Mountain Biking in Lenzerheide & Arosa: The Big Trail Guide to the Bike Kingdom
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A personal, trail-by-trail guide to Switzerland's largest linked bike area — from the raw Scalottas natural-trail side over the high-alpine Rothorn terrain with The Dark Side of the Moon to the long Älplisee descent into Arosa. Written up after several days in May/June and a return in July 2026.
I'm not a bike-park rider. Not a berm-counter, not a fan of polished jumplines. What pulls me in is natural terrain: rocks in the trail, roots that catch you out, landscape that changes as you descend. And that's exactly why Lenzerheide was on my radar from the start. I'd heard plenty — about the high-alpine trails like The Dark Side of the Moon and the Älplisee, about the sheer number of trails, about the fact that the bike park is only one part of it and that there are countless touring options. I knew I could spend more than an afternoon here — and that it was exactly my kind of place.
And that's how it played out. The Bike Kingdom is far bigger than its park, and the best trails sit where almost nobody looks: on the quiet Scalottas side, up on the Rothorn in a genuine moonscape, and over in Arosa, where a single trail carries you a thousand vertical metres through three completely different landscapes.
This guide is deliberately built as a trail guide, not a tour report. First I go zone by zone through the trails — what to expect, how they ride, what to watch for. The big loop I rode is tacked on at the end as an example day, so you can see how it all strings together. And right at the bottom you'll find the complete trail list with lengths and elevation.
The Bike Kingdom Arosa-Lenzerheide at a glance
The Bike Kingdom is the brand name for Switzerland's largest linked bike network, joining three regions: Lenzerheide, Arosa and Chur. Cable cars, the PostBus and the Urdenbahn stitch it all into one network. The marketing talks about districts — ride it yourself and you quickly notice each district has its own character.
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Regions | Lenzerheide, Arosa, Chur (Graubünden) |
| Trail network | 900+ km incl. touring trails; ~177 trails listed on Trailforks |
| Elevation range | ~1,230 m (Chur) to 2,865 m (Parpaner Rothorn) |
| Bike Kingdom Park | 5 freeride lines (Rothorn side, Lenzerheide) |
| Character | World Cup park + high-alpine natural terrain, cleanly separated |
| UCI World Cup | Host since 2015; 2026 is the 10th anniversary edition, 19–21 June |
| Trailforks | Arosa Lenzerheide |
| Website | bikekingdom.ch |
Roughly, the area splits into five characters, which I ride through in order below:
Red Peaks — Rothorn side (Lenzerheide). Rothornbahn I and II, the Bike Kingdom Park, the UCI World Cup track. Right at the top, beyond the tree line, the high-alpine heart: The Dark Side of the Moon and The Great White. Machine-built, but set into real high mountains.
Western Summits — Scalottas side (Lenzerheide west). The Piz Scalottas massif, reached by chairlift from the valley. Natural high-alpine singletrack with real climbs, open alpine meadows and long descents — my personal highlight.
Bear Mountains — Parpan / Alp Stätz. The enduro-touring side: long natural trails like Alp Stätz, the infamous Handicap trail, the 602 Runda Lai and the Parpan Trail.
Arosa — Weisshorn & Hörnli. The northern endpoint, reached on the trail (Älplisee) or by the Urdenbahn. Weisshorn natural trails, the Schwellisee trail, the black Hörnli variant — often deserted.
Chur — the forgotten third side. Its own bike park and the Brambrüesch panorama, but not included in the Gravity Card and not a main reason to make the trip.
Why it's special: Most lift-served destinations in the Alps are either park or nature. Lenzerheide offers both at world-class quality, cleanly separated. The jumper and the natural-trail rider share the same lift and land in completely different worlds.
Key planning point: the Rothornbahn II
The key to the upper terrain is the Rothornbahn II (Scharmoin–Parpaner Rothorn aerial cableway). You first take the Rothornbahn I (gondola from Lenzerheide up to Scharmoin), then the Rothornbahn II to a solid 2,860 m — just below the summit of the Parpaner Rothorn (2,865 m). Up here you stand in a genuine moonscape, and this is exactly where The Dark Side of the Moon and the Älplisee descent begin.
The Rothornbahn II only opens toward the end of June — in 2026 that was 27 June. After that it runs through into autumn; the summer cable-car season ends around 25 October 2026. It runs during the day until roughly 17:00, but the last uphill on the Rothornbahn II is already around 16:30 — a bit earlier than Rothorn I. Come before that, as I did in late May, and you'll find the Scalottas side and the lower park open, but you'll miss Dark Side and Älplisee.
So for the high-alpine highlights: late June to October. For the Scalottas natural trails you don't need the Rothornbahn II — the chairlift side runs from the start of the season. Always check current times beforehand.
Zone 1 — Red Peaks: the Rothorn high country & the Bike Kingdom Park
This is the famous side: the Rothornbahn from the valley station to the mid-station Scharmoin (~1,900 m), where you drop into the bike park, or continue on the Rothornbahn II to the Parpaner Rothorn. Up top, far above the tree line, lies the most striking terrain in the whole network.
