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Melchsee-Frutt

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Good to know about Melchsee-Frutt

Travel guide

11 Highlights at Melchsee-Frutt
  • Melchsee-Frutt is a plateau at about 2000 m above sea level.
  • The Melchsee, Tannensee, and Blauseeli are picturesque mountain lakes, perfect for fishing, hiking, and relaxing amidst the Alpine scenery.
  • The cable car takes you from Stöckalp to Melchsee-Frutt in about 20 minutes.
  • Numerous hiking trails offer spectacular views and routes for various fitness levels, and some are also suitable for mountain bikers.
  • All three lakes provide great opportunities for anglers to fish in a calm environment.
  • “Uf dr Wildi” is an adventure playground for kids with a farm village, tunnel slide, swings, cable car, and other attractions.
  • The Fruttli-Path is an educational trail with information panels dedicated to marmots.
  • The Frutt Train is a small tourist train, especially popular with families, offering a cozy ride through the beautiful landscape.
  • In winter, Melchsee-Frutt transforms into a ski area, with slopes for all skill levels, ideal for skiers and snowboarders.
  • Several hotels let you enjoy the nature of Melchsee-Frutt for a few days longer.
  • At alpine huts and in restaurants, you can savor traditional Swiss cuisine, featuring regional specialties and stunning mountain views.
Mountain Lakes at Melchsee-Frutt

At Melchsee-Frutt, you’ll find several beautiful mountain lakes:

Name Size (ha) Fishing Swimming Boating
Melchsee 54 yes yes yes
Tannensee 28 yes no ?
Blausee 1.69 yes no no

At all three lakes, you can fish for brook trout, char, rainbow trout, and other types of trout. You’ll need a fishing license for this. Fishing licenses are usually available at local tourism offices, at the mountain station of the cable car, or in nearby shops that partner with the tourism association.

South of Melchsee, there’s an extensive flat moorland area. This is the Melchsee nature reserve. East of Melchsee, additional flat moors have been included in the Distelboden nature reserve.

Melchsee at Melchsee Frutt

The Melchsee invites you to go hiking. There’s a lovely walking path for families that circles the lake. Keep an eye out for the marmot Fruttli! At 10 stations along the learning and experience trail Fruttli Weg, you'll find information about the local marmots. You'll spot them easily, as there’s a large wooden animal with more information waiting for you at each station.

Here are the wooden animals you can find at Melchsee-Frutt:

  • Eagle
  • Fish
  • Frog
  • Fox
  • Chamois
  • Cow
  • Deer
  • Sheep
  • Ibex
  • Goat

Several public fire pits around the lake offer seating and wood supplies for a cozy picnic or grilling. A full walk around the lake takes about an hour without any stops.

You can rent rowboats in the summer from a boat rental right by the lake. On warm summer days, the Melchsee invites you to swim, even though the water can be quite cool due to the altitude. There are no official bathing facilities, but at some points, you can easily access the water. In winter, the lake often freezes, providing excellent opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ice skating. During the winter months, there are rental stations for cross-country skis and snowshoes available at Melchsee-Frutt.

Tannensee at Melchsee Frutt

The Tannensee is located not far from Melchsee. It has been developed into a reservoir. At its eastern shore and along the Tannendamm, you’ll find spacious fire pits equipped with dry wood and grills. The Frutt train also stops at Tannensee.

Blauseeli at Melchsee Frutt

This small mountain lake is situated east of the village of Frutt on Alp Aa. It covers an area of 1.69 hectares. It’s a great spot for fishing, but swimming is not allowed. The lake got its name from the sparkling blue hues of its water. All three lakes offer stunning photo opportunities year-round, especially during sunrise or sunset. Birdwatchers will also enjoy their time here, as the lakes and their surroundings are home to various bird species. The water from all three lakes is used for electricity generation at the Hugschwendi power plant (also known as the Melchsee-Frutt power plant).

Playground at Melchsee Frutt: Uf dr Wildi

The playground features a little farmers' village. Here, you’ll find a barn with a tunnel slide, a zip line, swings, and much more. A fire pit with plenty of seating encourages families to linger longer. Whether at the climbing course, in the marmot cave, or at the stone building site, your kids will feel right at home. You can find the playground above the old mountain station, and it’s also the starting point for the Fruttli Trail.

Hiking from or to Melchsee-Frutt

You have the opportunity to choose a suitable hike from these options or create your own route.

