In Graubünden, Every Path is a Bike Trail
Graubünden, the largest vacation destination in Switzerland, is one of the most appealing mountain biking regions in the world. Graubünden offers everything to make every biker’s heart beat faster – from downhill adrenaline in Lenzerheide Bike Park, singletrack thrills on the Alps Epic Trail Davos, family fun on the pump tracks in Flims, wonders of nature all around Swiss national parks, or freeriding on the Corviglia Flow Trail in St. Moritz. Thanks to a tolerant attitude on the trails, bikers and hikers get along extremely well, and as a result, Graubünden is particularly proud of the fact that with almost no biking restrictions, every path is also a bike trail.
Thousands of kilometers of top-notch singletracks, exciting bike parks, and many other attractions draw bikers to the five bike destinations Davos-Klosters, Lenzerheide, Engadin St. Moritz, Flims, and Scuol Samnaun Val Müstair. Each region has its own specific cultural and scenic characteristics, which is why they offer a particularly unforgettable biking adventure in Graubünden. All these highlights can be reached easily – international guests arrive in Zurich and can get to Graubünden by public transportation within only 90 minutes. All destinations in Graubünden are extremely well connected and easy to reach by train, bus, and mountain railway. In many places, your luggage can simply be transferred from hotel to hotel, and many gondolas are included in the price for accommodation. In addition, professional biking guides are happy to share their secret tips on guided tours. In hotels of all classes certified by graubündenBIKE, time not spent on your bike is also guaranteed to be exciting. With breakfast especially for athletes, bike garages and repair shops, laundry service, bike washing stations, and knowledgeable hoteliers, your downtime is sure to be relaxing and your next tour will definitely get off to a great start. Visitors, who want to leave their bike at home, will easily be able to rent a top bike in all the destinations of graubündenBIKE.
Altitudes of 500 to 3,000 meters (1,640 to 9,842 feet) above sea level, a diverse array of flora and fauna, bike trails and attractions for every taste make Graubünden one of the most appealing bike regions in the world. One example is the multifaceted flow tour. Its singletracks are some of the most beautiful in Graubünden – flowing, alpine, varied, and straight through the middle of the mountains in Chur, Lenzerheide, and all the way to Flims, where a descent on the TREK Runca Trail awaits. Over the course of three days, guests pass through 120 kilometers (75 miles) of wild natural landscapes, with the impressive Rheinschlucht – the “Swiss Grand Canyon” – as the tour’s highlight.
The Lenzerheide Bike Park offers a very different experience. An extremely varied playground with five difficulty levels awaits all bikers – from beginners to professional riders – between the Scharmoin intermediate station and the Rothorn base station. This is also where you will find the current World Cup track, where the 2018 World Championships will be held. For everyone, who wants to discover one-of-a-kind landscapes on their mountain bike, the national park in the Scuol Samnaun Val Müstair region offers one of the most scenic tours in Switzerland. The rocky gorge in Val d’Uina and the Bernina Express Trail are two particular highlights of this tour. The tour circles the entire Swiss national park in four stages.
The Engadin St. Moritz region is not only known for glamorous winter sports, but also for outstanding biking. The Corviglia Flow Trail is an unforgettable descending pump track, which has been harmoniously integrated into the landscape over 480 meters (1,575 feet) of elevation. When riding this flow trail, the spotlight is definitely on the fun factor. The trail leads from the Corviglia top station over the Sass Runzöl and Alp Nova to the Chantarella intermediate station.
Singletrack fans will also get their money’s worth in Davos Klosters, for example on the Alps Epic Trail Davos, which was named an Epic Trail in 2014 by the IMBA. As such, the route from Jakobshorn to Filisur has joined the ranks of the world’s best mountain biking trails. The single track is one of the longest in Switzerland and stands out thanks to its landscape and first-class upkeep – which are both characteristics that apply to all the bike trails throughout the entire Graubünden region.
