Discover Goldau: The Story and Nature of the Landslide

Goldau combines the landscape between Lake Zug and Lake Lauerz with the story of the 1806 landslide. If you are looking for a hotel in Goldau, you can plan your stay around what interests you most: landscapes and protected areas, hiking trails, nature and wildlife parks, or historical traces.

Lakes, marsh meadows and landslide terrain

Goldau lies in a valley between Lake Zug and Lake Lauerz, at the foot of Rossberg and Rigi. The Goldau landslide area includes Lake Lauerz, the Sägel nature reserve, the village of Goldau on the debris fan, and the actual scar area, known for its abundance of orchids. In the Lake Lauerz–Sägel–Schutt nature reserve, wet marsh meadows with colourful orchids extend from the water-lily pond to Lake Lauerz. In this landscape, you will encounter the lake, village, landslide area and protected wetlands as distinct features.

Traces of the 1806 landslide

The Rossberg landslide occurred on 2 September 1806. It buried 102 houses and claimed 457 lives. A historic building preserves another connection to this event: the Kimmel Museum Bauernhof is housed in a farmhouse built in 1761—the only surviving house to have endured the Goldau landslide. Since 2017, the Kimmel Foundation has been transforming the old house into a museum of postal history, with exhibitions and an original inn. The house was built before the landslide, making the village’s older architectural history visible in a specific building.

Hiking trails and durations

The Goldau Landslide Trail is associated with the 1806 event and runs as a hiking trail through the landslide area to Rossberg. The route is listed as 8 kilometres long, with 620 metres of elevation gain and a stated duration of 3 hours and 15 minutes. The 7-kilometre Via Silva forest trail takes around 2.5 hours of walking time and explains the functions and ecosystem of the protective forest. The two trails therefore differ both in their stated durations and in their focus: the Landslide Trail passes through the landscape around the landslide area to Rossberg, while Via Silva focuses on the protective forest.

Hikes through the Goldau landslide area pass through a diverse range of wildlife and plant life. At Goldseeli, there are barbecue areas and an adventure playground, which was set up in March 2012.

Nature and wildlife park: views and insights

The nearly 30-metre-high wildlife park tower offers views stretching from the Mythen mountains to Rigi. An exhibition in the Grosswijer farm shop explains where products such as milk, eggs and meat come from and how livestock farming methods differ. The tower offers views of the landscape, while the exhibition explores the origins of food and how livestock are kept. The Landslide Experience Hall is part of the new visitor centre at Goldau Nature and Wildlife Park.

A historic rail journey and arrival

On the Historic–Modern round trip, you board a historic train in Arth-Goldau. From Rigi Kulm, you travel back down to the valley in Vitznau on the newest articulated railcar. On arrival in Goldau, the historic elevated platform roof above the station is clearly visible. There is also a valley station for the Rigi Railways in Goldau Eichmatt.

Discover more destinations: Alpthal, Arth, Stoos, Lauerz, Schwyz, Rothenthurm, Oberiberg, Muotathal.

Go to the main travel overview: Schwyz.