The Dark Side of the Moon 🔴
The Bike Kingdom's iconic trail, and for me one of the most impressive trails I've ever ridden, landscape-wise. It starts at about 2,820 m right below the Rothorn summit, in a moonscape of bare rock, scree and reddish stone — someone joked it's more the Dark Side of Mars. Officially around 3 km long with about 220 vertical metres of descent, deliberately built into this terrain by trail-building firm Allegra in 2025.
Technically it's red and, despite the setting, entirely rideable: a few switchbacks, a bit of rear-wheel repositioning, loose and slightly rocky ground — but not blocky. The corners are built and flow nicely, the sightlines are long, and in places it gets genuinely fast. A few but fine natural features (a rock wall, for instance). You need to be solid on the bike, but it's no puzzle. Requires the Rothornbahn II.
The Great White ⚫ (S4)
Right next door, Dark Side's serious sibling: it starts at around 2,600 m, well above the tree line, rated S4 / black on Trailforks. Rough, technical and above all rocky — again and again nearly flowy, then immediately the next rock field or the next blocked corner. A small rock garden, stone berms.
The trail opened about two years ago and has grown steadily harder through wind and weather. The scale deceives: in the vast landscape the rocks look smaller than they are. Don't underestimate it, especially the first time — the consequences of an unplanned dismount are high up here.
The Pipe 🔴
The transfer trail from the Great White / summit zone down to the mid-station. A bit flowier than Great White, but still with rock slabs in it — it keeps the character, just toned down. A short, slightly rocky flow trail that delivers you cleanly back to the start of the bike park.
Motta Express 🔴
A natural trail between the lift zones, flowy again and again but peppered with rocks and, in places, very loose ground. Watch a particular corner with thicker, very loose stones: you come in fast, miss the turn and bury the front wheel in scree — I crashed there and then got to sit and watch three more riders get caught out at the exact same spot. Demanding despite the red rating.
The Bike Kingdom Park — an honest take
Five lines forming a clear progression pyramid, all on the same lift, plus the real UCI World Cup track. The infrastructure is world class.
| Line | Difficulty | Character |
|---|---|---|
| FLOWline | Blue | Machine-built flow, jumps optional — perfect warm-up |
| PRIMEline | Red | Flow + natural sections, medium jumps; most popular line |
| SHOREline | Red | Wood and shore elements, a character of its own |
| STYLEline | Black | Big jumps, freeride features — for confident jumpers only |
| STRAIGHTline | Black (UCI) | The World Cup track — what you see on TV |
The FLOWline is rated by many as one of the best flow trails anywhere: premium berms, rollable or jumpable tables, a little jumpline, even sharkfins (rare on blue) and deliberately built-in rough rock fields. Fun at any level, fast or slow.
My honest experience in July: at the end of day 1 I rode the Prime Line and Flow Line, and they were very chewed up — brake bumps, ahoy. The Prime Line was pretty blown out. That may be down to peak season and holiday traffic, simply too busy. For me it's not the thing: a flow trail and a jumpline now and then, gladly, but when it gets as rough as an enduro track without the reward of a natural trail, it doesn't do much for me. If you're into park and progression, though, you'll find world class here.
Late shred: the park runs until 20:00 — rare in alpine bike parks. Spend the morning on natural trails and you can still fit a quiet session in the evening sun.
Zone 2 — Western Summits: the Scalottas natural trails (my highlight)
This is the area that caught me completely off guard, and the one I'd send any natural-trail rider to first. I was here for several days — late May and across several days in June — and on all of them, after a quick lap through the bike park, I went to the Scalottas side every time. By the end I'd ridden basically every trail over there.
Access is by chairlift from the valley up to around 2,300 m, riding across the lake to get there. Forest below, open alpine meadows above. The whole thing feels completely different from the park: wilder, longer, less engineered, with real counter-climbs. Not a resort but an enduro mountain. Exactly what I came for.
Top Fops 🔴
The trail I kept coming back to in my head. Red, about 3 km, a hugely fun mix of flow and rough sections: drops and rocks to pop over everywhere, with small rocky counter-climbs in between that you carry speed into if you look ahead. It's most fun once you've got the rhythm — loading and unloading in the right places, tyres briefly airborne again and again. Open alpine-meadow terrain, no artificially shaped ground. The trail answers the questions you ask, rather than asking them for you.
Scalottas Nord & Höhenweg 🔴
Seemingly endless, wide-open sightline trails with open corners and natural ground — one of the easiest and most fun trails of the day. Fast and flowing from the ridge into the valley, with huge panoramas in every direction. The Höhenweg (high traverse) runs along the ridge and delivers that 'this is exactly why I'm here' feeling.
Tgantieni 🔵/connector
The link between zones on the Scalottas side, with a short push or pedal section. What makes it worthwhile is the perspective: the traverse leads over an open ridge with a view into both valleys. On a full Scalottas loop it's the piece where you realise where you actually are on the mountain. (The Tgantieni lift is also one of the lifts most quickly reached from the Fadail campervan site.)
Alp Lavoz 🔴
A natural, 'rumbly' hiking-path trail, similar in character to Alp Stätz — nicely raw and natural. It contains one small crux, a tight corner that looks harmless on video but is tricky — arguably harder than anything on the Alp Stätz. There's a newer, slightly straighter alternative entrance (mind the tree); the original left-hand rock is nasty.
