Mathon: Hiking, Winter Trails and Local History

Mathon combines hiking destinations and winter trails with a local history stretching back to the Middle Ages. If you are planning a stay, these different highlights can help you decide how to spend your time here: would you like to explore on foot, choose a winter route, or learn more about the churches and the region’s past?

Hiking trails around Mathon

The Mathon circular hiking trail starts at the Church of St. Sebastian. After about 200 metres along the main road towards Ischgl, the trail reaches the Three Kings Chapel. This makes it easy to include two notable religious buildings on a short walk, without having to plan a longer tour.

Another hike leads to Lake Berglisee. The route also starts at the Church of St. Sebastian and initially follows the main road towards Galtür for about 150 metres. From there, a steep path winds through forests and alpine meadows to the mountain lake. From Mathon, Lake Berglisee can be reached on foot or by bicycle via a forest road. The return route passes the Larein Alpe and Tschaffein before returning to Mathon. There are places to sit and a small barbecue area by the shore.

For a tour with specified details, consider comparing it with the Verwall Panorama Tour: it covers seven kilometres and 500 metres of elevation gain, leading to a viewpoint below the Friedrichshafener Hut, with views of the Silvretta and Samnaun groups. The start and finish are at the Friedrichshafener Hut car park in the hamlet of Piel, between Ischgl and Galtür. This location differs from the starting point of the circular hiking trail in Mathon, which is important when planning your route.

Winter trails and other activities

The Ischgl–Mathon winter hiking trail is five kilometres long, takes about two hours and is rated easy. After Mathon, it crosses the Valzurbach stream and then reaches the wildlife park. If you are looking for a cross-country ski trail instead of a hike, there is a 5.5-kilometre route connecting Mathon with Ischgl. The Mathon practice lift is 449 metres long, with a vertical drop of 95 metres.

The Silvretta Wildlife Park is right next to the Wildererhütte on the Silvretta High Alpine Road between Ischgl and Mathon. The Wildererhütte can be reached via the Wildpark Silvretta bus stop. Mathon West is the designated stop for the Mathon circular hiking trail. Bus 260 runs every half hour from Landeck-Zams railway station through the Paznaun Valley; check the current timetable for your journey.

Churches, museum and local history

The parish church of St. Sebastian was consecrated on 20 June 1682 in honour of Saints Sebastian and Rochus, invoked against the plague. The Three Kings Chapel took on its present form in 1772 and was fitted with a nativity altar in 1774, made by Georg Witwer from Imst. These buildings are more than just historical names on a map along the circular hiking trail: the chapel is reached after about 200 metres along the main road towards Ischgl.

Mathon’s earlier history has also been recorded: in 1173, Ulrich III of Tarasp donated the Mathon alpine pasture, then known as Alpem Mutanem, to his family monastery at Marienberg. The weaving room at the Paznaun Farmers’ Museum offers a glimpse into the textile work of earlier times. It houses an old, self-built loom used to make bed linen, carpets and other textiles from sheep’s wool.

The Paznaun Farmers’ Museum is located in the Wirtshaus Walserstube building at St. Sebastianweg 4 in the village centre, near the Church of St. Sebastian. Mathon is also home to a roughly 20-metre-long tunnel called “Knappaschrofa”, a reminder of a former mining project. The Walserstube serves regional cuisine. Local history and a place to enjoy regional food add to the choices of hikes, winter trails and other activities.

For the broader travel overview: Ischgl.