Hikes

Name Route Length (km) Duration (h) Elevation gain ↑ Elevation loss ↓ Difficulty
Bonistock Loop Melchsee-Frutt – Bonistock – Chringen – Tannalp – Tannendamm – Melchsee-Frutt 9.52 2:50 396 396 easy to moderate
Bettenalp-Bonistock Loop Melchsee-Frutt – Arviböden – Bettenalp – Chringen – Bonistock – Melchsee-Frutt 7.3 2:45 495 495 moderate to hard
Erzegg Loop Melchsee-Frutt – Distelboden – Balmeregghorn – Erzegg – Fachshubel – Tannendamm – Melchsee-Frutt 11.25 3:30 505 505 moderate to hard
Stöckalp – Melchsee-Frutt Stöckalp – Obere Stöck – Ziflucht – Aastafel – Dempfelsmatt – Melchsee-Frutt 5.8 2:30 831 - moderate to hard
Melchsee-Frutt – Wolfisalp – Stöckalp Melchsee-Frutt – Arviböden – Bettenalp – Heufrutt – Wolfisalp – Stöckalp 10.95 3:45 386 1220 moderate to hard
Jochpass-Schaftal Loop Melchsee-Frutt – Tannalp – Engstlenalp – Jochpass – Schaftal – Tannalp – Melchsee-Frutt 21.60 6:15 814 814 moderate to hard
Frutt-Älggi Melchsee-Frutt – Abgschütz – Seefeldsee – Älggi Mittelpunkt – Bachegg – Innenbach – Stöckalp 14.58 5:45 735 1569 hard
Hochstollen Loop Melchsee-Frutt – Balmeregghorn – Planplatten – Hääggen – Hochstollen – Abgschütz – Melchsee-Frutt 17.50 6:15 1125 1125 hard

Alpine Hikes

Name Route Length (km) Duration (h) Elevation gain ↑ Elevation loss ↓ Difficulty
Alpine Tour Barglen Melchsee-Frutt – Bonistock – Chringen – Hohmad – Chli Hohmad – Barglenchäle – Barglen 6.4 3:30 970 202 T3/T4
Alpine Tour Brünighaupt Melchsee-Frutt – Blausee – Abgschütz – Chli Haupt „Muiggächopf“ – Brünighaupt 5.8 2:35 637 231 T3/T4/T5
Alpine Loop Glogghuis – Rothorn – Balmeregghorn Melchsee-Frutt – Blausee – Abgschütz – Hochstollen – Wit Ris – Glogghuis – Rothorn – Balmeregg 13.55 6:10 1178 1178 T3/T4/T5

Swiss Activities Tip

The Four Lakes Hiking Trail is particularly beautiful and starts at Melchsee. From there, you continue over Tannensee to Engstlensee on the Engstlenalp. Hike over the Jochpass until you reach Trübsee and Engelberg. The route covers nearly 14 km and ascends 600 meters in elevation. From Trübsee, you can either descend via the Kanonenrohr or take the Titlisbahn down to Engelberg. You should plan for at least four hours for this hike.

You can save hiking distance along the way:

  • Fruttli train to the Tannalp stop
  • Chairlift Engstlenalp – Jochpass
  • Chairlift Jochpass – Trübsee
Melchsee-Frutt Cable Car

The cable car to Melchsee-Frutt connects the valley at Stöckalp with the mountain station at Melchsee-Frutt, located at 1933 m above sea level, overcoming a height difference of about 900 meters.

  • Valley station: 1080 m above sea level (Stöckalp)
  • Mountain station: 1933 m above sea level (Melchsee-Frutt)

The ride takes about 20 minutes and offers beautiful views of the surrounding Alps, mountain lakes, and untouched nature. The cable car operates year-round, providing access to a variety of recreational activities in Melchsee-Frutt during both summer and winter.

Cable Car Operating Times Stöckalp - Melchsee-Frutt

Summer: Mid-June – Mid-October Winter: Approximately mid-December – first week of April

From Distelboden (1920 m above sea level), you can continue to Bonistock (2160 m above sea level) with the gondola. Distelboden also hosts one of the hotels in Melchsee-Frutt.

Frutt Train

The Frutt Train offers a charming way for families and older visitors to explore the stunning mountain scenery in a cozy and family-friendly manner on Melchsee-Frutt.

The train operates hourly during the summer (mid-June to mid-October), running between the old mountain station – Dörfli – Panoramalift – chapel – Distelboden – Tannendamm – Tannensee – Fachshubel and Tannalp. This route is 3.5 km long.

The Frutt Train is pulled by a tractor and features several open or covered wagons, accommodating about 50 passengers.

Attractions along the route include Melchsee and Tannensee, both popular destinations for hiking, fishing, and boating. The train also stops at various viewpoints, offering perfect photo opportunities.

You can purchase tickets for the Frutt Train at the mountain station of the Melchsee-Frutt cable car or directly on the train.

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