The Swiss Parks system currently has 19 parks with varying ecological and historical significance. These parks are in alphabetical order and should be treated respectfully. Parco Val Calanca is a great place to escape. It's an outdoor experience that offers plenty of opportunities for hiking and exploring the surrounding countryside. Parco Val Calanca is designed for families and has restaurants and activities for children and adults alike.
Beverin Nature Park
The Beverin Nature Park is located in Switzerland and is a beautiful, high-altitude park home to a population of Alpine ibex, the Walser culture, and the Rhaeto-Romansh language. The highest point in the park is Piz Beverin, at 2,998 meters. The Viamala road can be accessed from Reichenau to Bellinzona and provides access to plenty of activities and sights in this fantastic park!
This historic and culturally diverse community is also home to 2,500 people in 12 villages. There are lots of activities and sights in this high-altitude park, such as hiking, biking, fishing, skiing, and snowboarding. Plus, the natural beauty of the area surrounding the park is simply breathtaking!
Binntal Landscape Park
The Binntal Landscape Park is a beautiful park located in the Swiss Alps. This park has many things to do, from hiking and biking to exploring the two on-site museums. The park is easy to get to, with a connection to the Furkastrasse, and it's open all year round.
Binntal is home to the village of Ermen and the annual Music Festival Musikdorf Ernen. The best way to explore the park is on foot or by bicycle; there are no large attractions in Binntal, just traditional settlements and plenty of hiking paths.
Hikers will see all four seasons of Switzerland from a unique perspective on this guided tour. There is an option for a guided tour or theme trail hike, which provides people with opportunities for activities and historical perspectives based on location in the park. The theme trail, The Life of Caesar Ritz, is a cultural excursion that takes visitors through some of the most beautiful areas of Binntal.
There are more than 30 hiking suggestions available in the Binntal Landscape Park, as well as bicycling tours and mountain biking trails that will suit everyone's needs. The website offers more information about the park, including some not listed below.
Chasseral Regional Park
Chasseral Regional Park is a regional nature park that has held its title since 2012. The park is located in Placer County, California, the highest point in the Bernese Jura. The artificial attractions include a mountaintop communications tower and windmills. Chasseral Regional Park covers 389 km² and has around 38,700 inhabitants.
Diemtigtal Nature Park
The Diemtigtal Nature Park is where visitors can enjoy the natural beauty of Switzerland. Plenty of activities keep people busy, including hiking and biking on the Diemtigtal House Trail, visiting the museum of carvings and paintings inside some of the houses in the valley, and playing in the park's endless water fun area. Kids will love exploring all the sluices, streams, and fountains!
Visitors can also enjoy a great biking experience through the park. And for those who love cheese, there's no better place than Switzerland's largest Alpine cheese dairy located within the park boundaries. Plus, three countries wide, this nature park offers something for everyone! Just make sure you're aware of where your next border crossing is when planning your visit.
Doubs Nature Park
The Doubs Nature Park is a beautiful park in Switzerland that offers plenty of activities for visitors. Depending on the season, you can go fishing, hiking, biking, and horseback riding in the park or enjoy various other activities. In wintertime, cross-country skiing is famous around the park's perimeter.
What makes this nature park so unique is its impressive range of landscapes. The Freiberg Mountains and Saut du Doubs Lake are particularly noteworthy, but there are many more amazing sights to see in the Doubs Nature Park. And if you're lucky, you may even see some of the animals that live there!
Parc Ela
One of the most fantastic nature parks in Switzerland is Parc Ela. The large park includes dozens of different mountains and glaciers, numerous rivers & tributaries, and an engineering marvel called "the Rhaetian Railway." This historic railway links Tirano with St Moritz via Davos, providing access for visitors from all over Europe!
The park offers something for everyone with events such as music festivals and excursions focused on different aspects of nature. There are three different excursions available from this park which cover more than one type of animal or bird-related activity: "Unterhaltung" and "Geschichte der Wald-Parzellen und Baumkulturen" (History of forest areas & tree cultures) and "Wald- und Gartenbau" (Forestry and gardening)
The park is located in the municipality of Arosa, situated on the shores of Arosa Lake, which is a part of the much larger Lake Constance. The park is open all year round, and visitors have many different activities, including hiking, cycling, and fishing.
