Today I’ll be attempting to hike to the base of the Matterhorn! If you’re wondering whether you can (or should) attempt this hike on your trip, I’m going to show you everything you need to know.
The trail to the Hörnli Hut is one of the most popular hikes in Zermatt because it’s the base camp for climbers attempting to summit the Matterhorn. And as you plan hikes for your trip, you’ll probably hear about this one as often as the famous 5 Lakes Trail.
But here’s the thing — I don’t know if you should even attempt this hike. The majority of it follows a blue trail, representing alpine hiking routes, which are the most difficult marked trails here in Switzerland. And even with the hundreds (or maybe even thousands?) of miles I’ve hiked throughout the Swiss Alps, I still haven’t tried to hike a blue trail.
But with its popularity, it seems like there are also a lot of safety measures installed along the way. And I know plenty of people who have completed this trail without any special equipment.
So my goal for today is to hike to the Hörnli Hut, and to touch the base of the Matterhorn with my own two hands. And most importantly, I’ll show you everything you need to see and know in order to decide whether or not you want to hike this trail too.
Want to Watch instead of Read?
Riding from Zermatt to Schwarzsee
Unless you’re a glutton for punishment and just want to add an extra 1000 vertical meters (3200ft) to an already difficult hike, you’ll start your day at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise valley station, about an 18-minute walk across the village from the Zermatt train station.
Hop on a gondola and enjoy the 18-minute ride up to Schwarzsee. As you glide up, Zermatt appears tinier and tinier compared to the iconic Matterhorn, which seemingly grows with each inch along the cables. Along the way, you’ll sway beside tiny hamlets and pass over the Gorner Gorge. But be sure to stay on board as your gondola continues through the Furi station!
Tickets for this journey cost between 50-64 CHF roundtrip depending on the time of year. But they’re half price with the Swiss Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass, and totally covered by the Peak Pass.
And take note that the gondolas between Furi and Schwarzsee only run from about mid-June to late September (we’re talking about the Summer season here!), and aren’t open until 8:00 or 8:40 in the morning. So there’s really no reason to get an earlier start.
Arrival in Schwarzsee
Welcome to Schwarzsee station at an elevation of 2581m (8468ft)!
If you have our 3-Day Guide to Zermatt, you know Schwarzsee is where you can snap a pic with the Zermatt sign, visit a beautiful alpine lake with a charming chapel, and where you can start or end the Matterhorn Glacier Trail.
In fact, the first part of our hike to the Hörnli Hut follows that same trail, so let’s get going!
HIKE SECTION 1: TO HIRLI AND THE START OF THE BLUE TRAIL
The task ahead of you doesn’t seem too terribly difficult: 4.3km with 700m of elevation gain, marked at 2 hours and 10 minutes one way. But the altitude will probably make itself known, as you make your way to a peak elevation of over 3200m (3262m / 10,702ft)!
The beginning of the hike follows a red and white mountain hiking trail. It starts out gently, but quickly gains elevation as you climb a series of switchbacks on the nicely-beaten but sometimes quite rocky trail. Nothing about this part of this trail seems particularly dangerous, but you’ll need to be careful especially if you’re prone to twisting an ankle.
And just in case you were wondering, yes, you’ll see the Matterhorn the entire way (assuming you go on a clear day); so if you get tired, stop to soak it all in while you catch your breath. But don’t forget to look back in all directions to enjoy mountains, lakes, and glaciers all around you. And you’ll probably already be able to spot your objective for today too: the Hörnli Hut perched way up on the rock.
Some of you might be wondering why I haven’t done this hike until now, and the truth is kind of in two parts.
The first is that Jana and I really love doing things together, and we’ve honestly just had so much stuff we wanted to do around Zermatt, that we’ve been able to keep busy on multiple trips until recently.
