Sihlwald – Albishorn – Türlersee: where Zurich is at its most beautiful in autumn

“I’d love to see more tips about Zurich,” someone recently commented on my blog post about the hike from Regensberg via the Lägern to Baden. I am happy to comply with this request – after all, the season has now dawned again when Zurich presents itself from its most beautiful side. It is particularly magical in autumn around the Sihlwald. The autumn colour makes the stately beech trees shine in all warm shades, from yellow to orange to ochre.

That’s why I’m drawn to the area around the nature adventure park with national protection status at least once a season. Conveniently, this is located in the immediate vicinity of the city and can be explored on various hiking routes. After I followed the Albisgrat from the Uetliberg to the Albispasshöhe last season, we have once again planned the Albishorn this year and combined the hike with a detour to the Türlersee.

Micro-adventures in the Sihl Forest

Anyone who knows my Zurich hiking tips knows that I like to be out and about early. So far, this autumn season has been a real nut to crack in terms of reliable weather forecasts. And even though there was no guarantee of a beautiful sunrise, I set off last Sunday in the dark towards Albishorn and started the hike at 06:50 a.m. at Sihlwald train station.

From here I follow the Sihlwald Wilderness Trail, which leads from Horgen to Hausen am Albis in 12 kilometres. On the ascent to the Albishorn, the path runs mostly over relatively wide gravel paths and is therefore easy to walk on even at dusk. Of course, it helps if you have a headlamp with you. But even without it, the eyes get used to the darkness quite quickly. It can get tricky when the fog accumulates in the Sihl Valley and you first have to cross a thick layer of fog on the ascent.

On this morning, only a few wisps of fog drift through the dense beech forest. Nevertheless, the ascent at dawn feels much more adventurous than if I had tackled the hike an hour or two later in daylight. It’s a classic “microadventure”, so to speak.

At sunrise on the Albishorn

The ascent to the Albishorn is signposted at Sihlwald station at 1:40 h. We make it a little faster and reach the summit just before 8 am. The sun is still hiding behind a thick layer of clouds. But we don’t have to wait long until she makes the canopy of the Sihlwald glow golden. And even if this is not the perfect sunrise today, it shows that the entertaining ascent is actually worthwhile in almost any weather.

We spend almost an hour on the summit, watch the changeable clouds and enjoy the far-reaching view over Lake Zurich. Directly behind the viewing platform on the Albishorn is the mountain restaurant, where you can enjoy “Zmörgälä” on Sundays from 09:00 a.m. (Monday to Saturday, the mountain restaurant does not open until 11:00 a.m.).

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With a view on to Hausen am Albis

With the sun rising higher and higher, however, we are drawn on shortly before 9 o’clock. If you ascend from the Sihlwald to the Albishorn, there are three routes to choose from up here to continue the route. You can either follow the Albisgrat back to the Albis Pass via Hochwacht or continue along the Zurich-Zugerland Panorama Trail to Zug. The third option leads down to the “Säuliamt” in Hausen am Albis. And that’s exactly the route of our choice. After a short steep section of forest, the trail zigzags along a tarred road with great views (with panoramic views towards Zug and Zugerberg) to Hinteralbis and from there on to Hausen am Albis.

Through the Säuliamt to the idyllic Türlersee

We cross the centre of Hausen am Albis and turn behind the Volg onto the obstacle-free Knonaueramt-Weg. This hiking trail is designed in such a way that it is also easily passable with prams. After crossing the Heischer Allmend, the path climbs again briefly in the direction of Seeberig, before descending via Vollenweid with a beautiful panoramic view over the idyllic hills of the Knonaueramt to the Türlersee.

The campsite with lido on the shores of Lake Türlersee has been closed since the end of September (end of season). However, the path that leads through the Badi area is accessible all year round. And even on this cool October morning, some hardened water rats won’t be deterred by a morning swim in Lake Türlersee. The lake temperature of 13.5° (thanks to the sheltered location) is even warmer than the air temperature.

After this entertaining tour, I definitely deserve breakfast. As we head for the bus stop in Türlen, some day-trippers come towards us. Not surprising, because the almost 4-kilometre-long lakeside path around Lake Türlersee is a popular local recreation destination. The only thing that amazes me is how many people are going there by car on this Sunday. Of course, the connection to the Türlersee is not optimal from everywhere. However, at least the people of Zurich benefit from a direct bus connection from Türlen via Triemli to Wiedikon.

Practical tips for a hike over the Albishorn

The following map shows the route of the hike from Sihlwald (train station) through the Nature Adventure Park to the Albishorn and from there via Hausen to the Albishorn. It is a yellow-marked T1 trail throughout, easy to walk on and with no slopes. Since the Sihlwald is a nature reserve where the forest is “left to its own devices”, there are some places where trees lie on the path or roots have to be crossed. The section from Hausen am Albis to Türlersee, on the other hand, is designed to be obstacle-free and can also be easily passed with prams.

Key data of the tour Sihlwald – Albishorn – Türlersee

Starting point	Sihlwald Railway Station
Length	9.8 kilometers
Elevation gain	↗ 526 m 354 m ↘
Duration	3:00 p.m.
Destination	Bus stop Hausen am Albis, Türlersee

You can find even more tips for entertaining walks and beautiful autumn hikes in the Zurich region here: beautiful excursion destinations and sights around Zurich