What a Scalottas day feels like
A typical run: an easy warm-up trail with small mini-climbs up to one of the many little huts, then a trickier natural trail with drops, real rock slabs and switchbacks — surprisingly good grip on the roots as long as it's dry. In half-wet conditions it gets genuinely slippery in a spot or two, and then it's: don't hammer a mud tyre into the greasy stuff, and don't fall off to the right. To finish, a dark forest trail that rattles nicely if you let it run, and down in the valley the Heidsee lake waits: feet in the sand, wash the bike.
E-MTB tip: this is exactly where the motor pays off. The traverses and links have real climbs; on the Amflow PL they were exploration rather than a slog. Totally doable on an acoustic bike — but plan for a lot more time and energy.
Zone 3 — Bear Mountains: the enduro-touring side
The Parpan / Alp Stätz side is the realm of long natural-trail tours. Here you don't ride lap after lap; you combine lift sections with pedalling and pushing into big loops.
Alp Stätz Straightline ⚫ & Höhenweg Alp Stätz 🔵
Two characters on the same mountain. The Alp Stätz Trail (Straightline) is the black line: about 3 km, roughly 600 vertical metres of descent, rumbly and natural, a proper enduro natural trail. The Höhenweg Alp Stätz is the blue variant — about 3 km, ~300 metres, much tamer, but with a traversing character and views. If you like the Scalottas natural trails, you'll be at home here.
Handicap ⚫
The trail whose name says it all: your handicap is how often you have to put a foot down. Black, quite demanding, with switchbacks, rumbly sections and lots of roots. In theory all rideable, but it demands full concentration. One clear warning everyone agrees on: don't ride it in the wet — wet tyres on dry roots (or the reverse) are borderline here.
602 Runda Lai + Parpan Trail
One of the most attractive numbered enduro tours, starting at the Rothorn summit. The upper entry comes with loose, extremely slippery rocks — don't crash into the rock field with the brakes on or the front wheel washes out. In between there's a lot of 'summit motorway': a wide gravel road that burns elevation unspectacularly, complete with cows and hikers.
The prize is the Parpan Trail at the end: a very narrow, tight singletrack where you absolutely have to stay on line or you get hung up. Watch that your derailleur doesn't catch on the rocks. A gate shortly before the finish, then the trail runs out toward the bike park. Important: the full 602 loop needs a connecting lift that's occasionally out of service — then you switch to the 634 halfway and ride only half the loop. Check lift status beforehand.
The Furcletta tour — Lenzerheide → Arosa the hard way
The Bike Kingdom's adventure route and the one that divides opinion. A multi-hour crossing over the Furcletta pass to Arosa, with real hike-a-bike. Rough figures for a complete loop: around 36 km, ~3,300 vertical metres down and ~2,300 up, a high point of 2,811 m, about 7 hours out.
The flow: take the lift up, then a demanding entry trail first (S4 in places, but counted only as a 'warm-up'), then several hundred vertical metres of pushing and carrying through high-alpine terrain, past a dried-out lake bed, over the Culmet (~2,600 m) to the next col, briefly down, then another 100 or so metres up to the Furcletta pass. The reward is the long singletrack (~8 km, a good 900 vertical metres) down toward Arosa: steep, stepped, switchbacked, partly very loose — superb at a moderate pace, the landscape 'like Canada'.
Clear warning, stressed repeatedly: do this tour only on a light bike, absolutely not an e-bike — there are passages you can't ride, where you push and carry, and the heavy e-MTB becomes a burden there. Only for alpinists with fitness and navigation skills. The Culmet trail itself is brake-intensive and slippery (my pads slowly wore through). And yes: in the reports a derailleur gets ripped off or a frame cracks — this is real high mountains, not a resort.
Do it if: you want the defining mountain day and are confident on multi-hour high tours. Don't if: you're here for park laps, on an e-bike or DH bike, or it's your first day after arriving. If you want it more relaxed, take the Urdenbahn to Arosa.
Zone 4 — Arosa: Weisshorn, Hörnli & the Älplisee link
Arosa is the northern endpoint and, for me, the second big surprise alongside Scalottas: flowier, more remote, with some of the finest natural trails in the region — and midweek often completely empty.
Älplisee Trail 🔴 (with a black final section)
For many 'possibly the best all-mountain enduro trail.' Important on sequencing: the Älplisee Trail does not start at the Rothornbahn top station — it picks up at the bottom of The Dark Side of the Moon and is its continuation toward Arosa. From there it carries you over more than 1,000 vertical metres into the valley — depending on how you count, just under 6 km of pure singletrack (Älplisee solo) or around 10 km including Dark Side.
Narrow and exposed up top, gravelly and quick to go loose — a little moisture in the trail is ideal; in bone-dry conditions the gravel turns into a ball-bearing run. Further down, vegetation takes over from the rock, the ground firms up, the exposure fades. In between there are flat breather sections with panoramas, then classic switchbacks — the tight endo-turn corners at the end are the most technical part. About two-thirds down you reach the Älplisee, a crystal-clear mountain lake at 2,156 m. The landscape transforms completely on this single descent — from moonscape over alpine meadow back into forest. At the bottom it merges into the last stretch of the Hörnli Trail back to the Hörnli Express gondola.
