Circular hike to Cabane des Aiguilles Rouges and Lac Bleu
Arolla
-4/4°
Panorama-rich route from Arolla up to the mountain hut «Cabane des Aiguilles Rouges», down to the strikingly blue water of Lac Bleu, and back to Arolla via a geologically interesting path.
Difficulty
DifficultLength
14.01 kmDuration
5:30 h
Description
This hike above Arolla promises an exciting experience in alpine terrain with spectacular views, fascinating geology, and a rich alpine flora.
The hike begins in Arolla, the village named after the Arolla pine (French = arolle). The aromatic wood of the tree is said to help with falling asleep: beds are made from the wood of the tree, and the chips generated are often used as pillows. The tree spreads thanks to the nutcracker bird. The bird opens the Arolla pine cones with its beak and stores the seeds in the ground as a winter supply. Occasionally, it forgets the location of its storerooms – thus some seeds slowly develop into trees.
The path leads upwards from the village and soon passes the tree line, where the ascent continues towards the Cabane des Aiguilles Rouges hut. The hut lies at the foot of the impressive mountain range "Aiguilles Rouges d’Arolla" and offers guests a breathtaking view of the valley.
A little further down you will reach the Lac Bleu surrounded by Arolla pines. A spring, fed with glacier water, is located just above the mountain lake. The water flows directly into the blue lake via a waterfall.
The last part of the hike back to Arolla leads over a geological theme trail that showcases the diversity of rocks and minerals in the valley. Visitors have access to a free map or app «GéoGuide Val d’Hérens». The tourism office in Arolla also provides additional map material.
Highlights of the hike:
- Fragrant Arolla pine & larch forests.
- Cabane des Aiguilles Rouges with genuine hospitality and spectacular views.
- The mountain lake Lac Bleu with its striking blue color and impressive waterfall.
Turn-by-turn directions
The path begins with a zig-zag ascent from the village of Arolla and then steadily climbs over 800 metres in altitude to the Cabane des Aiguilles Rouges hut at 2821 m above sea level. A small refreshment in the hut is just right here. After another short ascent, the steep descent towards Lac Bleu begins immediately. The path leads back to Arolla along the tree line in a southerly direction.
The last section from Lac Bleu to Arolla follows the excursion B of the book «Géoguide Val d’Hérens»
Start
Arolla, village (1989m)
Destination
Arolla, village (1989m)
Author's recommendation
Technical information
Altitude
2835m
1989m
Ascent
+928m
Descent
-929m
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Best time of the year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Tags
Public transport
Regular train connections from all over Switzerland to Sion. From there, the post bus goes via Les Haudères (change required) to Arolla. Timetables for trains and post buses can be found at sbb.ch.
Approach
Parking
Source
This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion
