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The Alps are the greatest supported hiking and walking destination in the world. Its trails are well marked, well maintained, and connected by hundreds of villages, hamlets, inns, and mountain huts where hikers can find clean, comfortable, and beautifully situated accommodations. Hikers can hike for weeks on end and never need to carry a tent, sleeping bag, stove, or food. Everything you need is waiting for you “just around the bend.” There’s no better place for a great hiking and walking vacation than the Alps.
To make the most of your vacation experience, you’ll want to plan your itinerary and activities to take advantage of the best weather and optimal conditions. Remember, the Alps is located at a latitude between 46° and 47° north—a northerly latitude similar to Duluth, Minnesota, Seattle, Washington, or St. John’s Newfoundland--so it’s a short season. But latitude only tells part of the story; you’ll also want to consider elevation and where the prevailing weather patterns are originating.
The Alps has a short hiking season ranging from May through October, but the heart of the hiking season when almost all of the trail, huts, and access is open is much shorter—typically mid-June through late September.
May and June in the Alps has the highest rainfall, which at higher elevation like Zermatt or Mürren can mean cold wet weather and often snow. In many resort areas like St. Moritz and Zermatt you’ll find hotels and many tourist services closed during May. Many mountain hotels don’t even open until mid-June. You can have decent hiking in May and early June, but go prepared for the weather and don’t expect to have the variety of accommodations and services that you would find in mid-summer.
July is a great time for hiking in the Alps. You’ll find virtually all hiking trails are open and accessible, with maybe occasional patches of snow above 8000 feet in early July. You’ll find wonderful conditions with wildflowers are in their prime and alpine meadows that are lush and green. There are cows, sheep, and goats on the pastures, and on the lower Alps the farmers are already putting up hay.
Everything glistens in July and the glaciers and waterfalls are especially beautiful. You will also find that crowds are somewhat smaller in July than in August. Days are long and you will often have usable sunlight until about 9:30 at night.
You may have heard about European cities being crowded in August, when many Europeans take their vacations. But don’t let that keep you away from hiking in the Alps, since the mountain trails and alpine accommodations are really no more crowded in August than they are in July. Once you’re outside the villages and beyond the huts, it is possible to hike for hours on end and never see another person.
August is a great time to see late blooming wildflowers like edelweiss, and weather is generally very favorable. Summer is in full swing so you will find many festivals in the towns and villages. In Switzerland, France, Italy, and Austria, August offers excellent hiking weather.
September is a generally a wonderful time to be hiking in the Alps. September typically has less rain and a more stable weather pattern than either July or August. The trails are generally quiet and in many areas you can hike all day and never see more than a handful of other hikers.
Days are still long enough to enjoy plenty of hiking and the sun doesn’t set until about 7:30 with usable daylight until about 8:00 p.m. At the higher elevations you have early fall colors and the larches are turning a lemon yellow. Because the summer crowds are gone, some restaurants and the tourist services in resort areas like Verbier have already closed for the season. But those that are open are especially welcoming and they offer a higher level of service and some exciting menu choices like fresh game including chamois and ibex--things you would never find in August.
After about the third week of September many of the huts and berghotels close for the season. There’s a touch of fall in the air and while you’re likely to have some great hiking weather, you may also experience some surprise storms with extended periods of rain and even early snow.
You can have a great experience hiking in the Alps from May through October, with July, August, or early September offering the best possibilities. Whichever season you choose, you’ll have the best opportunity to get exactly the trip you are looking for by planning ahead. When it comes time to make your plans, call one of the Alps hiking specialists at Alpenwild. Whether you choose a fully guided or a self-guided trip you can be assured the trip of a lifetime.