The park also has various events, including art exhibitions, concerts, and open-air theatre performances for visitors.
UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch
The UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch is a beautiful area in the southwestern part of France. This region is known for its nature excursions, children's trails, and the 80-kilometer Moorlandschaftspfad. In addition, the Entlebuch Biosphere is also a Canton of Lucerne park that was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 2008. It covers an area of 395 km and is one of Switzerland's regional nature parks.
Gantrisch Nature Park
Gantrisch Nature Park is located on the outskirts of Bern, Fribourg, and Thun. If you're looking for a nature park to explore that has an easy-to-access location, Gantrisch Nature Park is a great option. This park surrounds Gantrisch Lake, making it perfect for hikers, bikers and sunbathers. In addition, there are small towns and hamlets in the park for visitors who want to take a break from the outdoors.
Check out their website if you want to learn more about Gantrisch Nature Park or need contact information. There you can find everything from a map of the location to pictures and contact details.
Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut Regional Natural Park
Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut regional natural park is an area in the Swiss Alps. This park was founded on December 5, 1997, and has a total size of 297 km², with its headquarters located within Château d'Oex municipality but extending into Gryon, Les Avants Saanen Villeneuve.
The park is home to various animals, including deer, chamois, ibex, red deer, and wild boar. There are also many birds, such as the golden eagle, bearded vulture, and ptarmigan. The park is open to the public year-round and has several hiking and mountain biking trails.
Jorat Nature Discovery Park
The Jorat Nature Discovery Park is a recent addition to the Swiss nature parks, but it's already a favorite among visitors. This park offers a unique experience for travelers, as it can be reached by trains and buses from Lausanne. What's more, the park is small but mighty--offering 9 square kilometers of outdoor recreation!
This "nature discovery park" has something for everyone. Visitors can enjoy hiking and biking trails, fishing, and bird watching in the many ponds and lakes spread throughout the park. The Jorat Nature Park is also home to some interesting historical sites, like an old castle dating back to the 13th century. Plus, with wildlife ranging from deer to badgers, this park is perfect for nature lovers of all kinds!
One great thing about the Jorat Nature Discovery Park is that a single municipality owns it. This means travelers will have an easier time reaching it than some of Switzerland's other nature parks. What's more, the park is open from April to October--so there's plenty of time to visit! Just be sure to pack your hiking boots; this little-known park packs a lot of punch.
Aargau Jura Park
The Aargau Jura Park is a beautiful nature park near Basel and Zurich. Visitors can explore the villages in the park and taste some of the delicious regional food. The park is served by PostBus, which can be found on Route 3 and the Bözbergerstrasse.
La Route Verte is a tour of the six Swiss parks of the Jura Arc. Aargau and Thal are included in La Route Verte's itinerary. The price includes admission to all six parks on this route, with some compulsory activities and camping fees incurred upon entry into each park and food provided by your guide/translator throughout the trip. "rail transfer and pre-night stay."
Jura Vaudois Nature Park
The Jura Vaudois Nature Park is a 531-square-kilometer park in Switzerland. The park has 30 small communities and 200 Alpine chalets. The Lake Geneva border creates the western boundary of the park. The Jura Vaudois Nature Park is accessed by train and bus. Hiking in the Jura Vaudois Nature Park is a great way to get off your feet and take time out for reflection.
Many trails vary from short jaunts up high with breathtaking views to long hikes below, where you can see everything clearly and experience nature at its most raw! A popular activity among visitors here, hiking deals mostly with original sites-you'll never be disappointed by what this area has on offer!
Pfyn-Finges Nature Park
The Pfyn-Fingers Nature Park is a beautiful park located in Switzerland. Between Gampel and Sierre, the park is situated on the Rhône River and has plenty to offer visitors. There are walking trails, a Tibetan swinging bridge, Alpine peaks, and the Rhone landscape available to explore here!
In addition to its natural beauty, the park is also rich in history. There are 12 villages within the park, many of which contain castles and vineyards. The altitude ranges from 530 meters to 4153 meters above sea level in this picturesque Valais canton of Switzerland.