Schwellisee Trail 🔴 — natural tech at its best
Starting at the top of the Hörnli Express (~2,500 m), first along a breathtaking ridge that gives little away about what's coming. Several line options — 'ride it as you see it.' Early on a short climb / push, then the trail opens through an alpine meadow. The further down, the rockier: switchbacks (perfect for practising endo turns), then chunky weaving between the stones — mind your pedals and derailleur. A true natural-tech trail that lives on low speed (which is why hikers are no problem either). It saves its trickiest corners for the end, just before it runs out at the namesake Schwellisee. Needs no Rothornbahn II — it runs from the Hörnli valley station from the season start.
Weisshorn–Sattelhütte 🔴
Up with the Weisshornbahn I and II, and up top you're back in high-alpine terrain. The Weisshorn–Sattelhütte trail is 3.4 km long with 485 vertical metres of descent — absolute fun, and once you're on this side there's nobody around. A wonderful contrast to the park bustle over in Lenzerheide.
Hauptji Trail 🔴 & Ochsenalp Trail 🔴
At mid-height the Weisshorn trail splits: left goes the Ochsenalp Trail, right the Hauptji Trail. The Hauptji is superb, slippery in places, and leads back to the Weisshorn mid-station, from where a traverse brings you back to the Hörnli Express. The Ochsenalp is a lovely natural trail that later flows into the Scheideggsee Trail and takes you back into the forest.
Hörnli Trail (black variant) ⚫
From the normal Hörnli Trail a black variant branches off: more technical, very rocky, a narrower and more exposed path where you tip left or right quickly. Small challenges every few metres, but all doable — you just 'can't stop looking at the track for a second or it puts you down.' Rocky steps, steep in places, with a view of a lake. At the bottom the variant rejoins the normal Hörnli Trail. Certainly no dream for beginners, a treat for tech fans.
Kirchli / Alter Kirchweg & the connectors
Around Arosa there's more relaxed natural-trail enduro: the Kirchli Trail is a forest track with a few roots, no real downhill, more easy enduro; the Alter Kirchweg is similar, with a couple of sharp climbs and root fields. Add the connectors Maran – Seilpark and the loop around Obersee/Grünseeli, and Arosa becomes a day of its own. The Hörnli flow trail is fine if flow is your thing, but a bit vanilla — I wouldn't drive to Arosa just for it.
Back to Lenzerheide: Urdenbahn or Urdental Trail
Two options lead back from Arosa:
- Urdenbahn — the cableway spans the Urden valley. Fast and comfortable.
- Urdental Trail — partly very blocky and very steep. Even on the e-bike I struggled to get up in places; loose ground makes it hard to put the motor's power down cleanly.
After that it's the Urdenfürggli Twister (still easy, an alpine flow trail), the aforementioned Motta Express, the rather unspectacular Old Bike Attack Traverse, and finally The Pipe back to the Rothorn I top station.
Zone 5 — Chur & Brambrüesch (the short version)
Chur itself has its own facility with the Alpenbikepark Chur and the Brambrüesch panorama. But it is not included in the Gravity Card — ride the really big loop over Chur and you'll pay for the uplift there separately. Worth a mention for a half-day or a rest day from the big mountain loops, but not the main reason to travel to the Bike Kingdom.
Example day: the big Arosa loop
The individual trails are the main event — but because everyone asks how to combine them into a day, here's one complete loop from my July trip as a template.
Up with the Rothornbahn I and II, then The Dark Side of the Moon out of the moonscape, straight on into the Älplisee Trail down into Arosa (over 1,000 vertical metres, past the Älplisee). Then a big loop around Arosa: from the Hörnli valley station up to Inner-Arosa, Kirchli and Alter Kirchweg, up with the Weisshornbahn I and II, Weisshorn–Sattelhütte, the first part of Ochsenalp, then Scheideggsee back into the forest, over Maran and the Maran–Seilpark trail, around the Obersee through Arosa and, with one short climb (thank you, e-bike), back to the Hörnli Express.
Tour data (GPX, incl. gondola rides): 53.12 km · 2,756 vertical metres · 3:05 moving time. I set off at 11:30 and was back by 16:00 — with lots of photo and video stops.
⬇︎ Download GPX track — Lenzerheide–Arosa loop (Strava recording, for Komoot, Garmin & co.)
Lifts, tickets & Gravity Card
Uplift runs on the cable cars, not road shuttles.
| Lift | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rothornbahn I | Lenzerheide → Scharmoin | Main access to the Bike Kingdom Park |
| Rothornbahn II | Scharmoin → Parpaner Rothorn (2,865 m) | Opens ~27 June; access to Dark Side & Älplisee; last uphill ~16:30 |
| Scalottas chairlift | Valley → Scalottas (~2,300 m) | Natural-trail side; from season start |
| Tgantieni | Valley → Scalottas connector | Near the Fadail campervan site |
| Hörnli Express | Arosa | Main Arosa uplift; Älplisee & Schwellisee |
| Weisshornbahn I & II | Arosa | Access to the Weisshorn natural trails |
| Urdenbahn | Arosa ↔ Lenzerheide | High-alpine link between the two resorts |
Tickets come as day to multi-day passes (a little cheaper online), the Biketicket 2 RIDE for touring riders, and a season pass. The Bike Kingdom Park Lenzerheide is also part of the Gravity Card, the European multi-park season pass — valid for the entire lift network in Arosa and Lenzerheide. Exception: the Alpenbikepark Chur is not included. Current prices at bikekingdom.ch and gravity-card.com.
