The Viamala Hike we did some weeks ago was amazing - delivering exactly what various reports have promised. It’s definitely recommended and not crowded at all except for the main part where you need to pay an entry fee (4 CHF / person in 2019).
We parked the car in Thusis and used primarily the GPX file from this side since the entry point of the hike was a little bit confusing to find. There are various versions to hike the Viamala Gorge obviously.
In the beginning views like above are the normal case and the trail is indeed well maintained. The first highlight is the Traversina Steg - an impressive rope bridge which you need to cross in order to continue.
Later on, the gorge gets more narrow and the views more spectacular. If you want, you can skip the part in the middle where you need to pay an entry fee, though it’s interesting to walk on the trails built directly into the sheer rock walls.
On a hot day, the upper parts of the trail offer great bathing possibilities where you can jump into the clear and cold water. Even making a short BBQ is not a problem close to the river. In case you speed up, you can do this trail in 3 hours and end your trail in the town of Zillis. From there they have direct buses back to the train station of Thusis on an hourly basis.
All in all a heavily recommended trail - I’m looking definitely forward to hiking the upper part of the gorge which can be found here.
Pictures
