Trin can be explored in very different ways depending on when you visit: with cross-country ski trails, historic sites and hikes ranging from a short loop to a long climb. When looking for a hotel in Trin, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay. You can then make winter trails, a visit to the fortifications, or routes to Lake Crestasee and Alp Mora the centrepiece of your trip.
Cross-country skiing: an easy loop or a technical extension
Trin is connected to a 62-kilometre network of double-tracked cross-country ski trails for classic cross-country skiing and skating. The Trin-Prada trail is an easy loop of just over three kilometres with little elevation gain. It is suitable for beginners and recreational cross-country skiers. The Trin-Prada night trail is illuminated on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm. As this is a seasonal offering, check the current grooming and lighting status before your visit.
The Trin Laghizun trail offers a more challenging extension: it adds a steep climb to the Suraua trail and includes some sloping sections that are technically demanding. The trail starts at the Punt Suraua car park in Trin Mulin; the Trin, Mulin and Trin, Porclis bus stops are just a few minutes’ walk away. The two trails differ considerably in difficulty: Trin-Prada is described as an easy loop, while Laghizun is a technical extension.
Fortifications and castles: insights into different eras
The Trin barrier is listed in the Inventory of Combat and Command Structures as a fortification of national importance. It is a bunker belonging to the Swiss Army, disguised as a waterworks. Tours of the Trin Barrier Fortress Museum include former military installations with bunkers and rock caverns dating from 1942, as well as a 12-centimetre fortress mortar dating from 1988. The tour visits the rock installations at Crap Sogn Barcazi and Crap Pign, which are connected by a stairway system. The underground installations lead up more than 300 steps to a second defensive position in the rock at Crap Pign. Allow around three and a half hours for the tour.
The castle ruins also tell stories of different construction and use. A surviving parchment dates the construction of Hohentrins Castle to 750. It burned down on 2 July 1470 and was never rebuilt. The preserved remains of a church, the main tower, a fortified palas, two cisterns and the curtain wall can be seen at the ruins. A steep, signposted climb from a car park takes around ten minutes.
Canaschal Castle dates from the 12th century and consists of the ruins of two residential towers set far apart. The western tower is still relatively well preserved; only a few traces of walls remain of the eastern tower. A short, marked circular path leads from the main road up to the castle hill and back to the village. The GraubĂĽnden Way of St James and the Senda Sursilvana pass south of the ruins.
Alp Mora and Lake Crestasee: two hikes of different lengths
The hike from Trin to Alp Mora and back covers around 1,200 metres of elevation gain and takes about five hours. At Alp Mora, the Maliensbach stream has carved around 20 basin-shaped potholes over the centuries. After the snow melts, they fill with crystal-clear turquoise water and invite visitors to swim during the summer months. The ascent also offers a viewpoint and expansive panoramic views.
Access to Alp Mora is restricted: the road is generally closed to private traffic. Local residents and owners of mountain huts can apply for a driving permit from spring to autumn. In July and August, a bus runs from Trin to Purcs. Check the current driving and bus conditions before travelling.
A shorter hiking option is the circular route from Trin Mulin to Lake Crestasee and back: it is around 4.1 kilometres long and takes about one hour and ten minutes. The trail crosses meadows, follows streams and passes through forests. Lake Crestasee lies on the eastern boundary between Flims and Trin and is a protected natural monument of regional importance. There is a rowing boat rental and opportunities for stand-up paddleboarding at the lake. The hikes therefore differ mainly in the time required: about 70 minutes for the described lake loop compared with around five hours for the hike to Alp Mora.
Discover more destinations: Digg, Domat/Ems, Rhäzüns, Tamins, Bonaduz, Flims.
For the regional travel overview: Imboden.
