On the second day of our stay in Pontresina, we still had a few plans we wanted to fit in before our long journey home. One of them was the Morteratsch Glacier Trail—a short but incredibly interesting route leading to one of the most accessible glaciers in Switzerland. At first glance, it seems like an easy stroll, but in reality, it’s also an educational hike that beautifully illustrates how rapidly glaciers have been retreating over the past few decades. But don’t worry, for kids, it won’t be a boring educational experience: the trail features an interactive activity with stamps and a puzzle. A big bonus is that the entire route is stroller-friendly. When else can you get almost all the way to the glacier’s tongue with a stroller?

How to Get to the Morteratsch Glacier Trail

By public transportation: The most convenient option is to take the Rhaetian Railway to the Morteratsch stop. The trail starts right across from the train station—just cross the tracks, and you’re at the trailhead.

From Pontresina, you can also take a bus from the Pontresina, Post stop (just a few minutes’ walk from the Engadinerhof hotel) to the Morteratsch, Abzweigung stop.

From there, you’ll need to walk approximately 1.5 km to the trailhead. The advantage of this option is that along the way, you can add another Grand Tour of Switzerland photo spot to your collection—it’s right by the road.

By car: If you’re arriving by car, you can park in the paid parking lot. The lot is spacious and located about 5 minutes from the trailhead.

Route to the Morteratsch Glacier

Before you set out, be sure to stop by the box at the start of the trail and pick up a children’s booklet. It’s not just an ordinary guidebook. The booklet contains the story “Sabis grosser Traum” (Sabi’s Big Dream), various activities, and space for collecting stamps. Along the way, you’ll come across several stations where you can stamp individual letters into the booklet to form a secret word. Once you’ve filled it out correctly, you can turn in the booklet at the tourist information center in Pontresina, and the kids will receive a small reward.

The trail itself follows a wide gravel path through the valley and initially runs alongside the river. Thanks to its firm surface, it’s suitable not only for strollers but also for balance bikes and younger children. Along the entire route, you’ll find information panels dedicated to the Morteratsch Glacier and the surrounding area. The most interesting are the markers showing where the glacier was located in each year. It’s only when you look at them that you fully realize how dramatically it has retreated over the past few decades.

On some panels, you’ll also find QR codes that give you access to short LiteraTOUR audio recordings with additional information about the glacier and the surrounding landscape.

At the Morteratsch Glacier

The destination is the Brücke Vadret Morteratsch bridge, which offers a magnificent view of the glacier. After crossing the bridge, you can continue a little further up to get closer to the glacier’s tongue itself. But we decided to stay right here. We tested just how icy the water flowing from the glacier was (yes, it really was icy), enjoyed the views for a while, and then headed back because our train to St. Moritz was waiting for us.

On the way back (which will take less time because it’s slightly downhill), you can read the information on the other side of the panels or stop at the ones you passed on your way to the glacier.

If you have some time to spare before your train departs, you can grab a quick bite at the nearby kiosk or enjoy a more filling meal at the Morteratsch Hotel restaurant right next to the station. There’s also a nice playground here.

Summary

• The trail is about 3 km one way (6 km round trip) and will take you about 2 hours, depending on how often you stop.
• You can find the elevation profile here
• My tip: Set out as early in the morning as possible. The trail is very popular, and it’s usually much quieter in the morning.
• It must be absolutely beautiful here in the fall, when the larch trees turn golden.

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