Trübsee - the mountain lake at the foot of the Titlis

At Trübsee, at 1784 m above sea level, there is an intermediate station of the Titlis mountain railroad. A world of experience has been created here, making the area around Trübsee a popular destination for excursions.

8 Highlights at Lake Trübsee

• The Trübsee Adventure awaits with activities such as BagJump, Slackline, Trampoline2Bag, bouncy castle and Bike Pump Track.
• At the Titlis SnowX Park Trübsee you can ride e-snowmobiles.
• A Zipline Trübsee Flyer takes you from the mountain hotel to the lake.
• For the ride from Trübsee to Engelberg there are Trotti Bikes to rent. For the ride from Jochpass to Trübsee there is the Devil Bike.
• You enjoy a great landscape with views of the Titlis, the Jochstock and other mountains all around.
• Beautiful mountain bike trails entice you with bike transport and bike washing facilities at the valley station of the Titlis mountain railroad.
• At the Trübsee slide park you can ride the balancer, snowtube and Zipfelbob.
• For families, the Smugglers & Muleteers adventure world at Trübsee is worth a day trip.
• The Trübsee Saturday Night event takes place every Saturday between Christmas and Easter.

For families, Lake Trübsee is not only a popular destination in summer. A wide range of leisure activities are offered all year round.

Lake Trübsee is a mountain lake at an altitude of just under 1800 m on a plateau above Engelberg. Swimming is allowed in the lake. Around the lake you will find four barbecue sites with firewood, which everyone is allowed to use for free. Benches invite you to enjoy the view of the lake and the surrounding mountains.

Activities at Lake Trübsee

For children, there are a variety of offers for adventurous activities at Lake Trübsee. Smugglers and muleteers keep children busy with tasks around the lake, Trübsee Adventure offers sporting activities such as jumping on jumping cushions with and without a trampoline or in a bouncy castle. The Zipline Trübsee Flyer is a paid zipline that may be used from the age of eight.

Activities at Lake Trübsee are also varied in winter, with additional ski and drag lifts to facilitate access. Most winter attractions are open from December to April.

The most popular activities at Trübsee include:

• Hiking
• Trübsee Adventure
• Zipline Trübsee Flyer
• Smuggler & Mule
• Mountain bike, Trotti bike or Devil bike riding
• Rowing and kayaking on Lake Trübsee
• Zipline Trübsee Flyer
• Slide park Trübsee
• Titlis SnowXPark
• Snowshoeing and winter hiking

There are a large number of hiking trails at Lake Trübsee. They range from easy and leisurely Hikes around Engelberg to challenging trekking tours. The longest hiking trail is 24 km long. Glacier tours in midsummer are increasingly difficult due to glacier retreat and should only be undertaken with a mountain guide.

At Lake Trübsee, the Zipline Trübsee Flyer is also in operation in winter. In addition, a slide park is set up there for the winter. The ski slopes around the Trübsee are rather easy to ski.

Hiking at Lake Trübsee

At Lake Trübsee you will find very easy hiking trails for walks as well as challenging mountain tours.

Walk around Lake Trübsee (all year round)

Easy to walk with a stroller is a walk around the Trübsee. You need one hour, you don't have to cope with altitude difference. On the way there are 4 fireplaces for your use.

• Length: 3.2 km
• Duration: 1:00 hrs.
• Altitude difference: 28

Circular trail from Lake Trübsee to the Stäubi waterfall

The summery circular trail starts at the playground Trübsee and takes about 50 min. The waterfall Stäubli comes out of the Steinberg glacier. Benches are available here. You can take a stroller to the foot of the waterfall (15 min). After that there are about 120 meters of altitude to climb.

4 Lakes Hike

Trübsee - Jochpass - Engstlenalp - Tannalp - Melchsee-Frutt

With the chairlift Jochpass you save some altitude meters from Trübsee. On the way you will find numerous fireplaces. For the way back you take the cable car from Melchsee-Frutt to Stöckalp and the post bus to Sarnen. Take the train back to Engelberg.

• Duration: 4:00 hrs.
• Altitude difference: 120
• Season: June to October

Trübsee Adventure

At the middle station of the Achter gondola, the Trübsee Adventure takes place in summer (until about mid-October) with activities such as BagJump, Slackline. Trampoline2Bag, bouncy castle and Bike Pump Track. Guides are available.

At the BagJump Tower, visitors jump onto a jump cushion that is 1.50 m thick. There is a minimum age requirement for the three jump heights:

• three meters (from 6 years)
• four meters (from 8 years)
• six meters (from 14 years)

In case of strong wind or if the cushion is wet, the facility will be closed.

