The Stoos Ridge Hike was another trail I planned my Switzerland trip around. Social media really made this ridge hike popular with the phenomenal views of the Alps and 10 different lakes. If possible, try staying overnight at Gipfelrestaurant Fronalpstock for the best experience.
It was quite the journey getting to the beginning of the trail from Lucerne. We had to take the train, a bus, then the world's steepest funicular, and finally a cable car. And if you're not spending the night in the area, make sure you begin your day early so you can catch the last cable car down the mountain after hiking. Harcore hikers can choose to skip the cable car but if you plan on taking the same transportation, look into the Stoos passes, which is also discounted with the Swiss Pass or Half Pass!
Out of every hike we did during our trip, I would rate this the hardest. Not only were the steep parts really steep, it was also very hot and sunny. There were also a ton of flies and beetles so we were constantly moving to avoid them, giving us little time for breaks. And because we came from Lucerne, we arrived kind of late and there were already a lot of people on the trails. But the views are amazing and I stayed there overnight and got to see the sunset.
It's best to hike this from Klingenstock to Fronalpstock so that you can end the hike at the restaurant and grab a couple of beers to enjoy the view. There's also some playgrounds for the younger kids and a gated area to enter and pet some miniature goats. If you go the other way, there isn't much of an area to chill at Klingenstock and you would just have to go back down the mountain.
Overall, glad I got to do it once but it's a rough one to hike during the summer. The views were amazing though and being able to stay up there when it's empty was a nice experience. read more