Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland: Staubbach, Trümmelbach and the 72 Waterfalls

Lauterbrunnen sits on the floor of a deep glacial trough in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland, between Interlaken and the Jungfrau massif. Sheer limestone walls rise on both sides, meadows and chalets fill the valley floor, and 72 waterfalls pour over the cliffs, which is why the place is known as the valley of 72 waterfalls.

The valley of 72 waterfalls

Ice Age glaciers carved the valley into a classic U shape, leaving side valleys hanging high above the main floor. Streams from those hanging valleys now spill over the rim, and after spring snowmelt or a summer thunderstorm the walls stream with water. The White Lütschine river runs down the middle of the valley towards Interlaken.

The village gives access to the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage area, and the car-free mountain villages of Wengen and Mürren sit on the terraces above it, on opposite sides of the valley.

Staubbach Falls: 297 metres of spray

Staubbach Falls drops about 297 metres from an overhanging cliff just west of the village, making it the highest free-falling waterfall in Switzerland. Its name means "dust stream" in German, and it fits: most of the water turns to mist long before it reaches the meadow below. The fall is at its fullest after rain and early in the season, when snowmelt feeds it, and it is lit up at night in peak season.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited in 1779, and the waterfall inspired his poem "Gesang der Geister über den Wassern" ("Song of the Spirits over the Waters"). A short walk from the village centre brings you to its foot.

Trümmelbach Falls and the other great waterfalls

• Trümmelbach Falls: ten glacier waterfalls thundering through gorges inside the mountain, reached by a tunnel lift. They drain the glaciers of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau and carry up to 20,000 litres of water per second.
• Mürrenbach Falls: below Mürren, often listed as Switzerland's highest waterfall, falling in several cascades. It is best after the spring melt and summer storms.
• Schmadribach Falls: about 270 metres high in several steps, near the head of the valley beyond Stechelberg.

Getting to Lauterbrunnen and getting around

Lauterbrunnen lies at about 800 metres and is a short train ride from Interlaken Ost on the Bernese Oberland Railway. From the village:

• The cogwheel railway climbs to car-free Wengen and on to Kleine Scheidegg, the starting point for the Jungfraujoch, with views of the Eiger north face and the Aletsch Glacier.
• A cable car rises to car-free Mürren, from where another continues to the Schilthorn and its revolving Piz Gloria restaurant.
• Hundreds of marked trails cross the valley floor and the terraces above, many with free barbecue spots.

Summer and early autumn are best for waterfalls and hiking. In winter the valley becomes the gateway to the ski areas of Wengen and Mürren; the enclosed Trümmelbach Falls open only in the warmer months, so check dates before you go.

For another valley with a strong seasonal character, explore the Clarée Valley in autumn. For mountain water in Italy, compare Lago di Braies. The same cliffs star in Marshall Miller’s foggy BASE-jump film.

Related reading

• The Cambrian in Adelboden: Mountain Views, Spa Time and a Better-Planned Stay
• Bern in Winter: Old-Town Walks, Seasonal Lights and Time Indoors
• Furka Pass: The Mountain Road, Its Seasonal Limits and the Journey Around It
• 15 Swiss Ski Resorts: Compare the Villages, Terrain and Connected Areas
• Solvay Hut on the Matterhorn: A Shelter Reserved for Emergencies
• Sphinx Observatory at Jungfraujoch: The Science Behind the Famous View
• The Matterhorn Through the Day: Twelve Photographs, One Remarkable Mountain

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