The Arosa Squirrel Trail in Autumn and Winter

Located at the end of the Schanfigg valley lies the village of Arosa, which is one of the best locations to feed squirrels in Switzerland, specifically at the Arosa Squirrel Trail.

This easy, family friendly (with stroller) hike is perfect for all the family to hike and spot the squirrels, as well as to feed them their favourite hazelnuts and walnuts. There are many hiking options, but the main trail is only 35 minutes long (one way) and starts right in the village.

The reason we have titled this post Autumn and Winter is because we visited for an Autumn weekend in Arosa during mid October 2025 – but it was also the first weekend of snow. So you can see from our photos both seasons!

The Arosa Squirrel Trail

The trail is located in Arosa, in the canton of Grisons, Switzerland. The village is located at 1,775 metres above sea level with the trail at the same elevation.

The highest peak in the area is the Weisshorn at about 2,653 metres, which you can also enjoy after visiting the local squirrels.

How To Get To Arosa

If arriving by train, its best to first make your way to Chur and then from there you can take the Rhaetian Railway to Arosa. The route is very scenic up the valley. The trail begins only a few hundred metres above Arosa train station, which is perfect if visiting for just a day trip.

If arriving by car, we can recommended the parking at the car park Ochsenbühl, which is only about 200 meters from the Arosa station and hike too. Else in the village you will see other signposts for other parking locations near the lake or further around the village.

Hike Details

Here are the hike details based on a one way journey:

Duration: 35 minutes
Length of hike: 1.98km
Elevation difference: 100m
Komoot route: details here

Arosa Squirrel Trail Route Map

Below is the map route from Komoot, which you can see takes you from the centre of the village to the forest area and along.

Important: Stay on the trail and do not wander into the forest off the marked route.

Point 1 – Start Point

The start point of the hike is from right in the Arosa village, which is close to both the public train/bus services and otherwise a car park nearby. However you can of course also consider joining it half way in or from the end point and returning back to the village, based on where your accommodation is or preferred starting point.

Point 2 – Waterfall

This part of the hike is very scenic, with the clear waterfall water running from the forest and under the pathway to the lower area of Arosa. We didn’t spot any squirrels at this spot and could only hear the water running past, but I’m sure they were nearby watching us!

Point 3 – Barbecue and playpark area

For those with little ones who want to play, or for the older ones who want to eat, this is the perfect little stop in the forest. They have a special barbecue area for cooking your own food, alongside seating and a table area. Then also a play area with interactive boards and climbing frames.

Visiting Tips

Here are a few tips and suggestions for your visit to the Arosa Squirrel Trail:

Consider extending your hike

You can consider making this a longer hike, by first heading to the middle station of the Weisshornbahn (where the Arosa Bear Sanctuary is located), and hike down the mountain from that point. It’s also fairly walkable for all ages on a dirt pathway. This addition to the hike would make it around 7.5 km one way, which is about 3 hours total for the hike.

Safe Nuts

Bring only suitable nuts and seeds that are safe for squirrels (and the birds). We did our research beforehand and the Swiss Tourism Board also confirms that you should feed the squirrels with walnuts and hazelnuts best, which are both plain and unpeeled.

You can buy walnuts and hazelnuts at most supermarkets, but in Arosa you can also find nuts being sold at a few locations, such as at some local hotels. We saw a bag of nuts also being sold at the Arosa Bear Sanctuary that you could buy while doing the longer hike from here.

Electronics

If like us you want to take photos and videos of the squirrels, make sure your phone/camera is charged up and that you have space on your phone/SD cards. You will have plenty of opportunities to take photos up close to the squirrels and birds, providing some amazing shots!

Timing

As one of the most important visiting tips, the timing of when you hike this route matters. We suggest to enjoy the hike either in the Early morning (around sunrise or just after) and late afternoon (before sunset). Since this is when squirrels can be most active, after waking up or before going to bed.

We did the hike a few times, first around noon lunch time and we saw only 1 squirrel.

Whereas the second time we went after breakfast from our hotel, so it was around 9:30am. This time we saw over 6 squirrels in one spot, as well as many more squirrels along the whole route. So around 20 squirrels in total!

Best Seasons to See Squirrels

1. Spring (March–May):

This is the peak activity season. This is one of the best times to spot squirrels.
They’re busy foraging after winter, building nests, and caring for their first litters of babies (usually born in early spring).
You’ll see them darting through trees and chasing each other often.

2. Fall (September–November):

Another excellent season to see them.
They’re gathering and burying nuts for winter (“caching”), so you’ll see lots of energetic, visible activity.
Their fur also thickens and changes darker/thicker.

This is the season we visited the Arosa Squirrel Trail, which was the first weekend of snow in the valley. So the squirrels were in Autumn mode but already dancing and enjoying the first snow of the season, so they were also already burying some nuts that we gave them!

3. Summer (June–August):

Still active, but during cooler parts of the day.
In hot weather, squirrels rest more in the shade or their nests to avoid heat stress.

4. Winter (December–February):

Less active, but not always hibernating.
You can still spot them on mild, sunny days, especially late morning when temperatures rise a bit.

Where To Stay In Arosa

For those wanting to enjoy the Arosa Squirrel Trail and the village of Arosa for longer than 1 day, we suggest staying at the Arosa Vetter Hotel. We stayed here for 1 night and it was absolutely perfect. The staff are very welcoming and the location is within 5 minutes to the trail, as well as being in the village and next to the gondola to the mountains and bear sanctuary. They have a few different rooms available and all include the buffet breakfast. They also have an onsite restaurant, which was so delicious with seasonal dishes!

Read our full review here: A Cozy Autumn Getaway at Arosa Vetter Hotel