Winter Walk from Sedrun to Disentis in the Surselva Valley

(This post published on February 6, 2025)

Sunday January 24, 2016 -- Sunday afternoon walk. We thought we should try to get in one winter mountain walk this winter, as the weather is still relatively mild and even when it snows, is melts quite quickly again. 

The Surselva Valley runs along the top of the Alps in a SW to NE direction, and it's here where the Rhine River has its source. The Oberalp Pass Road is closed to vehicle traffic in winter and some of the small towns here can only be reached with the Gotthard-Matterhorn train in winter, if coming from the west. 

We walked from Sedrun to Disentis (well-known for its monastery dated to 720), a popular winter trail and easy 2½ to 3-hour walk on prepared walking trails. It was a pleasant walk with mild temperatures, although I would have liked more sunshine!

A look down at the town of Andermatt and the Urseren Valley as the Gotthard-Matterhorn train ascends toward the Oberalp Pass. This is on the west side of the Oberalp Pass

Stunning snow-covered landscape.

Here the train descends into the Surselva Valley on the east side of the Oberalp Pass. In the center at the back is where the Rhine River has its source.

South of the valley at the village of Tschamut, we get a look at this fabulous dam at Lake Curnera. 

Tschamut is one of the villages that can only be accessed by train in winter, if you are coming from Andermatt, as the Oberalp Pass is closed in winter. 

Cute little church along the way. 

We got to Sedrun at just after 11:20. The walk to Disentis usually takes about 2½ hours, but in winter somewhat longer.  

A train from the Gotthard-Matterhorn railway passes us as we start on our walk toward Disentis. 

The winter trail from Sedrun to Disentis is 9 kilometers and takes from 2½ to 3 hours to walk. 

Shortly after Sedrun we cross this fabulous railway viaduct. It is called Bugnei Viaduct. This viaduct has been in use since 1926. 

The Bugnei Viaduct was built between 1913 and 1925. The bridge is 120 meters long. There are nine 10-meter arches.  

The winter walking trail runs parallel to the railway line, and along the way, several trains passed us in both directions. 

A really nice prepared walking trail between Sedrun and Disentis. We are just reaching the village of Mumpé-Tujetsch. 

Lovely old Walser houses along the way. 

The village of Mumpé-Tujetsch

We are walking along the valley trail called "Senda Sursilvana" (Trail no.85), as well as the St.James trail through Graubünden (Trail no.43).  

Urs bought some local honey here!

More beautiful houses. 

Around the corner from Mumpé Tujetsch, we get the first look at our destination, the city of Disentis. Before getting there, we will pass through the small village of Segnas on the left, whose train staion is in the middle of the pasture below!

Another train is just entering the Segnas train station, on the way to the Oberalp Pass

The little red train looks so cute within the white landscape. 

According to the description of this winter trail, the three mountains on the left are a distinctive trio reminiscent of the Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau Trio of the Bernese Oberland. 

That livestock guardian dog is looking comfortable with his charges!

Walking through the village of Segnas with its lovingly-restored Walser houses.  

Far to the south we can see the Medel Glacier. The village in the foreground is on the south side of the Rhine River and at the entrance to the Medel Valley, where there is a road that goes over the Lukmanier Pass. The village is called Mumpé Medel. 

Another lovely sight of the next red train heading toward the Oberalp Pass. 

We got to the Disentis train station at 2:30 p.m., after just over three hours of walking. This is a cute clock hanging on the station wall.

This is what our 9-km walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps. 

From Disentis we took the train to Chur (instead of back via Andermatt), which includes an impressive ride through the Rhine Gorge. 

Beautiful carved cliffs in the Rhine Gorge. 10,000 years earlier there was one of the world's largest rock slides here, and over all that time, the Rhine River has carved out this gorge.