Valais Alpine Bike 4. Grächen–Brig
Information
On this stage of the Valais Alpine Bike, leave the village of Grächen on a field road heading towards Gasenried. The first highlight is a wonderful descent towards Mattsand on the Mattsand Enduro route. To reach Stalden further down the valley, follow the Matterhorn Valley Trail along the historic path lined with dry stone walls, listed in the Inventory of Historic Routes of Switzerland IVS. In Stalden, the cable car takes you to Gspon in a few minutes. From the mountain station, the beautiful path of the Gspon Panorama Bike leads through the Sädelwald and with some effort to the Gibidumpass with an idyllic lake. The alpine surroundings of this high plateau invite you to a long break with views of the Valais Alps. From here, you enter the wild Nanztal valley. A steep but smooth descent takes you to Alp Nidristi before an easy and excellent-quality route leads you to Brig, the destination of this stage.
Characteristics
Best season
POI details
Setting off from Grächen, take the Mattsand Enduro route, which provides pure adrenaline after a short climb to Gastenried and on to the village of Mattsand. Then take the Matterhorn Valley Trail until you reach Stalden lower down the valley, from where you catch the cable car to Gspon. The Gspon Panorama Bike tour starts from the mountain station and takes you through the forest nature reserve of Sädol to reach the Gibidum Pass along a fairly physically demanding alpine path. Starting from the Gibidum Pass, a wide and steep yet flowing 4x4 trail drops down into the Nantzal Valley and runs alongside the alpine pasture of Nidristi to Schratt. The route then continues in the direction of Brig on a first-class trail which – after an initial technical section – provides a fast and ideal downhill ride.
Take the train to Visp (SBB) then the Visp–Zermatt line (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn) to St. Niklaus. Then take the postal bus to Grächen. Remember to reserve a place for your mountain bike on the SBB mobile application or on sbb platform.
From Basel and Zurich: Take the A1 motorway to Bern; A6 to Spiez; follow the sign to Kandersteg; Kandersteg–Goppenstein car-carrying train; follow the sign to Visp; St. Niklaus; Grächen.
From Geneva: Take the A1 motorway to Lausanne; follow the sign to Sion/Sierre; Visp; St. Niklaus; Grächen.
From Milan: Take the A8/A26 motorway in the direction of Simplon; Iselle-Brig car-carrying train; follow the sign to Visp; St. Niklaus; Grächen.
We recommend: bike in excellent working order, helmet, gloves and bell, clothing suitable for the weather (always carry a waterproof), food and drink.