Next to the BagJump Tower is the Trampoline2Bag. Directly from one of the two springy trampolines visitors from 6 years jump into the air cushion.

The six-meter long slackline is used to train balance, coordination and concentration. The slackline is placed 50 cm above protective mats. The slackline is located on the terrace of the Berghotel Trübsee.

Also on this terrace is an alpine hut bouncy castle. The Rotair bouncy castle on the terrace in front of Lago Torbido is based on a Rotair cabin.

A pumptrack as a compact, closed circuit with small waves and steep wall curves serves to train coordination and balance with the mountain bike.

The Trübsee Adventure is open daily from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm from June to October, weather permitting. On weekends it is open from 11:00 am. Participation is free of charge.

Zipline Trübsee Flyer

The Zipline Trübsee Flyer takes harnessed persons from the Berghotel Trübsee over a length of 500 meters to the lake. In the process, the steel cable overcomes 40 meters of descent. Two steel cables are located next to each other, so that a flight of two is possible side by side. The starting point is about 20m above the mountain hotel Trübsee. The finish is right next to the playground at Trübsee.

The facility is open from about the beginning of July to mid-October. The minimum age is 8 years. Minimum height and weight are set at 1.20 m and 30 kg. Maximum height and weight are set at 2.10 m and 125 kg.

Smugglers & Muleteers around Lake Trübsee

The Smugglers & Muleteers experience at Lake Trübsee includes a smugglers' playground, a muleteers' camp with barbecue area and riddles to be solved on the way around Lake Trübsee.

Children discover the treasures hidden by the smuggler Engelbert and his mule Schmuggli on the adventure trail around the lake.

• Length: 3.4 km
• Duration: 1:00 hrs.
• Altitude difference: 37

The path is also passable with baby carriages.

At the valley station or at the station Trübsee the children get a smuggler's card. At each station around the lake the children find an object with letters. These letters have to be punched into the smuggler's card with a pair of pliers. At the end there is a solution word. If it is correct, the child gets a smuggler prize.

The Smugglers & Muleteers Adventure World is open from May to October.

Mountain biking at Lake Trübsee

At Lake Trübsee there are tours with the mountain bike of varying difficulty. The mountain bike can be transported with the mountain railroads. The tours are rideable from June to October.

Jochpass trail (easy)

This is a flow trail from Jochpass to Trübsee and is suitable for both experienced bikers and beginners, as the stages can be ridden at different speeds.

• 4.5 km
• 20 min
• 440 meters of altitude descent

Engelberg - Untertrübsee - Trübsee Trail (demanding)

Via the paved Gerschnistrasse the trail leads steadily uphill through the forest to the alp Untertrübsee. The subsequent gravel path requires good physical condition and riding technique. On a tarred road on the right shore of the Trübsee you reach the destination of the tour.

• 13 km
• 3 hours
• 830 meters of ascent and descent

Trudy trail from Jochpass to Trübsee (demanding)

The trail does not contain any rough steps and jumps, but several difficult passages, obstacles and steep wall curves. Perfect for downhill connoisseurs.

• 1 km
• 210 meters of descent

4-lake tour: Engelberg - Trübsee - Jochpass - Engstlenalp - Tannalp - Melchsee-Frutt (demanding)

The Titlis XPress takes you by mountain bike to Trübsee. Here the tour starts and leads first uphill to the Jochpass. From there over the Engstlenalp and the Tannalp to Melchsee-Frutt. From here it's all downhill to Sarnen.

• 32 km
• 920 meters of altitude descent

On a flow trail, a mountain bike can be ridden smoothly (flow) along the entire route. In downhill, an exclusively downhill route is ridden as fast as possible.

At the Titlis valley station there is a bike washing facility. At the Jochpass valley station there is a Schlauchomat with different tube sizes for bikes as well as a tool and compressed air station.

Rent a Trotti Bike or Devil Bike

A Trotti Bike is a vehicle that is a cross between a bike and a scooter. The riders stand upright on a floor-level and wide footboard, the wheels have the size and profile like the wheels of a bike.

Children over 10 years of age and 1.25 m tall are allowed to steer their own scooter, smaller children stand with their parents in the front of the scooter. Helmets are available for rent.

The Trottibikes are rented at the intermediate station Gerschnialp or at the restaurant Untertrübsee and returned after the ride at the valley station of the TITLIS mountain railroads. The ride down is 3.5 km long and overcomes 260 meters in altitude. In wet weather (danger of slipping) there is no rental.

