Beautiful autumn hike in Glarnerland

I am always on the lookout for short hikes that are feasible as a half-day trip from Zurich and at the same time scenic. The Holzflue circular trail near Ennenda in Glarus belongs to this category. The starting point for the beautiful autumn hike can be reached from Zurich main station in 1.15 hours (there is even a direct S-Bahn connection every thirty minutes) and the hike itself takes just under two hours. The perfect route to clear your head in the mountains and then deservedly relax at home for the rest of Sunday.

Ennenda is located right next to the main town of Glarus. From here, the steeply ascending Aeugstenbahn takes us from 400 m above sea level to over 1,400 m above sea level in just a few minutes. On the opposite side of the valley, the last clouds still nestle against the flanks of the Glärnisch. Otherwise, hardly a cloud clouds the perfect autumn weather and the far-sighted panoramic view over the Glarus region. We walk past the Aeugstenhütte and follow the narrow path uphill. It is surprisingly cool and the ground is covered in hoarfrost. Up here, you can already feel the first signs of the approaching winter. But the time has not yet come and nature is currently showing itself in the most beautiful autumn colours. Part of the circular hike leads through the UNESCO World Heritage area Tectonic Arena Sardona and at the same time the Federal Hunting Ban Area Schilt is located up here. Chamois and ibexes appreciate this and are particularly common along the circular route. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any chamois or ibex, but enjoyed the morning peace and quiet to the fullest.

At Alp Begligen, a path branches off to the right. Here you have the opportunity to continue hiking over the Rotärd to the Murg lakes or in the direction of Kerenzerberg. It takes a total of about 5.5 hours to get to Filzbach.

We stick to the left route and follow the path over hill and dale through the open mountain forest and reach our starting point again after almost two hours. A leisurely autumn hike that nevertheless leads through alpine terrain and thus meets all our requirements.

Practical information and tips on the Holzflue circular trail in Glarus

The route can be found on the map below. The circular hike from the mountain station of the Aeugstenbahn near Ennenda is about 4 kilometres long, includes an ascent of 400 metres in altitude and a descent of 400 metres in altitude. The pure running time is around 2 hours. The cable car runs at xx.15 / xx.45 (or by appointment) from Ennenda up to the Bärenboden. A one-way ticket costs 14 CHF / round trip 19 CHF. The walk from the train station to the cable car station takes just under 10 minutes. You can find more information about the cable car operation here: Aeugstenbahn

Hike Holzflue circular trail: Key data of our tour in Glarus

Starting point	Bärenboden
Length	4.23 kilometers
Elevation gain	↗ 405 m 405 m ↘
Duration	1:54 hrs
Destination	Bärenboden