Fore more information check out: www.graubuenden.ch/en / @graubuendenBIKE
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Didn't you know about that? Yes things are going backwards in Graubünden I'm afraid
Take this picture as an example of how shitty and not maintained the trails are here. This Trail is in Glarus, (neighboring Kanton to Graubünden). I have seen similar situation to this all over in GR.
www.ufdereis.ch/Wandern/5Seen/slides/5%20Seen%20Wanderung%20'Baschalvasee'%2021_09_2010%20(32).JPG32
How many lines can you count around that lake. Its embarrasing that they let it get so bad, but no one seems to care as long as the Tourists keep coming.....yet at the same time the whole tourism industry and Hotels are constantly complaining about decreasing visitor numbers.....Maybe if they took care of their resources things would be different.
rant over :-)
GR is doing a great job in promoting mountainbiking in the kanton. It is easily reachable and there are tons of great singletrails. Take any app and you can just go and take any lift and adventure for days. There is enormous potential in Switzerland and especially GR. For instance, take Chur. They open early and were open till 31 December. St Moritz is differernt story. It is in remote place, daypass is expensive, but the flowtrail is great. Plus the terrain is different to rest of GR. If you combine that with Livigno or Madesimo (both in ITA), it is still a great destination.
I have not come across angry farmers or hikers in Switzerland (Ticino might be exception but they are Italians..). So come and ride in GR and/or Wallis!!
This is exactly what the problem is here in Switz. As edmundsg illustrates, the typical Swiss rider does not understand the concept of trail MAINTENANCE, and automatically equates it with a manicured bikepark.
the issue I tried to illustrate in the link I attached is that without maintenance, and no culture of responsibility among bikers many lines develop (like in the pic I attached), and eventually people realize that 37 trails going around a little mountain lake does not look nice, nor is it neccesary. Then they decide 'to do something' about it....and that usually means kicking out the bikers ( as in the case of Samedan).
edmundsg you should be ashamed to say 'who cares' when ANY location closes trails to mountain bikes. When a trail is closed all mountain bikers lose. Closed trails set a precident that this is how to deal with overused trails, instead of just fixing or maintaining them.
In Wallis we had problem with trail erosion on some of our trail (eg: The Brazilian). But outside those few trails the problem is minimal. Erosion due to cattles, lifestock and horses is way more common and in fact it's not considered a problem. Those alpine trails are just like living organisms: changing constantly.
Now, it looks like you don't know that trails (not bike specific or bikepark ones) are maintained by municipalities. Some do more work than others. Did you think those fallen trees you encounter in the spring are magically removed?
If you think an official trail (listed in Swisstopo) has a maintenance problem, just signal it to your municipality/city/etc..
but it is like everywhere else: more bikers leads to worn-out trails, crowded gondolas, closures, etc.
GR-turismus is a the turning point where they need to realize that they need to think ahead the trail planning and
maintenance. And put in the money there, not in advertising anymore.
I was in Western Colorado for a couple of months and there the tire marks never leave the actual trail. And if you do leave it or skid you get roasted by the locals. I know that the soil/plants there are even more sensitive than in Switzerland but still...
But when I tell my friends they don't even understand what I'm trying to say and drop lines like "skidding is just fun"!
Look, in Wallis alone we have more than 8'000 km (+- 5000 miles) of hiking trail that are marked in an area that is less than 5'500km2 (+- 2200 sq/miles). And those are only the official marked trails...
@thedirtyburritto:
If you want to do something for your municipality/community. Just ask them if it's possible to join and help them when they do trail maintenance. They wont refuse any help.
But yes: In Crested Butte for example, where the riding is much like here in the Alps, it's a different story.
Respect the nature for God's sake !
P.S : If you are a respectful rider you're not concerned by the last part.
Cheers and enjoy your ride !
but at least Graubünden tourism is doing something. If only every tourism region would push mountainbiking as hard as they are doing it right now...