Etzel hike

As soon as you leave the last houses of Pfäffikon behind, the steep ascent of around 700 meters begins. If you need an excuse for breaks: at the height of Luegeten, a short rest with the particularly beautiful view of the Zurichsee islands Ufnau and Lützelau can be justified. Afterwards, you enter the forest, and the almost 600 wooden steps of the Strickliweg await you for a little endurance and calf training. Since the forest is the Etzelfluo forest reserve, your eyes also enjoy the view. Sometimes deadwood, for example, looks like a piece of art created by nature.

Etzel Kulm resembles a large forest clearing. Since it is at the highest point, there is an almost 360-degree panoramic view – from the city of Zurich and the Bachtel over Lake Sihl, Einsiedeln, and the Ybriger mountains to the Mythen. The friendly mountain inn also thinks of guests when the restaurant is closed, thanks to a self-service market shop.

On the descent, which is partly very steep, forested sections alternate with sunny stretches that allow the eyes to wander over the Inner Swiss mountain panorama. With tank barriers and bunkers, you encounter witnesses of the Second World War several times. From Büel, the path continues downhill into the Dreiwässern nature reserve, where the rivers Sihl and Alp merge. The open water, swamp areas, and moist flower meadows form a biotope in which many amphibian species live. The Sihl finally accompanies hikers all the way to the village of Schindellegi.