Hiking in Braunwald – Zwerg Bartli Theme Trail

Hiking in Braunwald along the Zwerg Bartli (Gnome Bartli) theme trail will fill even your youngest family members with enthusiasm.

Set in the enchanting Glarnerland nature, this theme trail in Braunwald guides you from open meadows to dark, intriguing caves with glittering treasure chests and charming dwarf houses. At every station, children will embark on new adventures.

Getting to Zwerg Bartli Theme Trail

Linthal to Braunwald

Whether by train with the SBB S25 or by car, Linthal is easily reachable.
At the valley station for the Braunwald funicular you will find a large car park and from the train station it is only a 6 minutes walk to the funicular.

In 2023 the SBB train company offers a special deal, if you stay 2 nights or more in a hotel in Braunwald the train journey will be free of charge.
Make sure to investigate if this offer is still current.

A large outside car park is available on site. First day Chf 5.- every extra day 3.- extra. (Undercover parking available on request).

Ticket Prices – Braunwald Bahn

The Braunwaldbahn one-way ticket only costs Chf 7.20 for an adult and Chf 3.60 for children aged 6 to 16.
GA, Half Fare and the Junior Cards can all be used.
If you travel on a Swiss Travel Pass, the funicular to Braunwald is included. Please note that these offers may change with time.

Once you’ve reached the car-free village of Braunwald via the Braunwaldbahn from Linthal, take a short 10 to 15-minute walk to the Gumen Panoramabahn. This lift will bring you to the Gumen mountain station.

At the Panoramabahn, you can choose to hop on either a chairlift or take a seat in the bubble gondola, whichever is available first. The ride offers breathtaking views over Braunwald and down the Linthal valley.

Hiking in Braunwald the Zwerg Bartli Theme Trail

If you haven’t picked up a Zwerg Bartli Theme Trail map yet, be sure to get one at the Gumen restaurant. Once you have it, you’re ready to embark on this adventurous hike in Braunwald.

If you plan to hike the full length, as we did, you should allocate approximately 3.5 hours for the 8 km long trail. There are options to shorten the hike, but doing so will also mean missing out on some of the stations.

Additional Information

Gumen is also the place to be if you’re interested in embarking on a Via Ferrata adventure in Braunwald. A family friendly beginner route is located behind the Gumen restaurant, and we highly recommend this thrilling experience.

Good to know when hiking the Zwerg Bartli Theme Trail in Braunwald

Here are some things to know that will make your hike in Braunwald easier to understand and navigate.

From Gumen to the Edelsteinspalte – 2.5 km

After enjoying the beautiful scenery over the Glarnerland Mountains, we started the hike along the path all the way to the Edelsteinspalte (Crystal Canyon). Along the 2.5 km trail, we, of course, stopped at the Zwergenschloss (gnome castle) and found some treasure.

Finding the Edelsteinspalte station was confusing as the map is slightly incorrect. Pass under the cable car and Edelsteinspalte is down the metal stairs on the right. Head down these stairs and into the canyon to find the diamonds.

Afterward, head back to the main road you came from and carry on as normal. Follow the sign at the top of the stairs to reach the Zwergenhöhle (gnome cave).

Take the shortcut

If you want to take a short cut from Edelsteinspalte and miss Zwergencave (gnome cave) and the Rindenhüttli (play house with a BBQ station), follow the signs to Zwergenturm.

Edelsteinspalte to Zwergenhöhle 1 km – (Crystal Canyon to Gnome Cave)

If you did not shorten the hiking trail of Braunwald and go back to the main path after the Crystal Canyon, then hike 1 km until the junction that brings you up to the cave. Yes, it is a bit of an uphill at the end, but we really enjoyed discovering the caves and did not mind the climb.

If you are hiking with a pushchair, there is a place to leave your pushchair at the main path.

Another BBQ station can also be found just before the last climb up to the caves.

