If you hear beeping, squeaking, and whistling while hiking, you might be on the Marmot Trail in Avers. In the beautiful On the Bergalgatal at an altitude of 2,100 meters above sea level, in one of the richest marmot regions of the Alps, lies the Marmot Trail, also known as the Marmot Educational Trail. In Avers-Juppa, you start at the Loretschhus and walk on a more or less flat hiking trail for about 3.5 km to Alp Bergalga.
The path is an agricultural road, so it's easy to walk and great for Nordic Walking. The landscape up there is breathtaking. Since you're already over 2000m, you're naturally above the tree line. So the view of the surrounding mountains is clear at all times. In the summer, it's pleasant up here, around 22-25 degrees, when it's about 33 degrees down in the valley. That's what happened during our hike last week.
Marmot Trail Information Boards Avers
Overall, there are 11 info boards along the trail that illustrate and explain the lives of marmots. From general information about marmots at Station 1, to the architecture of marmot burrows underground =), to reproduction, you will be educated on this hike and learn in great detail how marmots live.
The 7 km route (round trip) can be comfortably walked in about 2 hours. However, you should consider that a lot of time will be spent reading the information boards. You should also allow some extra time for spotting the marmots.
Season
Avers-Juf is located at 2126 m, making it the highest perpetually inhabited settlement in Europe. Therefore, the marmot trail is only really fun in the summer, and the marmots are naturally only out and about in the summer. The ideal time is between May and September. Depending on the weather and snow conditions, you should inquire beforehand whether the path is passable.
By the way, there's a large playground with a barbecue area at the parking lot. It's located right by a small river. A great place to relax a bit after your hike. There are also restrooms there, and a fountain where you can refill your water bottles. Convenient!
Information about the tour
- Directions Avers-Juppa, by car or public transport via A13/E43
- Walking distance 7.78 km
- Hiking time 2h 8m (including taking photos and breaks)
- Elevation gain: 35 meters
- Meters of descent: 35 meters
- Difficulty level: Light
- Requirements Sturdy footwear
Garden Railway Avers
This is my third time hiking the Marmot Trail, but I've only ever brought my phone with me. That's why I haven't been able to take any photos of marmots so far. Nevertheless, there are exciting photos in the gallery below. Including one of a garden railway in Avers.
Garden railway? To be honest, I didn't know that word before either. But it's a model railway that – as the name suggests – runs outdoors in the garden.
Bruno Pedrini lives in Avers-Bach and has been deaf since birth. Since 2012, he has dedicated his time exclusively to his hobby, building a garden railway. He has laid over 200 meters of track in his garden, including viaducts, bridges, and several tunnels. It looks sensational. He also builds all the trains himself, miniatures of the Rhaetian Railway. He has approximately 20 wagons and several locomotives, all about 80 cm long.
When you drive to the Marmot Trail, you'll automatically pass his house, which, of course, is hard to miss. If you stop, Bruno will usually show you the entire setup, which is truly worth seeing.
On his Website You can find many great photos and more information.
Contact Information Front
Guest Information Viamala
Floor space 4
CH-7435 Splügen
Phone +41 (0)81 650 90 30
Fax +41 (0)81 650 90 31
info@viamala.ch
www.murmeltier.ch
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On my travel blog Wandernotizen I'll take you along on our family trips around the globe. Between wanderlust and everyday chaos, you'll find honest travel reports, tips, and plenty of material to ignite your wanderlust. 🧭 ❤️ 🏝️