Gryden high-altitude loop

A true natural wonder above Lenk in the Simmental Valley: the Gryden, a fascinating landscape of furrowed rock formations, deep hollows, and bizarre cliff faces 😮. An exciting circular trail leads through this "lunar landscape" from the Bettelberg mountain station 🚠. The well-marked panoramic trail is technically easy (T2) and leads through varied alpine meadows 🐄🌼, narrow paths, and through the impressive rocky gullies of the Gryden. Spectacular views of Wildstrubel, Plaine Morte, and the Simmental Valley 🤩 open up again and again. The contrast is particularly striking: lush green meadows all around – and in the middle of it all, the gray, eroded rock formations that almost resemble a miniature volcanic landscape 🌋. 📌 Facts & Figures 🥾 Distance: approx. 7–8 km (circular route) ⏱️ Duration: 2.5–3 hours ⛰ Elevation gain: approx. 350 m ⚠️ Difficulty level: T2 – easy mountain hike, suitable for families ⭐ Highlights 🌋 Lunar landscape of the Gryden mountains 🏔️ Panorama of Wildstrubel & Plaine Morte 🐄 Alpine idyll on the Bettelberg 📸 Endless photo spots

This is how the Gryden were formed: The subsoil in this area is composed primarily of gypsum and, to a lesser extent, rauhwacke. These rocks formed around 200 million years ago through the evaporation of mineral-rich water in a shallow, warm sea. The almost white gypsum rock is relatively soft and therefore susceptible to erosion. Rainwater dissolves this gypsum, erodes it, and then seeps into the subsurface. This gradually creates funnel-shaped depressions (solution sinkholes) on the surface. The water continues to flow underground, creating a system of gypsum karst with cavities. If such a cavity collapses, sinkholes can form on the surface. These sinkholes are very numerous in the Stübleni-Gryden area, allowing a striking crater landscape to form here, probably unique in Switzerland.

Easy hike from Bettelberg to the Gryden. Here is an excerpt from the Geology Experience. The first section of the trail offers a magnificent view of the protected moorland, which has been listed in the Federal Inventory of Moorlands of Special Beauty and National Importance as the “Haslerberg Moorland” since 1996. The trail then leads in a short, steep climb over the Stübleni limestone formation. On its north side, the crater-like, bizarre rock landscape “Gryden” spreads out. The extraordinary rock landscape in the Stübleni area fascinates not only geologists and biologists, but also everyone who enjoys a unique landscape. From now on, the trail leads downhill to the turning point of the circular hike. At the turning point, it is worth taking a short detour towards the refuge: the crater-like landscape, which resembles the moonscape, is better admired standing up than walking. On the last section of the path from Steinstoss to the mountain station of the Betelberg gondola, you have the option of completing the Leiterli AlpRundweg or making a detour to the original Alpine Flower Trail. The Alpine Flower Trail on the Leiterli offers a natural diversity of plants that is not often found anymore. Once you have reached the starting point of the hike, the Berghotel Leiterli invites you to linger. The Gryden were formed because gypsum-containing rock is washed out by the water and when the cavities become too large, they collapse and form the special doliennes. During a short break, we were even able to watch a golden eagle as it soared higher and higher in the thermals. https://www.relive.cc/view/vYvEn2MDNwO

The hike starts at the mountain station of the Betelberg gondola and is mostly flat or slightly hilly towards Steinstoss. The path then leads in a short, steep climb over the Stübleni limestone formation. On its north side the crater-like, bizarre rock landscape "Gryden" spreads out. The extraordinary rock landscape in the Stübleni area fascinates everyone who enjoys a unique landscape. The crater-like landscape, which resembles the moonscape, is best admired standing up rather than walking. In some places you need surefootedness and a head for heights. At the turning point, the Gryden high-altitude circular trail leads back towards Steinstoss and back to the mountain station of the Bettelberg gondola.

Gryden – Lenk (BE) Distance: 6.6 kilometers Elevation gain: +/- 167 meters Park for free at the Betelberg parking lot The gondola takes you to the Leiterli on the Betelberg. The Gryden are already visible from here. The Gryden are a crater-like rock formation formed by erosion. (Rainwater dissolves this gypsum rock, resulting in the characteristic funnel formations.) We took the circular route and walked around the Stübleni, choosing the right path at the fork further down. We deliberately omitted the section to the mountain hut. Surefootedness and a head for heights are essential. lenk-simmental.ch/erlebnisse-touren/erlebnis/detail/hoehenrundweg-gryden-1