and present the results of our studies. The guards are present on the trails to provide information to visitors and remind them of the rules. Apart from that, the fauna and flora evolve without any intervention from humans - our goal being to protect nature in its pure state." 

This principle of non-intervention in the park allows us to observe increasingly rare phenomena, as a study on butterflies shows. "We have been able to observe that many butterfly species now live 400 metres higher than they did a hundred years ago," says Lozza. "Thirty-six types of mammal are currently listed in the park. Some were born here, while others have returned, such as the bearded vulture and the bear. In 1904, the last bear in Switzerland was killed on this same territory, before the park existed. In 2005, bears returned to our site on their own. Since then, 21 of them have taken up residence here," says Lozza.

A model worth emulating

The Swiss National Park is funded primarily by the federal government. It receives CHF 3.4 million per year for the management and maintenance of the park, research, reception and information. In 2020, it attracted 150,000 visitors. "Exploring the park is a worthwhile personal experience. More than 300 excursions are organised here every year. We also have a strong link with the education sector, with many Swiss schoolchildren spending a week in the Engadine at some point in their schooling. Those who come here as children remember it well and many of them come back as adults," says Lozza.

Switzerland is the land which is well-known for its eye-catching landscapes and natural beauties. And Swiss National Park takes the crown for being of those. The park is situated in the distant southeastern corner of Switzerland. Also, the park is in the divine Engadine valley at a height of 1400-3170 meters and the park covers the area of approx 172 square kilometers. It is about two and a half hours away from Zurich to Swiss National Park.

Thanks to the visitor’s favorite 80 km of hiking paths that are known as Swiss National Park hiking, which is famous the nature trails as well as an excursion destination for the kids and families. Everyone can enjoy a good time in the Swiss National Park Camping program. The Swiss National Park was founded in the year 1914 and it is one of the oldest parks in the Alps. 

The park offers many attractive sites such as - charming rivers that are winding through the deep valleys, high mountains, wildlife such as - chamois, golden eagles, deer, birds, marmots, ibex -  and thick and broad forests range. Dazzling wildflowers blossom along with the 80 km of hiking trails add extreme beauty in the place. The rules of the park are strict: no camping or fires or hunting, no straying from trails, and no picking of mushrooms or flora in the park. These steps protect the wild-life in the park.

The Swiss National Park is located in the Romansh-speaking area of the Canyon Grabunden which is in the distant east portion of Switzerland. The authorized name of the Swiss National Park is – Parc Naziunal Svizzer. The Alps in the Swiss National Park are quite young as the mountain range. Moreover, the Alps are frequently rising as a result of European and African tectonic plates that are approaching against each another. The Swiss National Park’s height ranges from 4592-10,410 ft. or 1400-3173 meters above the sea level.

Furthermore, a lot of trails in the Swiss National Park are categorized according to the skills and equipment necessary to follow them. You will find three main natural categories in this place - yellow- regular trail, blue- the alpine trail, and red- the mountain trail. The yellow or the regular trails need no expert skills or equipment. Red or the mountain trails are suggested for the people who are in good outline with the hiking boots because the red trails might include steep and the slippery trails. Finally, blue and the alpine trails are the technical hikes that may occupy the climbing or glacier traversal, thus, these trails require the alpine equipment.

There is an array of accommodation alternatives available near to or within the Swiss National Park. If you want to reside in the park, there is one of the best options - Chamanna Cluozza (the mountain hut) and Parc Naziunal Il Fuorn Hotel. The Chamanna Cluozza (the mountain hut) is the log cabin which is constructed at the height of 6175ft or 1882 meters in the year 1910. The hotel offers all the basic accommodation needs such as washrooms and toilets, but there is no showers facility. The Chamanna Cluozza usually remains available for tourists from June to mid-October. Moreover, the Parc Naziunal Il Fuorn hotel offers some more human comforts.

Best 10 Trails in Swiss National Park

1. Discover Alp Trupchun in the canton of Graubünden. The trail starts next to the S-Chanf station and goes along the Ova da Truppchun river. There is a wildlife observation point just before the alp. Alp Trupchun is located in Val Trupchun, which is a valley in the Swiss National Park. The border between Switzerland and Italy is located at the end of the upper valley.

2. Val Trupchun is smooth walking, at least up to Alp Trupchun. After that there's some more rigorous walking up to the pass, for the enthusiasts. You park at Prasüras (or take the bus there). If you come by car from St Moritz take the exit at S-chanf and follow the signs for Swiss National Park / Parc Naziunal Swizzer. You can go to the end of the valley on either side of the river and there are several bridges. An alternative is to follow Val Chaschauna. Half of Val Trupchun is in the national park, and there are lots of marmots (murmeltiere).

3. This great circular hike is located in the Val dal Spöl in the Swiss National Park in the canton of Graubünden. The path starts not far from the Hotel Parc Naziunal Il Fuorn and runs through the Val dal Botsch up to the Margunet at 2339 meters above sea level. Via the Val da Stabelchod it goes back down to the starting point. The circular hike can also be undertaken counterclockwise.

4. Discover the sunny Alpe Grimmels, which lies at 2055 meters above sea level and is part of the Sesvenna group. This trail is located in the Swiss National Park and in the beautiful Swiss canton of Graubünden. The path is a loop and has one main goal, Alp Grimmels. Fantastic views of the entire Zernez region.