A somewhat faster ride is possible on the Devil Bike, also known as the Monster Bike. It has extra wide tires and rides smoothly over terrain. The route from Jochpass to Trübsee overcomes 410 meters in altitude and takes about 15 min. They are recommended for ages 12 and up.

Rowing and kayaking on Lake Trübsee

There are six rowing boats for four people each at Lake Trübsee. Kayak trips are available as guided tours, always with a view of the Titlis.

The rowing boats can be used daily from June to October, weather permitting. The use of the rowing boats is not supervised with a manned cash desk. The money is put by the users of the rowing boats into the cash box, which is placed at the jetty. Six rowing boats with space for four persons each are available. Life jackets are in sufficient number in the boat.

Guided kayak tours can be booked at the Trübsee boathouse. They take place in good weather during the months of July and August. Please bring a bath towel, warm jacket, sporty clothes and a change of clothes. The kayak trips last about 1.5 hours and take place with a minimum of six people. Advance reservation is recommended.

Skiing and snowboarding at Lake Trübsee

On the slopes around Untertrübsee, Gerschnialp and Trübsee you will find particularly easy runs for skiing and snowboarding. Somewhat more challenging is the slope from Jochpass to Trübsee.

Sledging south of Lake Trübsee

A 3.5 km long toboggan run leads down over 250 meters in altitude. It starts at Gerschnialp, leads through the snow-covered Gerschniwald and ends in Engelberg.

To get to the toboggan run, take the funicular from the Titlis valley station to Gerschnialp. It runs every half hour and takes about four minutes. If you don't have a sled with you, you can rent one at the bottom station.

Every Friday and Saturday evening night sledding takes place between 19:30 and 21:30. At the Titlis valley station you can finish the evening with a raclette from 20:00. Season or day tickets are not valid for night sledging.

The toboggan run is open from about Christmas until the beginning of March, weather permitting. Dogs are not allowed on the toboggan run.

Trübsee Slide Park

You can ride the Trübsee slide park with balancer, snowtube or Zipfelbob. It starts directly at the Trübsee mountain railway station and is free of charge.

A balancer is a combination of a ski and a seat like a toboggan. A Zipfelbob can be used without prior training, even by young children from about three years old. The mini bob has special grooves on the otherwise smooth underside.

This and the low center of gravity allow the Zipfelbob to track true. It does not tip over and has a handle that serves as a brake. During the ride, this is additionally used as a control lever, supported by the feet.

In snowtubing, you slide down the slope on a tire. For this there are all variants: forward, backward, sitting or lying, everything is possible.

A covered conveyor belt takes you back to the top quickly and comfortably on a tire, bob or balancer. The slide park is open daily from December to April.

Titlis SnowXPark Trübsee

The Titlis SnowXPark can be compared to a go-kart track. You can drive the e-snowmobiles on various circuits.

The Titlis SnowXPark is located near the Berghotel Trübsee and not far from the slide park. On each circuit of the SnowXPark, six e-Snowmobiles are on the road at the same time. The longest loop is about one kilometer long. Full physical effort is required when jetting around tight curves.

The e-Snowmobiles have a Junior mode. In this mode, children aged 12 and over are allowed to drive.

The snowmobile rental includes battery replacement and instruction. In addition, an action cam can be rented for a fee to film your own ride. Various camera mounts are available on the vehicle and helmet so that the ride can be filmed from different perspectives. The SD card with the raw film data is included in the price. SnowXrace is a sensor that can be used to measure your own fastest lap time. This use also costs extra.

Offer Swiss Activities:

• Snowmobiling Titlis Trübsee

Snowshoeing

For snowshoeing, for example, this circular trail is suitable:

Obertrübsee Trail

You walk from Berghotel Trübsee in the direction of Engelberg. The trail leads next to the slide park down to the lake until you reach the hut. Afterwards the trail goes up to the right in the direction of Chrützhubel. After a moraine ridge you reach a viewpoint.

Continue hiking to the mountain station Älplerseil to enjoy the deep view. Afterwards you go back to the starting point.

• 5.5 km
• 2:00 hrs.
• 252 vertical meters

Events and activities at Lake Trübsee

Some events take place regularly at Lake Trübsee. These include, for example, the Sunday BBQ brunches at the Berghotel Trübsee.

