Ruinaulta - Switzerland's Grand Canyon
Overview
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Hint
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Intro
The Ruinaulta owes its existence to the Flimser landslide 10,000 years ago, when 10,000 million cubic meters of rock thundered into the valley. The canyon-like ravine in the Vorderrhein Valley can be reached on foot, across the water, by train or by bike.
The Rhaeto-Romanic speaking inhabitants of the Vorderrhein ravine call it Ruinaulta, a word meaning high heap of rubble. And it is true that the bizarre white rock formations consist of debris produced by a prehistoric landslide, through which the Rhine has slowly and sinuously eaten its way.
What has come into being is a natural, magical place full of mysterious lakes in the Mountain Forest, rare orchids and breeding grounds for endangered species of birds. Further below, gently sloping sand banks alternate with wild rapids and make the region of the Rhine gorge an adventure for hikers, bikers, rafters, canoers, nature lovers and explorers alike.
What to experience
View from the Il Spir platform
From Flims Waldhaus, the path leads over the turquoise-green Caumasee to the viewing platform Il Spir. From there you look vertically at the winding Rhine and white limestone rocks. The trail is well marked and also suitable for children. For the way there and back from Flims Waldhaus you plan around 2 hours.
- Good to know: You can reach Flims Waldhaus by bus/PostBus (line 81) from Flims Dorf.
- Tip: Lake Cauma and Il Spir can be combined well – pack your swimming trunks.
Hiking through the Rhine Gorge (1.5 hours)
On the stage from Valendas to Versam, you hike directly along the Rhine – through floodplain forests, across meadows, past white pebble beaches. The Punt Ruinaulta suspension bridge (105 metres) near Trin connects both banks. If you are doing a long-distance hike, you can take the Rhaetian Railway back.
- Good to know: Most of the paths are mountain hiking trails – sturdy shoes are necessary.
- Tip: The Rhine Gorge Ticket is valid all day on public transport around the gorge.
With the Rhaetian Railway through the gorge
The Rhaetian Railway (RhB) is the only continuous connection through the Rhine Gorge. The route from Chur to Versam-Safien takes around 20 minutes. If you want to get on and off several times, you can use the Rhine Gorge Ticket for a whole day. An experience also for families and all those who want to discover the gorge without hiking boots.
- Good to know: Several stops serve as a starting point for short hikes.
- Tip: The Rhine Gorge Bus (Cabriolet) connects Laax with Tamins – reserve a seat.
General information
| Season |
All year
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|---|---|
| Accessibility |
Partially accessible
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Address
Graubünden Ferien
Alexanderstrasse 24
Postfach
7001
Chur
Switzerland
Phone
+41 (0)81 254 24 24
Fax +41 (0)81 254 24 00
contact@graubuenden.ch
graubuenden.ch
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