Glacier garden Dossen

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Zermatt Tourismus
Bahnhofplatz 5
3920 Zermatt
Phone +41 (0)27 966 81 00
zermatt.swiss

Intro

Above Fluri lies the glacier garden Dossen, a witness of the last ice age. The visitors can see what is hidden underneath the glacier.

Gorner Glacier, the second largest glacier in the Alps, is particularly thrilling. When the glacier receded it left an entire garden full of glacial potholes above the hamlet of Furi. The potholes were created by melt water that flowed down to the bed of the glacier through crevasses. The remains of a soapstone quarry can also be seen in the glacier garden. The stone from this quarry was crafted into (among other things) crockery and artfully designed stoves, some of which can still be admired in the homes of Upper Valais.

The glacier garden is always open and free for all visitors. It takes about 30 minutes on foot to get there from the Furi mountain station. There is another path by way of a suspension bridge across the Gorner Gorge where the enormous power of the roaring water is evident.

Glacier garden trail
The glacier garden trail starts on Riffelberg near the treeline and continues through the rocky landscape where the edge of the Gorner Glacier used to be. And from there, you can also see the beautiful Matterhorn, of course. On the way down to the powerful glacier, the Dossen glacier garden reveals what is hidden underneath the glacier: various potholes, polished off slabs of rock, and much more. The trail continues to Schweigmatten and subsequently to Furi. Solid shoes are recommended. The route is about 6.2 km long and takes approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes. It is best to visit the garden trail between June and October.