Trübsee Saturday Night

On Lake Trübsee, the regular Trübsee Saturday Night event is already legendary. It takes place every Saturday evening between Christmas and Easter. The cable cars between Engelberg and Trübsee then travel in convoy, always 12 gondolas in a row. The Trübsee slide park opens, as does the Lago Torbido restaurant, the Fonduestübli and the Trübsee Bar.

Snowshoeing, snow tubing and winter hiking are possible. Italian dishes are served in the Lago Torbido restaurant, and fondue and raclette are available in the Fonduestübli. The Trübsee Bar is also open.

Evening rides are free for children up to 15 years. Reductions such as SBB Halbtax/GA are not accepted. Anyone who has a ski day pass for that day, a season pass or a snow pass for Central Switzerland rides for free.

Mountain railroads at the Trübsee

A funicular runs from Engelberg to Gerschnialp. Via Gerschnialp and Trübsee gondola and cable cars float up to the Stand station. To get to the Jochpass you take a chair lift.

Overview of the mountain railroads at Trübsee

lift type/name	valley station	altitude (m a.s.l.)	mountain station	altitude (m a.s.l.)	distance (m)
8-seater gondola lift TITLIS Xpress	Engelberg	1003	Trübsee	1784	2685
8-seater gondola lift TITLIS Xpress	Trübsee	1784	booth	2428	1996
8-seater cable car Älplerseil	Untertrübsee	1266	Trübsee	1715	1240
Standseilbahn	Engelberg	1003	Gerschnialp	1262	512
4-seater chairlift	Trübsee	1780	Hopper	1806	810
4-seater chairlift	Trübsee (Hopper)	1765	Jochpass	2207	1464

Information on the mountain railroads at Trübsee

The most modern and important cable car between Engelberg and Titlis is Titlis Express. It was built in 2015 and has an intermediate station at Trübsee.

The Standseilbahn Engelberg to Gerschnialp has been in existence since 1913, climbing 212 meters in altitude to the Gerschnialp mountain station. It operates daily as part of the public transport system. The journey takes about four minutes. The train runs every half hour.

The Luftseilbahn Älplerseil runs daily in summer and winter between Untertrübsee and Trübsee between 8 am and 6 pm on call. It is closed in spring and autumn. In summer, the eight-cabin cable car can be reached from Engelberg on foot, by bike and also by car. In the winter season, the cable car is located on the ski slope between Trübsee and Engelberg.

The chair lifts Trübsee-Hopper and Trübsee-Jochpass lead in two sections to the Jochpass. The 78-section Gerschnialp-Trübsee aerial cableway (Angel Eyes) has been decommissioned.

Mountain restaurants at Lake Trübsee

Lake Trübsee is dominated by the Berghotel Trübsee, which opens additional restaurants in winter.

Alpstübli at Lake Trübsee

The Alpstübli is located directly on Lake Trübsee and has a large sun terrace. In addition to Swiss specialties, homemade cakes are also served here. The Alpstübli is only open in summer. During the rest of the year it is generally closed. In winter, however, homemade cheese fondue is served in the Chässtübli.

Trübsee Grill Hut

The Grillhütte serves charcoal-grilled specialties such as truffle fries, venison cheese bratwurst and pulled pork burgers. Open in fine weather from June.

Mountain Hotel Trübsee

Berghotel Trübsee's Trübsee Self-Service is located directly on the ski slopes and hiking trails and offers buffets with a large sun terrace. It is open daily. The Trübsee Bar Lounge and the Italian Restaurant Lago Torbido are also part of Berghotel Trübsee and remain closed outside the winter season. In winter they are open daily. In the first three weeks of December, the Trübsee Bar Lounge opens only on weekends.

Arrival to the Trübsee

You can get to Trübsee with the 8-seater gondola Titlis Xpress. There are three parking spaces at the bottom station of the cable car. The parking fee is 5 CHF per day.

by car

By car you need about one hour and ten minutes from Zurich via Lucerne via the A4, A14 and A2. You leave the freeway at the exit for Stans. The rest of the journey to Engelberg is via cantonal road.

by public transport

The journey to Engelberg takes about 43 min with the Zentralbahn from Lucerne. From Zurich it takes about an hour longer by train. A nice variant is the combination of ship and bus or train.

From Lucerne, the ship goes to Beckenried. From there the bus 311 goes to Stans. From Stans, both the train and a bus run to the train station in Engelberg. The free shuttle bus Dorf-Express runs between Engelberg station and Titlis valley station. The walk takes about ten minutes.

Six other bus lines take passengers in Engelberg to the train station and the valley stations of the mountain railroads free of charge.

At the Trübsee a very popular advention center has been created, which attracts especially families and young people.