Summer around Gstaad

The Gstaad holiday region has more than 300 km of marked summer trails. The Lauenensee, a nature reserve lake at 1,381 m above Lauenen, is the favourite: a 3.1 km loop round the shore takes about 45 minutes and looks across to the Tungelschuss and Geltenschuss waterfalls, and you can hire a boat. For a full day, the route from the lake up to the Geltenhütte mountain hut and back past the Geltenschuss is 8.2 km with 681 m of climb, about 4 hours, with ropes and steps on one section. In summer the PostBus runs from Gstaad to the lake and is free with the Gstaad Card; the lake car park is paid and the road closes when it is full.

From the top of the Wispile gondola above Gstaad, trails lead over the Chrine to the Lauenensee and Lauenen (13.1 km, about 3 hours 50) or down to Gsteig. The Panorama Trail from Saanenmöser via Schönried to Gstaad is an easy 6.9 km. Summer 2027 opening dates for the Gstaad lifts had not been published by mid-October 2026.

Glacier 3000 is open in summer too: the Glacier Walk to the Quille du Diable and the Peak Walk suspension bridge are open all year, weather permitting. In summer the Alpine Coaster adds a 1 km rail toboggan at 3,000 m, usually from June, paid separately on site. The return cable car is CHF 95 for adults and CHF 48 for children and Half Fare, GA or Swiss Travel Pass holders. Glacier 3000's summer season pass for 2027 is valid from 1 May to 10 October. Dress warmly: Glacier 3000 advises mountain boots, a windproof jacket, sunglasses and sun cream even in July.

The 71st Menuhin Festival Gstaad runs from 16 July to 4 September 2027, with the theme Passion.

The EFG Swiss Open Gstaad, an ATP 250 tennis tournament, runs from 10 to 18 July 2027. Before it, Gstaad hosts the European Beach Volleyball Championships (CEV EuroBeachVolley) from 30 June to 4 July 2027. Country Night Gstaad, the country music festival, is on 10 and 11 September 2027.

More than 300 km of mountain-bike and e-bike routes are mapped around Gstaad, about 30 of them, from the 24.9 km Rellerli loop to the 8.6 km Wispile trail. There is no dedicated bike park. There are bike schools in Gstaad and Saanen, and several shops hire mountain bikes, e-bikes and road bikes.

The Arnensee above Feutersoey, at 1,542 m, is the swimming lake, with small bays to swim from, rowing boats, pedalos and paddleboards for hire, barbecue spots and a 3.4 km loop path. The road is tolled and the car park paid. Lac Retaud, half an hour's walk from Col du Pillon, is used for swimming and paddling in summer. At the Lauenensee you can hire a boat.

In the valley, the Saanen outdoor pool has a 25 m pool, diving boards and a large slide, open from June to early September, 09:00 to 19:30. On the 2026/27 price list entry is CHF 10 for adults and CHF 5 for children, with a reduction for Gstaad Card holders in summer.

Tandem paragliding flights run from Gstaad in summer and winter, mostly from Wispile, with Paragliding Gstaad, Alpinzentrum Gstaad and Swissraft among the operators the tourism office lists; children can fly from age 3. Over by Lake Geneva, tandem flights take off above Montreux and land by the lake.