The Berglistüber Waterfall, Switzerland

The Berglistüber Waterfall, also spelt Bärglistüber, is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Switzerland. While it is not really a hidden gem, it is a gem but a gem nonetheless. Located in the canton of Glarus on the road to the Klausen Pass, this is a must-stop if you are in the area. It’s an easy, short walk from a parking spot right next to the road. Couldn’t be any easier for a beautiful walk in nature!

The Berglistuber Waterfall from the cave behind it

This waterfall along the Fatschbach river is a bit of a geological beauty too. Technically part of the Unesco Sardona tectonic Arena, it’s possible to walk all the way around behind the waterfall to the other side of the river. Carefulness is required though since it is wet and slippery in the cave behind the waterfall. Still, like all the waterfalls you can walk behind, Berglistüber too offers an amazing experience.

Because of its shape and because you can walk behind it, this waterfall resembles another more famous waterfall in Iceland. That would be even more so if it wasn’t for the trees; can you guess which waterfall I am referring to :)? I am pretty sure you do!

Table of Contents

Overview of The Berglistüber Waterfall Hike

This is an easy short walk, but carefulness is required if you decide to hike behind and around the waterfall. It can be slippery and/or muddy

Like all the waterfalls you can walk behind, Berglistuber offers an amazing experience.

How to Get to The Berglistüber Waterfall and Parking

• Driving Directions: if you are coming from the Klausenpass. if you are coming from the Canton of Glarus, you would have to take the road leading you up to the Klausen Pass. Note however that when the Klausenpass is closed for the winter, you can only access Berglistüber Waterfall from the Canton of Glarus.
• Parking: free parking is available at the trailhead. the parking area is in between two blind turns, so practice caution when arriving or when leaving.
• Public Transport: It is possible to get here by public transport in the summer. There is a bus stop right by the trailhead too, the Linthal, Bergli Stop. In summer, Bus 408 between Linthal, Bahnhof and Flüelen, Bahnhof stops here crossing the Klausenpass. So you could get here from Either the station in Linthal or Flüelen and hop off at the Bergli Stop. However, Linthal is much closer so if you are coming for the waterfall it is the best option. The bus ride from Flüelen crosses the whole Klausen pass;

View from the side opposite the viewing platform.

The Berglistüber Waterfall Trail

From the parking area, you will see the trailhead right in the middle of the hairpin turn on the road. From there it is a short five minutes walk to the waterfall, on a well-maintained trail.

You will hear the roaring sound of the falling water well before you see the waterfall. This help builds a bit the anticipation of seeing this beauty of nature. Once you’ve reached the main viewing platform in front of the waterfall, you would have to cross a gate, at your own risk, to talk behind the waterfall. It’s possible to get to the opposite side, although the further you go, the narrower and steeper the paths get. This part of the trail isn’t maintained and, as already mentioned, it can be slippery. Carefulness is required.

While the walk is short, I would recommend allocating about 30 minutes to visit and enjoy the waterfall properly. Time will fly here!

View from the main platform. For a greater sense of scale, note the two visitors behind the waterfall on the left-hand side of the photo.

Berglistüber Waterfall Photos and Photography tips

The Berglistüber Waterfall is a fun location to photograph. Compositionally speaking there are plenty of choices here if you walk behind the waterfall.

However, The Berglistüber Waterfall isn’t a super easy waterfall to photograph, for a few reasons:

• First of all the light: the waterfall is encased in the woods and in a narrow gorge that gets very little light. This means that, unless you are visiting on a cloudy day, the waterfall will be in the shadows for most of the day. Mornings don’t work well. I’ve had the best light early to mid-afternoon. If you want to catch the best light, check one of the sun position calculators or apps before going.
• Second of all, crowding: this is a super easy location to get to and you should expect to have people around. To give you an idea, I went there at 7:30 AM one morning and three guys cowboy were camping in the cave behind the waterfall. While they must have had a very miserable, humid night, this is to say you may need to wait a bit to get a clear shot.
• Third of all, water spray: like all the waterfalls you can walk behind, there is a good amount of water spray you will have to deal with. Still, it highly depends on wind and wind direction but you should assume there will be some.

Berglistüber on a cloudy day in early spring

Berglistüber in the early afternoon on a summer day

Panoramic image of three vertical frames

Also a panoramic image of three vertical frames

The Berglistuber Waterfall from the cave behind it

Can you see the “campers” on the right-hand side?

Map of the Hike

Where to stay

This is a location you can easily include in any itinerary in the area without the need for an overnight stay. However, there are a few options nearby. in terms of camping, there are plenty of choices higher up on the pass with several farms offering camping places for motorhomes, vans, or tents alike. Your best resource here will be the official Glarnerland Tourism website.

Additional Resources

• If you are travelling across the scenic Klausenpass, I’d highly recommend considering two additional stops; a Hike to the Griesslisee, a glacial lake above the Klaunsenpass, and a Hike to Staubifall, another stunning waterfall on the other side of the Klausenpass.
• Here are two other amazing Swiss waterfalls: The Engstligen Falls and Staubbachfall.
• Check out my main Switzerland page for more hikes and an overview of hiking in Switzerland.