Important caveat: the lifts aren't perfectly chained together. Between some zones you have to pedal uphill (doable on an enduro, barely on a DH bike), and individual lifts can be out of order or closed. That's the trade-off between 'riding tours' and 'hammering trails.' The Bike Kingdom app shows all ascents and descents with difficulty ratings — highly recommended for a first visit.
Skill level — which zone for whom?
| Rider type | Best zones | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner / kids | FLOWline, Höhenweg Alp Stätz (blue), valley floor | Limited offering — not a beginner destination |
| Intermediate (blue–red) | Scalottas Höhenweg, PRIMEline, Dark Side of the Moon, Weisshorn–Sattelhütte | Plenty of accessible natural terrain; mind the alpine consequences |
| Advanced (red–black) | Top Fops, Alp Lavoz, Älplisee, Schwellisee, Alp Stätz, Motta Express | The core audience — several days of excellent terrain |
| Expert (black+) | The Great White (S4), STRAIGHTline (UCI), Handicap, Hörnli black, Furcletta | World-class park + physically demanding high mountains |
Overall picture: the Bike Kingdom is predominantly a red-black destination. The best trails sit at the upper end of the red band with real consequences — rock, roots, exposure, occasional lift gaps. Afternoon thunderstorms in July/August can change the terrain fast; start early, check the weather.
On the ground
Sleeping in the camper — Stellplatz Fadail
My base camp was Stellplatz Fadail — a large, municipally run campervan site in a very central spot in Lenzerheide, right by the Heidsee lake (around 60 pitches, some with power hookup). Toilets, showers, water fill and disposal — no luxury, but perfectly adequate, and for Swiss standards totally fair on price.
Prices (late July, one person): CHF 27.50 per night for my van; with a smaller vehicle up to 5.5 m only CHF 22.50 (varies by season and number of people). Booked online in advance — mandatory, for a maximum of four nights in a row. Put the booking confirmation visibly behind the windscreen. 2026 season: roughly 5 June to 30 August. Booking: Stellplatz Fadail.
Location: about three minutes to the supermarket by bike, and you can walk to the Heidsee (swim, or wingfoil in the afternoon wind). The chairlift right by the site wasn't running during my visit; the nearest open lifts — Scalottas and Tgantieni — are about a kilometre away, easily reached by bike. Nice side effect: lots of bikers on the site, you make contact quickly.
Food & coffee
The Weisshorn mid-station has seriously good burgers — start early in Lenzerheide and you'll be there by lunchtime. On the Hörnli expect rösti and Rivella. Add the many little huts along the trails. Swiss pricing applies: a small portion of pasta on the hut runs to around €13.
Bike shop, rental & wash station
Praised in rider circles: Aktiv Sport in Lenzerheide (good service, fair prices) and the Pesko shop for renting bikes, helmets and gear. At the Hörnli Express valley station in Arosa there's a nice bike workshop and a wash station — ideal after a day on the Älplisee, Schwellisee or Hörnli before you load the bike. E-MTBs are carried on all cable cars by standard procedure, no special reservation.
Season & conditions
| Period | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early June (before ~27 June) | Partial | Rothornbahn I + Scalottas open; Rothornbahn II closed; upper Rothorn unreachable |
| From ~27 June | Full operation | Rothornbahn II opens; Dark Side, Great White & Älplisee accessible |
| July–August | High season | Best conditions, longest days, late shred; park heavily used (brake bumps) |
| September | Excellent | Less traffic, often stable weather, full programme |
| October | Late season | Cable-car season until ~25 October; some high-alpine lifts closed |
Recommendation: for the Scalottas natural trails, late May/June is already ideal — trails set and grippy, high terrain without the August crowds. For the high-alpine highlights (Dark Side, Älplisee, Great White) from late June. September is the insider tip: everything open, fewer people.
Getting there
| From | Car | Rail / public transport |
|---|---|---|
| Zurich | ~1 h 30 min (via Chur) | Train to Chur + PostBus, ~2 h |
| Munich | ~2 h 50 min | Train via Zurich, ~4–6 h |
| Stuttgart | ~3 h 30 min | Train via Zurich/Chur |
| Vienna | ~5 h | Train via Innsbruck/Zurich, ~6–7 h |
From Chur it's about 30 minutes up to Lenzerheide; Arosa is reached separately via the mountain road or the Arosabahn from Chur (about 1 h). Important: bike reservations on the Chur–Lenzerheide PostBus are mandatory and sell out fast — pre-book via the SBB app. Using Lenzerheide as a base and reaching Arosa on the trail or via the Urdenbahn makes the most logistical sense.