The Pfyn-Finges Nature Park Visitor Center offers guided tours for those who want to learn more about this enchanting area. Various outdoor activities are available, such as biking, hiking, fishing, and camping! So be sure to visit Pfyn-Finges Nature Park on your next trip to Switzerland!
Schaffhausen Regional Nature Park
The Schaffhausen Regional Nature Park is Switzerland's only international nature park. The park headquarters are in Wilchingen, offering multiple routes into the park, most notably Trasadingerstrasse (Route #13). This small town can be reached by train or car, with half-timber houses lining traditional villages within its borders.
The Schaffhausen Regional Nature Park provides various modes of transport to reach communities within its boundaries. It is best to drive via Schaffhausen; however, it can also be reached by public transport. There is a Route Verte bike tour and Randentour. The park's highest point is only 900 meters above sea level, making it ideal for long walks or leisurely bike rides.
The Untersee und Rhein Schiffahrtsgesellschaft is a company that provides boat tours of the Rhine River, with trips lasting up to four hours and costing roughly $8 USD per person (these tickets are also available for purchase online).
Swiss National Park
The Swiss National Park is the oldest in Switzerland, founded in 1914. It is located in Zernez and covers an area of 172 square kilometers. The park has a visitors center that offers a museum and guided hikes, with easy accessibility for families. The center is also the park's departure point for hikes and excursions. There are many castles in the park and permanent and changing exhibitions about natural history at the visitors' center in Zernez, Switzerland's train station.
There are hiking trails, nature trails, and excursion destinations throughout the Swiss National Park. Visitors can find information about camping spots, food and water sources, etc., on the national park's website before their visit.
Thal Nature Park
The Thal Nature Park is located in the north of Switzerland and is known for its meadows, forests, and gorges. It's a popular destination for city-dwellers looking to escape the city life's hustle and bustle. The park has a variety of hiking and biking trails that cover the area, making it the perfect place to visit on a weekend trip.
The park office is located in Balsthal, which makes it easy to get to from the rest of Switzerland. In addition, you can take trains to other locations in the country and then walk or bike to the park.
The Weissenstein mountain peak is visible from most parts of the reserve, so you can enjoy spectacular views of Solothurn and its surroundings while you're there. There are also many ruins on trails that make up a nature reserve, providing historical insight into the area's past inhabitants.
UNESCO Biosfera Engiadina Val Müstair
The Val Müstair biosphere is a UNESCO site and home to more than 30% of the Swiss population. One road can access the park, and buses serve the biosphere. The biosphere is located in Graubünden, Switzerland. There are plenty of hiking opportunities in the area, and visitors can learn weaving, mine tours, or donkey trekking.
The Val Müstair biosphere is known for its rural traditions with organic farms and handicrafts, but it also has some historic towns that are well worth visiting as part of your trip here.
Wilderness Park Zürich
The Zurich Sihlwald Wilderness Park is a popular recreational area for the people of Zurich. The ideal way to explore it is on foot, bike, or horseback.
The website has 360° panoramic images, which allow you to explore the park before your visit. There are guided tours, walks, and lectures available through the site.
Parco Val Calanca
Parco Val Calanca is a Swiss nature park near Zurich. The park can be reached by cable car and is open during summer. The park is home to many wild animals, including deer, ibex, and marmots. The park is located in the Italian-speaking part of Graubuenden, Switzerland.
Further, the park is a great place to go for a day out. The park is perfect for an afternoon or a weekend away from home. In addition, Parco Val Calanca is situated in the Dolomiti d'Oro National Park and encompasses an area of over 8,000 hectares.
Parco Val Calanca offers unspoiled landscapes and diverse wildlife. Goats and sheep also live on the mountain slopes of the park, enriching the picturesque landscape. Visitors can explore the park on hikes or bike rides or enjoy a picnic in one of the many secluded areas.
Conclusion
If you're looking for a nature escape, Switzerland has no shortage of parks. From the alpine peaks of Uebelhart to the Val Calanca countryside, there's something for everyone in these natural spaces. Why not take advantage of this summer and explore one (or all) of these parks? Each has unique features that are sure to make for an unforgettable experience.
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