Bahnweg Tasch to Zermatt or the Railway Trail makes an ideal family walk, offering close up views of trains of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn. The area along the path is also home to marmots and many alpine flowers including some very rare species. The path leads through a variety of terrain, across forest, meadows and pastures. Here the star attractions are the trains of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and just before 9am and just after 5 pm, the Glacier Express with its panoramic carriages pass by. As walkers approach the large marmot colony, the furry rodents whistle in alarm and disappear into their burrows, but however they are not bothered by the noise of the trains. Hikers just have to sit still for a while for the charming creatures to appear again. On this trail depending on season, hikers can view the alpine columbine and other beautiful mountain flowers. There is also a wonderful barbecue site and a picnic area for hikers to have an excellent lunch outside with the beautiful views. This easy trail starts at Tasch and ends at Zermatt with total distance of 6.03 kilometers taking approximately an hour and 55 minutes. The highest point on this trail is at 1629 meters with an ascent of 379 meters and descent of 205 meters.
Botanischer Lehrpfad or the botanical path has numerous rare alpine flowers growing along such as edelweiss, gentian, and other different orchids. Depending on the course of the weather, the blossoms along this trail can change quickly, to the delight of nature lovers. Up on these high alpine pastures, the variety of colors among the flowers are endless. Spring gentians bring bright shades of blue, soon followed by carious species of anemone and pasque flower, including Haller’s pasque flower or Pulsatilla halleri, a very rare species typical of Zermatt. Later still, the edelweiss appear. On this special featured walk, you can observe edelweiss comfortably at eye level, just a couple of hundred meters after crossing the Triftbach river. Because so many different flowers blossom here, the variety of butterflies and other insects is also enormous. These include the beautiful but threatened Apollo butterfly which is strictly protected. The small area of flat bog located on steep slopes are one of the paradoxes of the botanical world and here they have various orchids and right beside them, in the dry areas, you can view edelweiss. Depending on the hikers may also view ibex colony in the vicinity. This absolutely beautiful trail starts at Zermatt and ends at Trift with total distance of 3.86 kilometer taking approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes. The highest point on this trail is at 2332 meters with an ascent of 868 meters and descent of 143 meters.