Practical info
| Info | Details |
|---|---|
| Region | Graubünden, Switzerland |
| Resorts | Lenzerheide, Arosa, Chur |
| Elevation | ~1,470 m (Lenzerheide village) to 2,865 m (Parpaner Rothorn) |
| Currency | Swiss francs (CHF); cards everywhere, some cash for huts |
| Language | (Swiss) German; Romansh in parts |
| Emergency | 144 (ambulance) / 1414 (REGA air rescue) |
| Apps | Bike Kingdom app + Trailforks (download the region offline) |
| Helmet | Full-face mandatory in the park; on high-alpine natural trails at least an enduro helmet with chin bar recommended |
Weather: Graubünden is drier than the western Alps, but afternoon thunderstorms in July/August build fast, often from around 2 p.m. Rock gets extremely slippery when wet — start early, check the forecast.
My setup for this trip
- Bike: Amflow PL e-MTB
- Fork: 170 mm Öhlins RXF 38
- Shock: EXT Coil
- Tyres: Continental Kryptotal front and rear
The 170 mm is more than Scalottas formally needs — but when a natural drop you didn't quite read comes up top, the extra travel is insurance, not luxury. The Kryptotal up front was spot on for the dry rock; a fast-rolling tyre would have washed out on the diagonal slabs. The e-bike earned its keep mainly on the links and counter-climbs (Scalottas traverses, Urdental, the Arosa loop) — on pure descents you don't need the motor, but it justifies its weight on the transitions. For the Furcletta tour the opposite applies: there the e-bike is a disadvantage because of the carrying passages — take a light enduro.
Complete trail list (all 177 trails, alphabetical)
For orientation, all trails of the network listed on Trailforks with length, descent (drop) and climb — around 177 plus touring trails, here in full as a reference. Values rounded; '–' = not listed.
| Trail | Length | Descent | Climb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberwald Middle | 861 m | −17 m | 34 m |
| Alp Nova (615/616) | 857 m | −6 m | 21 m |
| Alp Sanaspans | 3 km | −474 m | – |
| Alp Sanaspans 2 | 824 m | −105 m | 1 m |
| Alp Scharmoin (#602) | 2 km | −49 m | 72 m |
| Alp Stätz (#616) | 2 km | −310 m | – |
| Alp Stätz Straightline | 3 km | −596 m | 2 m |
| Alpatobel Trail | 799 m | −126 m | – |
| Alter Kirchweg | 1 km | −48 m | 28 m |
| Back Home | 1 km | −144 m | 3 m |
| Beni's Loops | 236 m | −8 m | 7 m |
| Bot da Loz | 480 m | −88 m | – |
| Brambrüesch – Pradaschier Panorama (#606) | 2 km | −39 m | 105 m |
| Butterfly | 2 km | −181 m | 63 m |
| Bäraried (#632) | 1 km | −99 m | 10 m |
| Bärgliweg | 423 m | −108 m | – |
| Camping – Tiefencastel 3 (#242) | 926 m | −92 m | 12 m |
| Canier Egga | 1 km | −74 m | 30 m |
| Capfeders | 847 m | −23 m | 32 m |
| Carmennapass | 3 km | −588 m | – |
| Carmänna Trail I | 1 km | −257 m | 1 m |
| Carmänna Trail II | 1 km | −224 m | – |
| Churer Joch | 2 km | −511 m | – |
| Chöpfliwald | 1 km | −163 m | – |
| Chüpfer (#633) | 2 km | −300 m | – |
| Crap la Tretscha | 3 km | −83 m | 76 m |
| Crestis | 419 m | −124 m | – |
| Cross Country Südschlaufe | 933 m | −25 m | 17 m |
| Culmet | 4 km | −133 m | 527 m |
| Cunja | 597 m | −56 m | 1 m |
| Curzoin (#601) | 535 m | – | 38 m |
| Dark Side of the Moon | 3 km | −222 m | 7 m |
| Dunkler Wald | 746 m | −129 m | – |
| Ella's Flow | 149 m | −7 m | – |
| Fanüllatobel (#616) | 3 km | −426 m | 20 m |
| Fichtenwald | 931 m | −150 m | – |
| FLOWline | 2 km | −261 m | – |
| FLOWline Lower | 1 km | −116 m | 3 m |
| Follow the Ridge | 327 m | −106 m | 2 m |
| Fondei – Sapün Trail | 3 km | −349 m | 15 m |
| Furcletta | 8 km | −902 m | 6 m |
| Furggabüel | 838 m | −156 m | – |
| Furggatobel | 4 km | −808 m | – |
| Furggawald | 1000 m | −148 m | – |
| Furgglis | 572 m | −129 m | – |
| Galtialp | 2 km | −61 m | 47 m |
| Gampitobel | 2 km | −288 m | – |
| Gian's Jumps I | 194 m | −11 m | – |
| Gian's Jumps II | 63 m | −3 m | – |
| Grida Verbindungstrail | 180 m | −20 m | – |
