Discover Trin: Cross-country ski trails, castles and paths

In Trin, winter routes, hikes and historic sites come together. When choosing a hotel in Trin, you can start by asking yourself which activities will shape your trip: cross-country skiing, an excursion to the whirlpool basins on Alp Mora, or a visit to the Trin barrier. The different tours and estimated times can help you plan your days around your plans.

Cross-country ski trails for different abilities

Trin is connected to a 62-kilometre network of double-tracked cross-country ski trails for both classic and skating styles. The network includes a short, easy loop as well as more challenging sections. The Trin-Prada trail is just over three kilometres long, has little elevation gain and is considered suitable for beginners and recreational cross-country skiers. As a night trail, it is lit on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 9:30 p.m. The trails are seasonal; their availability depends on snow conditions. Before your visit, also check their grooming and lighting status.

Those looking for a more athletic challenge will find it on the Trin Laghizun (Suraua) trail. It extends the Suraua trail with a challenging additional loop featuring a steep climb and sections with a sloping camber that require technical skill. The starting point is the Punt Suraua car park in Trin Mulin. The Trin, Mulin and Trin, Porclis stops are only a few minutes’ walk away. By comparison, Trin-Prada offers a shorter loop with little elevation gain, while Laghizun puts more emphasis on technical challenge.

Hiking and swimming on Alp Mora

The hike from Trin to Alp Mora and back covers around 1,200 metres of elevation gain and takes about five hours. This approximate time is a useful guide for planning your day. The ascent combines a swimming experience with scenic views and a panoramic outlook. Over the centuries, the Maliensbach stream has carved around 20 bathtub-shaped whirlpool basins into Alp Mora. They fill with water after the snow melts and invite visitors to swim during the summer months.

Plan your journey with access conditions in mind: the road to Alp Mora is generally closed. Local residents and hut owners can apply for a driving permit from spring through autumn. The road is closed to private traffic; in July and August, a bus runs from Trin to Purcs. These details concern different access options and should be taken into account when making specific plans.

Another circular hike leads from Trin Mulin via Ruegna and the Nigluz plain to Lake Cresta and back along the same route. The lake lies on the eastern boundary between Flims and Trin and is a protected natural monument of regional importance in the Canton of Graubünden. Rowboats can be rented at Lake Cresta, and stand-up paddleboarding is also available. The loop therefore combines a walk through the landscape with a destination that also offers activities on the water.

Castles and the Trin barrier

The Trin barrier is listed as a fortification of national importance and is a Swiss Army bunker disguised as a waterworks. The fortress museum offers visits to former military installations with bunkers and rock caverns dating from 1942, as well as a fortress mortar dating from 1988. A guided tour lasts around three and a half hours and visits the rock installations at Crap Sogn Barcazi and Crap Pign. The underground installations of the barrier are connected to a second defensive installation in the rock at Crap Pign by more than 300 steps. Anyone interested in military history and structures built into rock will find a different time commitment here than on a hike.

The castle ruins also tell stories from different chapters of the village’s history. Canaschal Castle dates back to the 12th century. Its ruins comprise two residential towers set far apart: the west tower is still relatively well preserved, while only traces of the east tower’s walls remain. A short, marked circular path leads from the main road up to the castle hill and back to the village. The Graubünden Way of St. James and the Senda Sursilvana pass south of the ruins.

Hohentrins Castle was built in 750, burned down on 2 July 1470 and was never rebuilt. The ruins include the preserved remains of a church, the main tower, a fortified palas, two cisterns and the curtain wall. A signposted, steep climb of around ten minutes leads from a car park to the ruins. Trin Dorf is also designated as a settlement worthy of protection in the cantonal structure plan. Trin’s church is more than 700 years old; the redesign of its roof as a solar roof received the Norman Foster Solar Award.

Routes through the Rhine Gorge

The Rhine Gorge Station hike from Reichenau to Trin Station follows the Vorderrhein from its confluence with the Hinterrhein. There are viewpoints along the way, as well as places to take a break or barbecue. The route is considered suitable for families with young children, but is not recommended for pushchairs. The 105-metre-long Punt Ruinaulta suspension bridge is also located by Trin Station.

The Trans Ruinaulta 656 route runs between Bonaduz Forest and Reichenau via Trin Station and can be shortened by taking the Rhaetian Railway or the Rhine Gorge/Ruinaulta bus. Check current connections for these sections. If you would rather combine your trip with a circular walk in Trin Mulin, another loop leads via Ruegna and Nigluz to Lake Cresta and back along the same route.

Discover more destinations: Digg, Flims, Bonaduz, Tamins, Domat/Ems, Rhäzüns

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