recommended route
Saas Valley Trail
Mountain Bike
· Valais
-
Saas-Balen ChurchPhoto: Saastal Marketing
From Saas-Balen, this route takes you into the Saas Valley to the summit of the Mattmark dam, offering a wide variety of difficulty levels, landscapes and nature.
moderate
Distance 14.6 km
2:21 h
718 m
0 m
2,205 m
1,487 m
On this tour you ride from Saas-Balen through the entire lower Saas Valley up to the Mattmark dam. The varied route is 15 kilometres long and you will cover over 700 metres in altitude. If you still have energy at the dam, you can add the lake circuit after a break in the Mattmark restaurant. The alpine landscape will impress you.
Author’s recommendation
From “Zer Meiggeru”, enjoy the romantic wilderness of the nature around you.
Difficulty
S1
moderate
Technique
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Highest point
Mattmark dam, 2,205 m
Lowest point
Saas-Balen, 1,487 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Track types
Forested/wild trail
8.6 km
Road
6 km
Rest stops
Mattmark RestaurantSafety information
Use marked bike trails and routes only, making sure you observe all signposting. Kindly close gates after passing through. Please be considerate to walkers, as well as to plants and animals. As a rule, walkers have priority. When planning, take into account participants’ fitness level and ability. All riding is at one’s own risk.Tips and hints
More information about the destination:
Start
Church in Saas-Balen (1,487 m)
Coordinates:
SwissGrid
2'637'708E 1'111'439N
DD
46.153376, 7.926729
DMS
46°09'12.2"N 7°55'36.2"E
UTM
32T 417124 5111648
w3w
///trees.multiply.harmlessly
Destination
Mattmark dam
Turn-by-turn directions
The mountain bike route starts at the church in Saas-Balen and climbs along the right bank of Visp. Shortly after Saas-Balen, the path turns off to the right and weaves its way through the pastures until "Bidermattu". Pass through the hamlet and follow the path until you reach the river. On the right bank of the river, you'll pass through Saas-Grund, followed by “Zer Briggu” and “Unner de Bodme”. As you exit the last village, the path turns off to the right and gently climbs the hillside in the direction of “Biele”, before descending towards the local textile shop in Saas-Almagell. Alternatively, you can also follow the path along the stream. From the local textile shop, you'll arrive in “Zer Meiggeru”. From here, follow the asphalt road to “Eiju Sand”. On the right bend before the bridge, continue straight along the path, cross the road and follow the bends until you reach the dam. If you like, you can continue to follow the uphill road. But be careful – this last section is very difficult.
Note
all notes on protected areas
Public transport
Take the SBB train to Visp and then the postal bus towards Saas-Fee. Alight at the Saas-Balen village stop.
Getting there
Take the cantonal road to Visp. At the roundabout by the Landbrücke bridge, turn south on the road for Saas-Fee and Zermatt. If driving from Raron, take the second exit at the first roundabout before Visp and drive through the Visp tunnel (Vispertaltunnel), heading south. Both routes lead you south up the Saas valley. At the “Killerhof” roundabout (after Stalden), take the second exit towards Saas-Fee and follow the road towards Saas-Balen.Parking
Public parking available in Saas-Balen, directly to the right after the bridge.Coordinates
SwissGrid
2'637'708E 1'111'439N
DD
46.153376, 7.926729
DMS
46°09'12.2"N 7°55'36.2"E
UTM
32T 417124 5111648
w3w
///trees.multiply.harmlessly
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike
Book recommendation by the author
The tourist offices in Saas-Balen and Saas-Almagell have a range of brochures and other informative material about mountain biking in the region.
Author’s map recommendations
SwissTopo Maps 1:25'000: 1329 Saas
Equipment
We recommend: a bike in excellent working order, a helmet, gloves and a bell, clothing suitable for the weather (always carry a waterproof), food and drink.Difficulty
S1
moderate
Distance
14.6 km
Duration
2:21 h
Ascent
718 m
Highest point
2,205 m
Lowest point
1,487 m
Statistics
2D
3D
Maps and trails
- 5 Waypoints
- 5 Waypoints
Distance
km
Duration
: h
Ascent
m
Descent
m
Highest point
m
Lowest point
m
Questions and answers
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Photos from others