591 Panell in Rheinwald

Splügen is one of the oldest pass villages in Graubünden. Over centuries, the look of the village and the lives of its inhabitants were shaped by the traffic across the Splügen and San Bernardino Alpine passes. Large, Italianate stone houses stand right next to the sun-browned wooden houses of the Walsers.

From the Rheinbrücke, the trail runs up along the historic Splügen-Passstrasse to the first bend to the right. This is the start of the snowshoe trail marked ‘Panell’. As you stand at the foot of the Teurihorn and Schollenhorn and look back, you will be able to see the village of Splügen again. The trail then leads out of the valley and through the woods. You will keep catching glimpses of Sufers and the Sufner Kalkberge, where the Alpine scenes of Heidi, featuring Bruno Ganz, were filmed in 2015.

It’s worth looking back from the ‘Panell’ forest clearing: there are impressive views of Guggernüll, the Einshorn and the Chilchalphorn. The path continues through the forest down to Sufers Reservoir, which balances out the heavy fluctuations in inflowing water from the Rheinwald, caused by rainfall and melting snow. At the reservoir you have a choice: go back along the same path (see map) or follow the winter route around the reservoir to Sufers, then return to Splügen via the Römerweg. Alternatively, you could catch the Postbus from Sufers back to Splügen.