Berglistüber Waterfall Hike, Linthal: The Ultimate Guide

A short, easy, scenic hike is all it takes to visit the incredible Berglistüber Waterfall in Linthal. This is undoubtedly one of Switzerland's best (and most underrated) waterfalls.

In this guide, we'll tell you everything you need to know to plan your perfect visit to Berglistüber Waterfall.

Berglistüber Waterfall Hike

The Berglistüber Waterfall Hike (Berglistüber Wasserfall Wanderung) is barely a hike at all! A very short, gently sloping, secure trail leads you to the waterfall viewpoint.

At that point, you can stop your walk to admire front-on views of the waterfall and then retrace your steps to complete your visit. Or, for those wanting a bit more adventure, you can walk behind the waterfall.

Yes, a sign on a gate at the viewpoint encourages you to end your walk there. However, it's not forbidden to enter the gate to access behind the waterfall (only discouraged). We promise, walking behind the waterfall will make your visit even more memorable!

The hike takes place in the Linthal area in the canton of Glarus, eastern Switzerland. This area falls within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Swiss Tectonic Area Sardona (Welterbe Tektonikarena Sardona). It's an area famous for showing how mountains form.

Below, we'll provide some more details about the simple Berglistüber Waterfall Hike.

Berglistüber Waterfall Hike: Trail Specs

• Type: Out & Back
• Distance: 0.7km
• Time: 10–20 minutes
• Accumulated elevation gain: 15m
• Trailhead: Klausenstrasse
• Parking: Parkplatz Wasserfall Berglistüber
• Difficulty: Easy
• Map: AllTrails

Hike Difficulty and Safety

The walk to the viewing platform is very easy. However, the short trail behind the waterfall is slippery, steep, and unsecured. Including the short trail behind the waterfall, the hike gets a bit harder, but it's still easy overall.

Of course, exercise caution behind the waterfall. Be honest with yourself regarding your capability before accessing the trail behind the fall.

Map

The trail is so easy to navigate that you're unlikely to need a map. But, in the name of being well-informed, you can check out this AllTrails map.

Our Experience Visiting Berglistüber Waterfall

Given the short distance of the hike to Berglistüber Waterfall, a trail description isn't necessary. Instead, we'll share our experience visiting the epic waterfall and offer insider know-how along the way!

Personally, Beck and I visited very early in the morning. This meant that we mostly hiked without anyone else around and briefly had the waterfall to ourselves, which was amazing. For the most enjoyable visit, we recommend heading there earlier or later in the day to avoid the crowds.

Also, one of the main reasons we visited early was because we were doing the Limmernsee Hike (guide coming soon) afterwards. If you have limited time to explore Glarnerland, we recommend this day-trip itinerary: Berglistüber Waterfall and Limmernsee.

For the best photography conditions, we've heard that midday or early afternoon provides the best lighting. When we visited early in the morning, the waterfall had decent sunlight. Yet the base of the falls and the surrounding forest were still shaded, which made waterfall photography challenging.

The Berglistüber Waterfall Trail

A short distance from the parking area, you'll see a UNESCO Swiss Tectonic Area Sardona sign. This is where the Berglistüber Waterfall Hike begins.

A narrow and secure gravel trail immediately descends into a forested area. The trail has some short stepped sections. After a very short walk, you'll reach a fairly large viewing area.

Sure, the views of the waterfall from this vantage point are great. But have you really visited Berglistüber Waterfall if you haven't walked behind it?

Walking Behind the Waterfall

Sure, the uneven and steep trail behind the waterfall is wet and somewhat hazardous. If you're sure-footed, are wearing decent footwear and take your time, you shouldn't encounter any issues on this trail.

Walking behind the waterfall will give you a true sense of its power and beauty. Exploring behind the waterfall was an exhilarating waterfall-chasing experience and one not to forget!

Useful Things to Know Before You Go

Let's look at some basic logistics to help you quickly organise your visit.

How to Get There

To do the Berglistüber Waterfall Hike, you can get there the quick, easy way (drive) or the slower, more tedious way (public transport).

Driving There

We had hired a car from Zurich Airport for our trip to Glarus. So, we simply drove there and recommend doing the same for ultimate convenience.

Parking

Park for free at Parkplatz Wasserfall Berglistüber. It's a small car park with around a dozen spots. But most people visiting the waterfall stay only about 20 minutes. So, expect a high turnover of cars.

Public Transport

You can reach the waterfall's trailhead by public transport (though it takes much longer). First, take a train to Linthal station. From a bus stop outside the train station, you can get a bus to the Linthal Birgli stop, which is right next to the trailhead for the Berglistüber Waterfall Hike.

You can also walk there from Linthal train station. But it's just over 4km each way with mostly road walking, so we don't recommend it.

A Note On the Nearby Schreyenbachfall

Do you plan to fill your day chasing all the best waterfalls in the area? Have you come across Schreyenbachfall in your research?

Schreyenbachfall is the other best waterfall in the canton of Glarus. Unfortunately, it runs bone-dry most of the year because a hydroelectric power station diverts its water source.

However, as a result of protests, the hydroelectric power company agreed to a 45 day compromise. Every year, between 18 June and 2 August, the company 'turns on' the waterfall by preventing the diversion of the water source.

We visited the area in early September, so we missed Schreyenbachfall in all its glory. We did catch a glimpse of a trickle as we drove by and also from a distance on the Limmernsee cable car.

Of course, if you plan to visit the area during these dates, make sure to see Schreyenbachfall!

Where to Stay Nearby

If you're exploring Glarnerland, you could stay just about anywhere in the canton of Glarus. Personally, we stayed in Filzbach in Glarus Nord and highly recommend this charming, remote village.

To find your perfect stay in Glarus, we recommend using Booking.com.