But the second part is that I can be a little bit of a nervous hiker sometimes, especially when there’s not a lot of great info about the trail. It’s kind of like the fear of the unknown for me. I don’t mind the heights and some exposure, I love a good ridge trail. But I worry sometimes about what I’ll come up against. Like, I don’t like snow fields — not fun for me, especially if it’s on a steep slope.
So, I just take seriously what the Swiss call dangerous, and blue trails seem to be dangerous to me, but having never hiked one, I really don’t know.
And there are just so many amazing trails in Switzerland that don’t give any real risk to the hiker, and in a lot of ways, I don’t feel like it’s worth it to take any serious risks. However, I do think sometimes it’s worth pushing yourself a little bit out of your comfort zone to try and experience something truly extraordinary.
So that’s my goal today. I hope that I can get up there. I hope that I don’t feel any real nerves or find that it’s risky. But if for whatever reason I do, I’ll be turning around and heading back down to Zermatt because it’s just not worth it. There are so many beautiful things and places to go here in Zermatt. I don’t have to go to the Hörnli Hut to feel like I’ve had a successful trip.
And by the way, usually Jana and I hike together, but our baby is too young to come up this high in elevation, so they’re hanging out on the 5 Lake Trail today instead.
HIKE SECTION 2: FROM HIRLI UP TO THE BACK SIDE
After 1.4km and about 200 vertical meters, you reach Hirli at an elevation of 2776m (9108ft). This is where you officially branch off from the Matterhorn Glacier trail and begin the blue-and-white trail to the Hörnli Hut.
Right away, you’ll realize this is a different experience. After a short, gently-sloping ascent, you step onto the first metal staircase. And while this could pose a problem if you have vertigo, there’s a railing on one side and the rock face on the other, making you feel secure and grateful for the hard work it took to install these things!
Immediately following the staircase is a short section with a chain on one side of the trail and a rope on the other, then a few steps with only the chain, and then you’re on your own.
To be honest, this is a great warm-up to the exposure you’ll experience on this hike. And if any of this makes you really nervous, it’s probably a good idea to turn around now. You’re gonna be spending a lot of time on narrow trails with steep drops on one side.
But experienced hikers shouldn’t have any issues, and as long as you watch where you’re going and don’t get caught up in selfie-taking on the go, this section of the hike didn’t strike me as any more dangerous than many red-and-white mountain trails I’ve hiked in the Alps.
Soon, a metal walkway helps you traverse along a cliff face that would otherwise be extremely dicey. Then you’ll start a series of switchbacks that will lead you up and over to the other side of this ridge.
Want more tips about hiking in Switzerland?
We share insider tips every Saturday in our weekly email — including our favorite hikes and trail recommendations! Sign up below and then lace up your hiking boots before your Swiss vacation!
Okay, so far, so good. I just wrapped around to the back side of the ridge, about halfway as far as I can tell. Not a lot of exposure so far. There were maybe two sections where you walked across iron pathways. You could see through them, so if you have vertigo, that would be a problem. And then there was one little section with a rope, but nothing too exposed so far.
After one more short, steep ascent, you’ll get a nice break from the exposure in the form of a wide, well-beaten, very gently sloping path. I was able to trail run most of this section and it felt incredible to be zooming along at nearly 10,000 feet!
If you do decide to do this hike, I highly recommend calling the Hörnli Hut and asking about trail conditions. For example, I would not want to do this hike if there’s any snow on the trail or if it’s wet. But that’s up to you, and by calling, you can find out what the conditions are.
I also want to remind you that it’s pretty hot! You’re in the sun all day, in the Summer of course. So be sure to pack enough water and expect to be sweating.
HIKE SECTION 3: HIKING TO THE BASE OF THE HUT
The easy terrain here might tempt you into thinking your hardest work is behind you. But don’t get too comfortable. About 1km from the hut, the trail kicks upward as you start the first of many switchbacks along the rockiest and steepest path yet.
This will be your toughest task, as the altitude, exposure, and footing conspire to create a difficult but epic ascent.
