The short answer
For waterfalls, come in spring and early summer, when the snowmelt feeds them. For hiking and open mountain lifts, plan May to October. For decorated cows, come in September. For skiing and snow, plan December to March.
The quietest weeks run from late October to mid December. Many hotels and mountain huts close then, and several lifts have their yearly revision. The valley itself is still open, but you have to plan around the gaps.
Season by season
What changes in the valley through the year.
| Season | What is at its best | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Waterfalls at their strongest with the snowmelt. Trümmelbach Falls open in early April. | The hiking season only starts in May. |
| Early summer | Waterfalls still strong. Hiking season is under way, and the via ferrata opens on 1 June. | The Panoramaweg Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg opens in mid June. |
| Summer | Lifts and paths in operation, long days, Trümmelbach open 8.30 to 18.00 in July and August. | The most visitors. Book beds and tours early. |
| September | Alpabzug: cows return from the high pastures. Hiking is still possible. | Trümmelbach hours shorten to 9 to 17. |
| Late October to mid December | The quietest weeks. | Revisions, closed hotels and huts, Staubbach gallery path closed. |
| Winter | Skiing, sledding, cross-country skiing, Lauberhorn races in January. | Trümmelbach and the Staubbach gallery path are closed. |
Lauterbrunnen tours and activities
Cable car tickets, day trips and adventure activities in the valley, with live prices and availability.
Waterfalls, hiking and the Alpabzug
The warm months in detail.
Waterfalls: spring and early summer
Snowmelt makes the Staubbach Falls strongest in spring and early summer. The Trümmelbach Falls carry up to 20,000 litres per second at their peak, between April and June from snowmelt and between June and September from glacier melt. From December to March they are only a trickle.
Trümmelbach Falls →Hiking: May to October
Most trails are walkable from May to October. The Staubbach gallery path is open from May to October as well. Check trail conditions before you set out on higher routes.
Hiking in Lauterbrunnen →September: the Alpabzug
In September the cattle come down from the high pastures. The cows are decorated in some villages, as in Stechelberg. Dates vary, so ask locally once you arrive.
Things to do →Staubbach Falls in winter
The Staubbach Falls are free to see all year from the village. In winter they are often iced over, and access to the falls is closed because of ice and falling rock.
Staubbach Falls →Autumn 2026: what is closed and when
Closures and revisions in the valley between 19 October and mid December 2026. Always check the timetable before you travel.
| Lift or sight | Dates in 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Allmendhubel funicular (Mürren) | Closed 19 Oct to 11 Dec | Flower Trail area is out of reach by lift. |
| Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp to Mürren (cable car and BLM train) | Revision 26 Oct to 6 Nov | Use bus 141 to Stechelberg and the Schilthorn cable car instead. |
| Wengen to Männlichen cable car | Revision 26 Oct to 11 Dec | Reopens 12 Dec 2026 for winter. |
| Wengernalp railway toward Kleine Scheidegg | 9 Nov to 4 Dec | Lauterbrunnen to Wengen runs according to the timetable. |
| Mürren via ferrata | Season ends 31 Oct | Reopens 1 June. |
| Trümmelbach Falls | Last day 9 Nov | Closed for the winter. |
| Gimmelwald cable car stop | Weekdays 19 to 23 Oct and 26 to 30 Oct, 8.10 to 17.50 | No stop in Gimmelwald by day. Replacement via the Stechelberg to Mürren cable car and a bus from Mürren. |
Still running all year: the BOB train to Lauterbrunnen, the Stechelberg to Mürren cable car and Mürren to Birg to Schilthorn, with no autumn revision in the operating data. Until about 10 December a replacement bus runs between Interlaken West and Wilderswil on some connections. Many hotels and mountain huts close between the end of October and mid December.
Winter guide 2026/27
Snow, races and a quiet valley floor.
Skiing at Mürren and the Schilthorn
The Mürren-Schilthorn ski area spans 1,600 to just under 3,000 metres with about 50 kilometres of pistes. It belongs to the Jungfrau Ski Region (211 kilometres). If conditions allow, the season starts on 31 October 2026 on weekends only, and daily from 21 November 2026. The Direttissima is 400 metres long with an 88 percent gradient.
Schilthorn →Skiing at Wengen
Wengen belongs to the Grindelwald-Wengen ski area, and the Männlichen cable car starts the winter on 12 December 2026. The Jungfrau Ski Region day pass costs CHF 79, and CHF 83 in high season. The skipass is valid from 21 November 2026 to 25 April 2027.
Wengen →Lauberhorn races
The Lauberhorn is the longest World Cup downhill, 4,480 metres, run since 1930. The 2027 races are from 15 to 17 January: Super-G on Friday, downhill on Saturday 16 January, slalom on Sunday 17 January.
Where to stay →Cross-country, sledding and walks
A cross-country trail of about 16 kilometres links Lauterbrunnen and Stechelberg. The Fox Run sled run is 4.5 kilometres long. With a guest card, the winter ski bus (line 143) is free in Lauterbrunnen.
Gimmelwald →Closed in winter: the Trümmelbach Falls and the Staubbach gallery path. Winter prices for the Schilthorn cable car from 13 December 2026 were not confirmed when we checked, so look at the current tariff before you go. The Schilthorn restaurant stays open all year, from 8.00 to 17.50 while the cable car runs.
Best time to visit Lauterbrunnen: frequently asked questions
When are the waterfalls strongest?
In spring and early summer, with the snowmelt. The Trümmelbach Falls peak between April and June and again from June to September. In winter they shrink to a trickle.
Is Lauterbrunnen worth visiting in winter?
Yes, if you come for snow. Mürren and the Schilthorn offer skiing, Wengen has the Lauberhorn races in January, and there are a cross-country trail and a sled run. The Trümmelbach Falls and the Staubbach gallery path are closed.
When does the ski season start?
The Mürren-Schilthorn area plans to open on 31 October 2026 on weekends only, if conditions are good, and daily from 21 November 2026. The Männlichen cable car starts the winter season on 12 December 2026.
What is closed in November?
The Trümmelbach Falls close after 9 November 2026. The Allmendhubel funicular and the Wengen to Männlichen cable car are closed until 11 December, and the railway from Wengen toward Kleine Scheidegg stops from 9 November to 4 December.
When do the cows come down from the mountain?
The Alpabzug takes place in September. Exact days vary by village and year, so ask locally.