| Grüenabüel | 1 km | −217 m | 4 m |
| Grüenseeli Uphill | 1 km | −25 m | 75 m |
| Grünseeli | 572 m | −50 m | 17 m |
| Handicap | 913 m | −121 m | – |
| Hauptertälli (90.05/631) | 2 km | −366 m | – |
| Hauptji Trail | 1 km | −141 m | 3 m |
| Heidis Hell | 198 m | −28 m | – |
| Heiterwaldi (#632) | 614 m | −19 m | 11 m |
| Homerun (613/615) | 1 km | −126 m | – |
| Höhenweg Alp Stätz (#616) | 3 km | −300 m | 3 m |
| Hörain (#635) | 1 km | −19 m | 26 m |
| Hörnli Ridge | 786 m | −119 m | 7 m |
| Hörnli Trail (711T) | 7 km | −606 m | 16 m |
| Hüehnerchöpf (#634) | 2 km | −98 m | 93 m |
| Jumpline | 124 m | −5 m | – |
| June Hütte (615/616) | 1 km | −114 m | 12 m |
| Kirchli Trail | 510 m | −29 m | 1 m |
| Kuhtanamo Access | 233 m | −35 m | – |
| Lajet (#634) | 318 m | −2 m | 16 m |
| Latschüelfurgga | 3 km | −321 m | 3 m |
| Lavoz | 792 m | −188 m | – |
| Loamer Boner | 324 m | −81 m | – |
| Lord Steepness I | 115 m | −32 m | – |
| Lord Steepness II | 259 m | −62 m | – |
| Löser | 2 km | −344 m | – |
| Maiasäss Trail (#616) | 1 km | −200 m | – |
| Maiensäss Trail | 150 m | −19 m | – |
| Malix Belvedra | 1 km | −161 m | 5 m |
| Malix Stelliwald | 995 m | −138 m | 7 m |
| Maran – Seilpark | 1 km | −101 m | – |
| Martschineun | 1 km | −113 m | 6 m |
| Medergen Bächli | 2 km | −284 m | 5 m |
| Mederger Alp (#633) | 2 km | −72 m | 7 m |
| Medregen – Langwies | 3 km | −545 m | – |
| Meiersboden | 781 m | −105 m | 8 m |
| Motta Express (#634) | 2 km | −193 m | 19 m |
| Mäder | 989 m | −137 m | – |
| No Turning Back | 495 m | −65 m | – |
| Ochsenalp Trail | 3 km | −199 m | 13 m |
| Old Bike Attack Traverse (#634) | 878 m | −56 m | 1 m |
| Palfreier | 788 m | −64 m | 23 m |
| Parpan One Way | 2 km | −423 m | – |
| Passugger | 295 m | −40 m | – |
| Passüggli (#615) | 249 m | −18 m | – |
| Pfaffalöcher | 545 m | −67 m | – |
| Pirigen Shortcut | 976 m | −233 m | – |
| Pirigen Trail | 1 km | −233 m | 2 m |
| Plessur (#632) | 771 m | −74 m | 1 m |
| Plessur to Langwies (630/631/633) | 1 km | −68 m | 45 m |
| Plessur Trail | 2 km | −156 m | 9 m |
| Pradaschierer Rodel (#613) | 322 m | – | 19 m |
| Pradaschiererwald (#613) | 1 km | −69 m | 6 m |
| Pradaschiererwald II (#606) | 865 m | −104 m | – |
| PRIMEline | 2 km | −260 m | – |
| PRIMEline (Lower) | 534 m | −93 m | – |
| Proschieri (#615) | 1 km | −57 m | 5 m |
| Pruel | 734 m | −4 m | 45 m |
| Prätschalp | 1 km | −77 m | 5 m |
| Rabiosa-Schlucht (#615) | 990 m | −127 m | 35 m |
| Rabiusa | 478 m | −41 m | 2 m |
| Ried | 414 m | −44 m | – |
| Riedwisli | 153 m | −3 m | 2 m |
| Rocks and boulders | 489 m | −136 m | – |
| Roll the Dice | 685 m | −52 m | – |
| Rot Tritt | 948 m | −83 m | – |
| Runcalier | 874 m | −301 m | – |
| Sapün | 2 km | −224 m | – |
| Scalottas (615/616) | 2 km | −125 m | 2 m |
| Schafalp | 1 km | −215 m | – |
| Scheideggsee | 889 m | −96 m | – |
| Scheideggsee-Maran | 468 m | −62 m | – |
| Schlüechtli (#616) | 664 m | −75 m | 8 m |
| Schwellisee | 2 km | −400 m | 1 m |
| Schäfermulde S1 (#616) | 156 m | −33 m | – |
| Sendeturm | 500 m | −94 m | – |
| SHOREline / STYLEline | 699 m | −86 m | – |
| Siba Brünna | 716 m | −113 m | – |
| Sirup Trail | 266 m | −60 m | 1 m |
| Soarts Aintadem (#601) | 1 km | −13 m | 16 m |
| Sot Vallos | 385 m | −51 m | – |
| Speed Needle | 836 m | −108 m | 8 m |
| Spina | 365 m | −66 m | – |
| Spina II | 215 m | −37 m | – |
| Spina Official (#634) | 685 m | −115 m | 1 m |
| Sporz Trail | 899 m | −179 m | – |
| St-Cassian (#90.07) | 1 km | −19 m | 24 m |
| Stausee Isel | 525 m | −113 m | – |
| STRAIGHTline | 2 km | −372 m | – |
| Sundroina (#601) | 420 m | −9 m | 2 m |
| Switchbacks Overkill | 2 km | −405 m | 3 m |
| Tarnatel Trail Lower | 574 m | −79 m | – |
| Tgantieni (603/616) | 566 m | −79 m | – |
| Tgapalotta | 900 m | −20 m | 23 m |
| The Great White | 3 km | −367 m | 2 m |
| The Pipe (#634) | 1 km | −120 m | – |
