Massive Fields of Early Crocuses on the Hike from Schangnau to Trubschachen

(This post done on July 10, 2024)

Thursday April 16, 2015 – There is a place in Central Switzerland in the Emmental famous for its pastures of crocuses, millions of them, flowering for only a few days in spring (there are the largest number of purple crocuses here as anywhere else in Switzerland). We went there last year end of March but were just 2 weeks early (and ran into snow and had to turn back) so we tried it again this year, with success! 

It’s an experience you can’t really capture on photos, but I tried! You can get close up by car, but we made an 15-km hike out of it, starting in the south at the foot of the massif called the Hohgant, and first hiking up 500 meters to the summit of the Wachthubel (1400m). The climb took 1.5 hours for 3 km, but totally worth it for the views of the Bernese Alps, and we also found fields and fields of crocuses up here, away from the better known “public” ones futher North. 

Lots of photos and 5 km later (most of our hike was right on the border of the two cantons of Berne and Lucerne) we finally arrived at the better-known fields at Rämisgummen Alp, an entire hillside covered in crocuses (and flower lovers!). More photos and then lunch (Swiss Rösti) in a mountain restaurant nearby left us with another 6 km still to descend back into the valley. A total of 15 km in about 5 hours! Good thing the weather got cold again so I can rest those poor feet…..

Heading uphill from the village of Schangnau in Canton Bern. For most of the hike we had the Hohgant Massif behind us. This direction is also toward the Bernese Alps, which we saw more as we went higher up. 

15 kilometers and 5 hours of strict walking time. We spent about 8½ hours on the hike with all the stops to rest and photograph the crocuses, and lunch at the mountain restaurant. My feet were dying by the time we reached the train station in Trubschachen. 

Climbing higher toward Wachthubel, always with the Hohgant Massif in the background. 

Final stretch to Wachthubel summit

We ran into the first crocuses up here at the summit! 

We spent about 20 minutes up here enjoying the view. On the left is the summit of Mt.Schreckhorn, and on the right you can see some of the other Bernese Oberland Alps. 

This view tot the southwest gives us a clear look at Mt.Stockhorn and the Gantrisch chain of mountains in the Bernese Alps. 

We also saw a few wild daffodils up here. 

Summit of Mt.Wachthubel looking North over the Napfberger landscape and the Emmental region. 

Not a lot of sunshine this day, but nice views of the mountains just the same. 

Starting down the north side of Mt.Wachthubel the fields between here and Rämisgummen Alp were full of crocuses!

This crest is the Cantonn border between Bern and Luzern. The view is eastward to the Entlebuch in Canton Luzern. 

Getting up close to the flowers. 

Others are enjoying the flowers as much as we are!

So many purple crocuses here, more than elsewhere in Switzerland

The little crocuses up close!

Another look toward the Gantrisch Range of mountains. 

Urs taking a photo of me... We are walking along the canton border between cantons Bern and Luzern. Although we were mostly in Canton Bern, that massif in the background is the Schrattenflue, a very recognizable mountain in the Entlebuch region of Canton Luzern. 

These hills were covered in flowers, and it looked like a layer of snow! Not having reached the Rämisgummen Alp yet, there weren't any other people here. 

A spectacular view southward of three famous mountains of the Bernese Alps: Mt. Wetterhorn, Mt.Schrekhorn, and Mt.Finsteraarhorn (the latter being the highest peak in the Bernese Alps), nicely framed between the Schrattenflue range on the right and the Hohgant Massif of the left. 

A close-up view of the three distinctive peaks of the Bernese Oberland. (Mt. Wetterhorn, Mt.Schrekhorn, and Mt.Finsteraarhorn)

Now we've arrived at the Rämisgummen Alp, and there are many other people wandering around here. 

Rämisgummen Alp, and lots of people up here. 

Another look south as we head to Bergrestaurant Erika in Geissenhalden. 

Looking north down a side valley from Erika's Bergrestaurant. From here we actually continued along the crest on the left, and heading down from there. 

The restaurant is located at a very nice spot along the Geisshaldenegg crest, from where you really can see into the region of the Bernese Oberland. From here we still had to walk 90 minutes to Trubschachen. 

The view from Geisshaldenegg

Yummy Rösti potatoes with fried egg

Heading down the mountain after lunch, here are some other early spring flowers, besides the crocuses!

There aren't a lot of photos of the final stretch down the mountain, as it was mostly through forested area. But once in a while you come across some magnificent Emmental-style buildings. 

Crossing the Ilfis River for the last stretch to the Kambly Cookie factory and the train station at Trubschachen, after being on the trail for over eight hours!

What our 15-km hike looks like on Google Satelling Maps, starting in Schangnau and ending in Trubschachen. West of this range is the Emmental region of Canton Bern, and East is the Entlebuch region of Canton Luzern. 

Location of Rämisgummen Alp in Switzerland.