Around the Mattmark reservoir in Saastal valley
The reservoir may be man-made, but the surrounding scenery has retained all its natural grandeur. The slopes to the west lead up to two of the valley’s mightiest glaciers, the Allalin and the Schwarzberg, which adorn the slopes of the Allalinhorn and neighbouring 4,000-metre peaks. At the southern tip of the lake, a trail leads up to the Monte Moro Pass on the border with Italy, marked by a golden statue of the Madonna.
At the crest of the dam, the friendly restaurant provides a handy stop for refreshments before or after the walk. The visitor centre offers an interesting insight into this innovative green energy scheme. The reservoir can hold 100 million cubic metres of water. Hydroelectric power stations further down the valley can generate nearly enough electricity for all the households in Valais. Thanks to the Mattmark and about 40 other dams in Valais, about 30 per cent of all hydropower in Switzerland is generated in this one canton alone.
However, construction of the dam took a heavy human toll. On 30 August 1965, part of the Allalin Glacier high above the construction site detached. About 2 million cubic metres of rock and ice came crashing down, burying the canteen and staff accommodation under up to 50 metres of debris. In all, 88 workers lost their lives.
Today, the valley is once again a place of tranquillity. Walkers have a good chance of spotting local wildlife along the trails around the reservoir: bring binoculars as well as a hand lens to admire local wild flowers.
Highlights:
- Leisurely walk with few climbs around a scenic reservoir
- Restaurant by the dam, interesting visitor centre
- High-altitude (2,200 m) mountain terrain, good chances of spotting wildlife
Author’s recommendation

Track types
Rest stops
Mattmark RestaurantSafety information
Use of the trails and the information on this website is at hikers’ own risk. Local conditions may entail changes to routes. Valais/Wallis Promotion accepts no liability for the accuracy and completeness of information on this website.For all hikes:
- Bring a map. Download full description of this route including large-scale map by clicking on “Print” icon, top right of this page.
- Use marked trails only, and observe all signposting – for your own safety, to safeguard grazing animals and to avoid disturbing wildlife.
- Close gates after passing through.
- Please be considerate to other trail users, and to the plants and animals.
- Do not leave any waste in nature.
For mountain hikes:
- Take extra care protecting yourself from the sun at altitude. UV radiation can be exceptionally strong, even in cloudy weather.
- Plan hike carefully: take into consideration fitness level of each participant, weather forecast and season.
- Weather conditions can change quickly in the mountains, without warning. Appropriate clothing is therefore essential, along with adequate supplies of food and water. In uncertain weather, turn back in good time.
For high-altitude hikes:
- Inform others of the route you plan to take. Whenever possible, avoid going alone.
- Do not venture onto glaciers without a mountain guide.
- Take note of the warning signs that point out the constant danger in river beds and along watercourses below dams and reservoirs: water levels may rise rapidly without warning.
Tips and hints
More information about the destinations:Start
Destination
Turn-by-turn directions
Note
Public transport
Train to Visp. Change on to postal bus for Saas-Fee, alight at Saas-Grund. Change on to postal bus for Mattmark (final stop). Find full timetable information at sbb.ch.Getting there
A9 motorway and main road up the Rhône valley to Visp. Turn south up the Vispertal valley, and at Stalden turn left up the Saastal valley. At Saas-Grund, instead of taking the turning for Saas-Fee, continue further up the valley through Saas-Almagell and follow the road all the way to the end – at the Mattmark dam.Parking
Car park near crest of Mattmark dam.Coordinates
Book recommendation by the author
Author’s map recommendations
Equipment
We recommend:- good footwear
- clothing suitable for the weather: always carry a waterproof jacket
- hat or cap
- sunscreen
- bottle for water, picnic
- camera
- hiking poles (optional)
- printout of this hike (click “Print” icon, top right, to download)
For certain hikes:
- Swimwear
Statistics
- 4 Waypoints
- 4 Waypoints
Questions and answers
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Rating
Photos from others