Between Lakes Zug and Zurich from Finstersee to Neuheim

(This post created March 6, 2025.  NOTE: There is no longer bus service to Finstersee, which is a real shame as we would like to do more hiking in that region). 

Thursday January 15, 2015 -- Taking advantage of the mild weather and lack of snow we sometimes stay close to home to do our hikes. There are some lovely farms and villages in this area. We pick an origin and check the sign posts and walk the stretch we feel up to at the moment. 

A 40-minute bus ride on a little bus-van took us to the village of Finstersee (which is near the Sihl River between Lakes Zug and Zurich in Canton Zug), and 8.5 kilometers and 2 hours later we caught a bus back from Neuheim.

The little peat lake near Finstersee was very pretty (we'd been here once before in summer to swim, the water is brown) but much of the trail back toward Neuheim was wet and muddy, made worse by trucks driving on the forestry roads. We did have some nice clear views of the snow-covered mountains far to the east near the border of Liechtenstein. 

We got to the village of Finstersee at 11:45, after a 40-minute bus ride in a small van-bus.  This was the last stop along this bus line from Zug.  

We decided on the 2-hour walk to Neuheim, via lake Wilersee

The little lake is only a 15-minute walk from the village of Finstersee. 

Panorama view of the lake, as we walked around the north side. We had come here once in summer to swim. As this is a peat lake, the water is brown. 

Panorama view of the lake, as we walked around the north side. 

We started in Finstersee and walked about 8 km toward the town of Neuheim, although we didn't have a look at that village (we caught the bus on the main road below the village). 

We had some good clear views of the snow-covered mountains to the east. 

View to the south, to the Gottschalkenberg range. The north side still has snow. 

Passing some pretty farms along the way

More views to the mountains in the east. 

There are lots of nice old farmhouses in this region.

Close-up of the artwork on this old half-timbered house. 

Lone trees on the hillside. We had actually already seen these on the bus ride up to Finstersee

The lone trees on the hillside look cool. 

More half-timbered farm houses

And a final look at the lovely mountains to the east. It is now 1:15 p.m.