5. Discover the sunny Alpe Grimmels, which is 2055 meters above sea level and is part of the Sesvenna group. This circular hike is located in the Swiss National Park and in the beautiful Swiss canton of Graubünden. The path is a loop and leads to the Lai da Ova Spin and Alp Grimmels. Enjoy fantastic views of the entire Zernez region.

6. This great hike is located in the Val dal Spöl in the canton of Graubünden and leads through the Swiss National Park. The path starts not far from Hotel Parc Naziunal Il Fuorn and leads through a beautiful forest up to Munt la Schera (2587 m). At the top there is a fantastic panorama as far as Italy to Lago di Livigno. Then it goes on around the Munt Chavagl (2542 m) to Buffalora.

7. Enjoy a moment at the Murtaröl restaurant on Plaun da Lej. This restaurant was built around 1880 as a guesthouse and stagecoach stop on the Malojapass in the canton of Graubünden. The east carriage stop was built in 1951 by Edoardo Giovanoli. The starting point is in Zernet in the Engiadina Bassa / Val Müstair region.

8. The last stage of path number 45 goes in the direction of Zernez in the middle of the Swiss National Park with its special flora and fauna and gives a good impression of the wilderness. From the top of the Murter pass, there is an impressive view of the wild Cluozza gorge.

9. This trail starts in il Fuorn and crosses the God dal Fuorn area on forest trails to Alp la Schera, from where one can enjoy a beautiful view. Then it continues downhill to Punt-la Drossa and then goes up again along the stream to the starting point. Throughout the hike the path leads through the Swiss National Park with a great flora and fauna to discover.

10. Discover the sunny Alp Grimmels, which lies at 2055 meters above sea level and is part of the Sesvenna group. This hike is located in the Swiss National Park and in the beautiful Swiss canton of Graubünden. The path leads through Champlönch to Il Fuorn, with fantastic views of the entire Zernez region.

Best hikes in the Swiss National Park

The only way to truly see this remote, wildly mountainous national park is to slap on hiking boots and hit the trails that thread deep into its heart. The hiking season goes with the snow, so roughly from mid-June to mid-October. 

Lakes of Macun 

This high-alpine plateau shimmers with 23 lakes of sapphire, azure and turquoise blue. If you’re surefooted and up for a challenge, the 21km (13 mile), eight-hour return hike from Zernez is extraordinary, with views of the snow-capped Bernese, Silvretta and Ortler Alps.

Munt la Schera 

An easy-going 4½-hour, 13km (8 mile) hike from Buffalora via this summit takes you through a one-of-a-kind steppe landscape. Grazing the border to Italy, you are granted views deep into the neighboring Stelvio National Park. Cyclamens of every color bloom here in early summer.

Val Mingèr 

Switzerland's last native bear was shot in this valley in 1904, a decade before the park was founded. The two-hour, 5.5km (3.4 mile) uphill hike from Pradatsch to Sur il Foss takes in weirdly eroded rock formations and you might well spot chamois and deer.

Alp Trupchun 

Flat, easy-going and suitable for families, the three-hour, 9.5km (5.9 mile) trek from S-chanf to Alp Trupchun provides a good overview to the park. The stag rutting in fall is at its most spectacular here.

Val Cluozza

Marmots, chamois, deer, golden eagles and even ibex can be spotted in the gloriously unspoilt valley, reached via a 3½-hour, 8km (5 mile) uphill ramble through larch and pine woods Zernez. To up the challenge, tag on a four-hour hike to Vallun Chafuol via the 2545m saddle of Murter, looking out for fossilized coral and dinosaur tracks.

Wilderness area

In 2014 the Swiss National Park turned 100 years old. It is thus not only the oldest national park in the Alps, but also the most well protected. The founding pioneers of those days wanted to leave a piece of the Swiss mountain landscape entirely to its own natural development and to explore the resulting changes. 

The result of this was one of the most important «open-air laboratories» throughout the whole of the Alps. The total protection in the Swiss National Park is unique throughout the whole of the Alps and also a reason why wild animals can be particularly easily observed. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Swiss National Park is a category I «wilderness area».

From the beginning, it was important for the promoters to inform the public about the National Park and its development. In the meantime, the Swiss National Park has become a nature education centre that brings nature and the wilderness closer to all those interested. An important element in this educational work are the excursions, in which personal experience is at the focus of attention. For preparing and following-up a park visit, the National Park centre, which was opened in 2008 in Zernez, offers a wide range of opportunities with its exhibition area of over 800 m2.

With plenty of space to roam free, the Swiss National Park provides a safe haven for all of the classic wildlife you come to the Alps to see - and then some. With luck and patience, you might sight marmots standing sentinel over their burrow, red deer, nimble-footed chamois and, at higher elevations, curve-horned ibex. Bears, wolves and lynx have staged the occasional appearance in the park in recent years, too, often scampering over the border from Italy. But they come and go as they please and are highly elusive.

The park is also a twitcher’s dream, with regular sightings of mountain species such as golden eagles and reintroduced bearded vultures, Alpine choughs and the rock ptarmigan, whose plumage is snow white in winter. At lower elevations, you find water pipits in the meadows, and in the forests Eurasian eagle-owls, hazel grouse, western capercaillie, spotted nutcrackers and black woodpeckers.