| Tiejer Bach | 2 km | −368 m | – |
| Tiejer Wald | 2 km | −288 m | 6 m |
| Tomeli | 558 m | −65 m | – |
| Top Fops (#616) | 3 km | −286 m | 15 m |
| Uf Wald | 1 km | – | 171 m |
| Um d'Wiese 1 (#616) | 492 m | −21 m | 28 m |
| Um d'Wiese 2 (602/616) | 234 m | −31 m | – |
| Unter Grida lower | 237 m | −64 m | – |
| Unter Grida upper | 237 m | −53 m | – |
| Upper Kuhtanamo | 291 m | −57 m | – |
| Urdenbach | 333 m | −50 m | – |
| Urdenfürggli (#634) | 369 m | −49 m | 1 m |
| Urdenfürggli Twister (#634) | 2 km | −156 m | 1 m |
| Urdensee Trail | 2 km | −239 m | 4 m |
| Urdental Alternativa | 710 m | – | 60 m |
| Urdental Trail (#634) | 2 km | −105 m | 159 m |
| Valzalära | 570 m | −107 m | 1 m |
| Waldboda | 1 km | −215 m | 7 m |
| Wanner Trail (#634) | 441 m | −10 m | 14 m |
| Wasserfall | 3 km | −327 m | 7 m |
| Weisshorn – Sattelhütte | 3 km | −485 m | 3 m |
| Zalaus | 711 m | −97 m | – |
| Zaltria Trail | 537 m | −121 m | – |
| Zalüenja | 2 km | −51 m | 12 m |
| Zerfalta - Peist | 2 km | −379 m | – |
| Zugriser (#613) | 245 m | – | 57 m |
| Zwüschet da Züna (#602) | 1 km | −69 m | 29 m |
| Äberwald Lower Part | 423 m | −21 m | 3 m |
| Äberwald Lower Part 2 (#616) | 742 m | −114 m | 1 m |
| Äberwald Upper Part (#616) | 1 km | −159 m | 20 m |
| Älplisee | 1 km | −111 m | 7 m |
| Älpliseetrail | 6 km | −625 m | 27 m |
Full interactive map with all 177 trails: Trailforks Arosa Lenzerheide.
FAQ
When does the Rothornbahn II open? In 2026 on 27 June — generally only toward the end of June, then through into autumn (cable-car season until ~25 October). Last uphill around 16:30. Before that, The Dark Side of the Moon, The Great White and the full Älplisee descent are unreachable by lift — the Scalottas side, however, is open.
Is the Bike Kingdom worth it for natural-trail riders with no park ambition? Yes, very much. Scalottas, Älplisee, Schwellisee, Alp Stätz, the Furcletta tour and the upper Rothorn are real high-alpine enduro with no jumpline character. Give yourself at least three days.
How hard is The Dark Side of the Moon? Red and entirely rideable — a few switchbacks, loose/rocky but not blocky ground. One of the most impressive trails anywhere, landscape-wise.
Is an e-MTB worth it? For most zones yes — the links and counter-climbs (Scalottas, Urdental, the Arosa loop) benefit noticeably. Exception: the Furcletta tour — there a light enduro is better because there's a lot of pushing and carrying.
How many days do I need? Three for a basic feel, five to seven to really explore the districts. You barely ride the same trail twice.
Where can I park the camper? Very centrally at Stellplatz Fadail by the Heidsee — bookable online (mandatory), max four nights, power in part, WC/shower, 2026 season until end of August. Lots of bikers on site.
Is Chur in the Gravity Card? No. Arosa and Lenzerheide are fully covered; for the uplift in Chur you pay separately.
Conclusion
On the first attempt in late May the top was closed — and still the quiet Scalottas side won me over: long, rocky natural trails over open high-alpine terrain, real climbs, no pre-shaped ground. Top Fops and Alp Lavoz are exactly the trails I'll drive a long way for. In July the upper terrain came on top: The Dark Side of the Moon out of the moonscape, the long Älplisee Trail down into Arosa, the silent Weisshorn side — often entirely to myself.
The Bike Kingdom rewards the rider who looks past the headline. The park is world class at what it does — but the best trails are up top and over in Arosa. Plan around the Rothornbahn II (from late June), give yourself at least three days, and don't be fooled by the park bustle. Scalottas side first. The rest you'll figure out yourself.
Visited: late May and across several days in June, plus 22–24 July 2026. Part of the Gravity Card Areas Explorer Tour. Trail data: Trailforks Arosa Lenzerheide. Current operating hours: bikekingdom.ch.