Zwergenhöhle to Rindenhüttli – Grotzenbühl, 800 m

From the caves, hike back down to the main route and carry on to the Rindenhüttli. A gnome hut where kids can play inside and a BBQ station awaits. We got lucky, and there was already a crackling fire going, so all we had to do is add our sausages to the grill. By the way, all BBQ stations in Braunwald provide wood, which is such an amazing service and can be found in many Kinderregion.ch areas.

Fun at the Braunwald Seilpark

If you do have time, this is where the tree rope park of Braunwald is located. Some of the ziplines are right above the BBQ place, which might be fun to do when the family is having a picnic. The equipment can be rented at the Grotzenbühl restaurant area. Find out more about the Braunwald Seilpark and prices.

Join in from the Grotzenbühl lift station

This is a great place if you’d like to meet up with other family members who do not want to hike the theme trail in Braunwald but would like to join you. The Grotzenbühl lift station is close to the Gummen station and can be easily reached on foot from Braunwald village. A restaurant and a playground are located at the summit station and only a 10-minute flat walk to the Rinderhüttli.

Pushchair trail in Braunwald

Although you can already hike with a pushchair from Gumen until Grotzenbühl, the official pushchair trail marked by Braunwald tourism on the hiking map is from Grotzenbühl and leads along the RED marked trail back down to Braunwald village. They say it takes about 1.5 hours.

Rindenhüttli to Tiidis Hüsli and its Waterplayland – 2.2 km

With a full and content belly, we carried on with our hike along the Zwerg Bartli theme trail. This part of the hike is no longer pushchair-friendly as it ventures into the magic forest and beyond.

We passed the Zwergenturm (Gnome Tower) where a large slide and a BBQ station are located, followed by the magic forest. A nice change to hike in the forest rather than on a gravel road.

The last stop of the theme trail is the Waterland and definitely a highlight for the kids. A thundering waterfall close by emitted a mist of cooling water which was very welcome on this hot summer day. Many water features allow you to spend some great play time and even the chance to cool down your feet in the ice-cold water. And you may have guessed it, yes, there is another grill station.

Hiking tip from Braunwald Village

A great alternative if you only want a short walk and to enjoy some fun time would be to hike from Braunwald village to the waterplay area. The distance is about 2 km depending on where you start within the village.

Braunwald Hiking Map – Zwerg Bartli Theme Trail

You will be able to fully understand the different sections along the hike with this map. Click on the map to get full access.

Hotels in Braunwald

Braunwald deserves to be discovered, and a day trip simply wouldn’t do it justice.

We highly recommend staying at the Märchenhotel Braunwald, the award-winning Swiss Family Hotel. A stay here is not just an ordinary overnight experience; it’s filled with excitement, fairy tales, animals, and many other amazing things waiting to be discovered by the whole family.

We suggest making this stay a special event, perhaps for a birthday celebration or even as an early Christmas present. Trust me, your family will appreciate this experience much more than another toy.

Other than this, browse to find some other Hotels in Braunwald.

Read about our personal experience at the Märchenhotel in Braunwald

More activities in Switzerland

Here are some other great ideas to investigate whilst travelling or visiting Switzerland. Wherever we go, we often choose a tour with Get Your Guide and are never disappointed. Check them out, they have special deals on offer and flexible day tickets can be purchased.

And as always browse through our blog where you will find many great Swiss Travel Itineraries, from 2 to 15 days and more. But not only that, we also have many theme trails across Switzerland for you to discover.

And don’t forget these great adventures in Glarnerland.

• 6 Day Glarus Itinerary – Family Edition
• Limmerensee Hike to Muttsee Hut the Instagram famous Swiss Alpine lake
• Family Via Ferrata at the Gumen and climbing at Eggstöcke in Braunwald
• Checking in to the Märchenhotel in Braunwald A reward-winning Swiss Family Hotel

I hope that the information provided here will prove useful when planning to hike in Braunwald at the Zwerg Bartli Theme Trail.

If I have left anything out or you have a question, please ask your questions in the comments below. So that other readers can join in the conversation and benefit from your queries.

Thanks for sharing it!