Goldau lies in a valley basin between Lake Zug and Lake Lauerz, at the foot of Rossberg and Rigi. There are various themes to explore during a stay: the history of the 1806 landslide, hikes through the landslide area, and insights into nature and agriculture. A special train journey is another possibility. You can plan your stay around the themes that interest you most.

Goldau and the 1806 landslide

Goldau is closely associated with the landslide on Rossberg, which occurred on 2 September 1806. It buried 102 houses and claimed 457 lives. The Kimmel Museum Bauernhof is housed in a farmhouse built in 1761—the only surviving house to have endured the landslide. Since 2017, the Kimmel Foundation has transformed the old house into a post-history museum with exhibitions and an original-style inn. The site thus brings together a historic building and postal history.

The Bergsturz Experience Hall is also part of this theme; it is integrated into the visitor centre of Goldau Nature and Animal Park. A landslide simulator depicts Switzerland’s greatest historic natural disaster in real time on a ten-metre-wide LED screen. Together with the museum, it offers a way to explore the history through both a historic house and a multimedia presentation.

Hiking trails with different focuses

The Goldau Landslide Trail is a hiking route through the Goldau landslide area to Rossberg. The route is listed as eight kilometres long, with 620 metres of elevation gain and a duration of three hours and 15 minutes. This makes it possible to take the scale of the outing into account when planning your day. The historic connection is part of the route: it is linked to the 1806 landslide.

The Via Silva forest nature trail offers a different perspective. It is seven kilometres long, takes around 2.5 hours of walking, and explains the functions and ecosystem of the protective forest. The time estimates allow you to compare the two trails: the Landslide Trail is listed as taking three hours and 15 minutes, while Via Silva takes around two and a half hours. Their focuses also differ—one explores the landslide area and its history, the other the protective forest and its ecosystem.

The hikes through the Goldau landslide area pass through a diverse range of animal and plant life. At Goldseeli, there are barbecue areas and an adventure playground, which was established in March 2012. These specific places add further options for spending time in the area to the longer trail descriptions.

Lakes, marsh meadows, and insights into agriculture

The Goldau landslide area includes Lake Lauerz, the Sägel nature reserve, and the village of Goldau on the debris cone. The actual landslide scar is known for its abundance of orchids. In the Lake Lauerz–Sägel–Schutt nature reserve, damp marsh meadows with colourful orchids stretch from the pond with water lilies to Lake Lauerz. This landscape offers a different focus from the trails through the landslide area: here, attention turns to bodies of water, marsh meadows, and plant life.

Goldau Nature and Animal Park also has specific points of interest. The animal park tower is almost 30 metres high and offers views from the Mythen peaks to Rigi. An exhibition at the Grosswijer farm shop explains where products such as milk, eggs, and meat come from, and how the ways farm animals are kept differ. The tower and exhibition offer different perspectives—one on the surrounding mountain landscape, the other on the origins of food and animal husbandry.

Train journey and getting oriented

When you arrive in Goldau, the historic elevated platform roof above the railway station is clearly visible. There is also a valley station for the Rigi Railways at Goldau Eichmatt. For a special travel option, there is the Historic-Modern Round Trip: board a historic vehicle in Arth-Goldau, then travel from Rigi Kulm back down the valley to Vitznau in the newest articulated railcar. Changing vehicles is part of the described journey. Check the timetable for your travel day.

Whether you choose Goldau mainly for its landslide history, hiking trails, or the landscape between the lakes, the options can be compared by duration and focus. The stated walking times help you compare the two routes; the museum, visitor centre, nature area, and train journey offer further perspectives on the place.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Lauerz, Schwyz, Brunnen, Unteriberg, Steinen, Oberiberg, Alpthal, Rothenthurm.

Back to the main travel overview: Schwyz.