I do want to point out one section, which comes pretty early into this steep, final climb, that’s likely in my opinion to be the biggest potential problem point for some people.
It’s no more than 5-10 feet long, but the trail effectively disappears, and you’ll have to rely on a rope for your hand and an iron bar for your foot to help you scramble up this section of rock. I actually found this to be a pretty cool component and not one that made me feel nervous.
From here, the switchbacks continue — seemingly too many to count! A few more sections with fixed ropes, and even a handful of mounted staircases lead you higher and higher.
Arrival at the Hörnli Hut
Oh my gosh you guys, we made it to the Hörnli Hut! And I’m thrilled to be here, because that final push gained like 300m of elevation in probably no more than a kilometer of distance, so I’m pretty pooped. But I’m really thankful. I never felt like I was putting myself in any real danger — no real exposure or any risks that I haven’t faced before.
Now, I can’t tell you if it would be safe for you. Obviously, I’d recommend doing plenty of red mountain hiking trails here and spending a lot of time at elevation before you even attempt it. But hopefully I got video of all the potential danger spots so that you can make an informed decision for yourself.
But I’m going to poke around here for a bit, show you everything there is to do and see at the hut, probably have a bite to eat at the restaurant, and then see if I can put my hand on the Matterhorn!
Inside the Hut
In addition to the jaw-dropping views in every direction, it felt incredible to be in a place with so much rich mountaineering history. Plenty of people on the terrace were like me, and had only come up for a day hike. But I saw a handful of climbers return with their mountain guides, each no doubt with a story to tell.
I signed the guestbook and bought a berry crumble cake, along with a Hörnli Hut t-shirt because — why the heck not?! And then one of the employees of the hut was kind enough to take me on a little tour of the hut, which has been a base camp for aspiring climbers for 130 years and was renovated in 2015.
On the ground level are the kitchen, dining room, and bathrooms, and a staircase leading up to the rooms for overnight guests.
They have quite a few options with the ability to accommodate 150 total guests, ranging from a large dorm room for a few dozen people, to rooms with 4-8 bunks, and even private rooms with a private bathroom. Mountain guides get preferential treatment (as they should!) with their own sleeping quarters. And there’s even a small library with lots of books to inspire climbers before their summit attempt — complete with amazing views out the window!
I can only imagine the mix of nerves and excitement that must fill the hut every morning. The first climbers begin their summit bids in the dark as early as 4:20am — first the clients with a local mountain guide since they know the route best, and then everyone else following behind for what will likely be an 8-12 hour effort, with another 4000ft of climbing ahead.
As many as 3000 people reach the summit of the Matterhorn every year. But even if you’re just hiking up for the day, like me, you can still enjoy a hot lunch from 11:00am-3:00pm, or a range of snacks, cakes, and drinks all day.
Just keep in mind that the hut is only staffed from late-June to mid- or late-September, and the last gondola heading down to Zermatt from Schwarzsee leaves no later than 5:00pm.
Alright, it’s time. Let’s go touch the Matterhorn!
Wow. I cannot describe how it felt to be standing at one of the most famous mountains in the world. (Whoo, I was out of breath at that elevation! And even heard them ring the bell in the hut which means someone just summited — that’s so cool!)
I cannot describe how it feels to be standing at the base of one of the most iconic mountains in the world. And I just can’t help but be thankful for all the people who installed staircases and walkways and ropes to make this thing possible and comfortable. Oh, and not the least of which is the hut, too! Man, all those people truly made a bucket list experience possible.
Hiking Back Down
As I made my way back down to Zermatt, I couldn’t help but think of all the people who had summited or would summit that day — hoping each and every one of them would make it safely back down to their families just as I did, ready to enjoy another beautiful day in the Swiss Alps.
If you want more hiking suggestions for Zermatt, read this next. Or complete your entire trip with our done-for-you 3-Day Guide to Zermatt, and we’ll see you on the trails in Switzerland!
