Staubbach Falls (Staubbachfälle)

Lauterbrunnen / Oberland Region, Bern Canton, Switzerland

About Staubbach Falls (Staubbachfälle)

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Staubbach Falls (also Staubbachfall or Staubbachfälle in German; pronounced “STAHW-bahkh-fell-uh”) is perhaps the signature waterfall of Lauterbrunnen Valley.

Considering that Lauterbrunnen Valley is home to some 72 waterfalls (though we didn’t see nearly that much on our visit), it’s no small claim for this waterfall to be considered the signature one in the valley (let alone the country).

Bernese_Oberland_271_06082010 - Staubbach Falls and the Lauterbrunnen Valley
Staubbach Falls and the Lauterbrunnen Valley

So why is that?

The Signature Waterfall of the Swiss Alps

What made Staubbach Falls so striking was its position (see photo above).

It was very easy to spot as we approached the town of Lauterbrunnen once we left the Lauterbrunnen Train Station.

Therefore, I’m pretty sure this waterfall is noticed by just about everyone that comes to this very popular and famous valley that seems like quintessential Swiss Alps scenery.

Moreover, Staubbach Falls also complemented the landscape, which included steep, glaciated U-shaped valley walls as well as the iconic Swiss Alps peaks of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.

Bernese_Oberland_247_06082010 - Looking down at the Lauterbrunnen Valley and Staubbach Falls from a railway somewhere between Wengen and Lauterbrunnen Valley
Looking down at the Lauterbrunnen Valley and Staubbach Falls from a railway somewhere between Wengen and Lauterbrunnen Valley

Indeed, it reminds me very much of how Bridalveil Fall complemented El Capitan at the Gates of Yosemite Valley.

Nevertheless, in order to even earn such praise and attention, it has to be noticed in the context of towering vertical cliffs and peaks that made Switzerland famous in the first place.

Well, Staubbach Falls certainly held its own against its gigantic surroundings as the waterfall itself sported some pretty impressive dimensions.

For example, the falls had been measured and confirmed to have a 297m height, of which almost all of it was in freefall.

Bernese_Oberland_281_06082010 - Context of Staubbach Falls towering over the village of Lauterbrunnen
Context of Staubbach Falls towering over the village of Lauterbrunnen

I believe this height would put the Staubbach Falls amongst one of the tallest waterfalls in the world based on vertical drop

Experiencing Staubbach Falls

In addition to seeing Staubbach Falls on the approach to Lauterbrunnen Valley coming in from the north, we also managed to view it from several spots in and around the valley itself.

For example, we got to see it right across the valley from the exposed walkways at Trümmelbach Falls.

We also got to see it from a gorgeous panorama at the elevated town of Wengen, which looked right into the mouth of Lauterbrunnen Valley from above.

Bernese_Oberland_297_06082010 - The ascending trail leading up to the backside of Staubbach Falls
The ascending trail leading up to the backside of Staubbach Falls

But for a more intimate experience with Staubbach Falls, we did a walk that ultimately led up to a sheltered cove right behind part of the waterfall’s drop.

The trail up to the back of Staubbach Falls ascended steeply uphill after having walked a bit south of most of the town of Lauterbrunnen (taking roughly 15-20 minutes).

During the approach to the ascent, we noticed paragliders hovering above the waterfall.

After climbing a few switchbacks, we then reached the entrance of a tin tunnel.

Bernese_Oberland_305_06082010 - Within the tin tunnel leading to the narrow ledge trail behind Staubbach Falls
Within the tin tunnel leading to the narrow ledge trail behind Staubbach Falls

I believe the tunneling was necessary because vertical cliffs (like the one supporting Staubbach Falls) tend to pose a rockfall hazard.

Beyond the tunnel, the path then ascended some stairs cut into the cliff, and the path eventually terminated at a dead-end right behind the waterfall.

Depending on the wind conditions and Staubbach Falls’ flow, the droplets sometimes blew right into the somewhat sheltered walkway that we were on.

During our visit, the rain of droplets wasn’t so severe that we needed to don our rain ponchos, but I could foresee how it can be a drenching experience under the right conditions.

Bernese_Oberland_309_06082010 - Context of the profile of Staubbach Falls and the Lauterbrunnen Valley from the ledge trail going behind the waterfall
Context of the profile of Staubbach Falls and the Lauterbrunnen Valley from the ledge trail going behind the waterfall

In any case, from this vantage point, I was also able to get birds eye views both up and down the Lauterbrunnen Valley (sometimes even through the misty waterfall itself).

Overall, this out-and-back hike took us around 90 minutes, but we really took our time.

According to my GPS logs, we walked approximately 2km, and it would have taken us around an hour with a bit more focus.

The Longevity of Staubbach Falls

We weren’t sure what a typical flow would be for Staubbach Falls.

Bernese_Oberland_336_06082010 - Staubbach Falls appearing to have pretty decent flow in early June 2010 (a high precipitation year) when we got close to it, but it seemed like it didn't appear strong enough to last through the year
Staubbach Falls appearing to have pretty decent flow in early June 2010 (a high precipitation year) when we got close to it, but it seemed like it didn’t appear strong enough to last through the year

However, during our June 2010 visit, we saw Staubbach Falls scatter with the wind (almost disappearing before making it to the bottom at times).

From our observations, the waterfall did seem to have impressive flow, which we attributed to the snowmelt at the start of Summer.

Yet we also noticed that heavy rain and snow throughout most of Europe during our visit further exacerbated the high flow of the falls (though it didn’t seem to us to be unusually high flow).

Thus, I do wonder whether Staubbach Falls can last far into the late Summer given that its source was pretty much all snowmelt.

Bernese_Oberland_632_06092010 - Contextual view of Staubbach Falls and the Lauterbrunnen Valley as seen from the walkway at Trümmelbach Falls
Contextual view of Staubbach Falls and the Lauterbrunnen Valley as seen from the walkway at Trümmelbach Falls

Since June would typically be considered the peak snowmelt period, and we happened to visit the waterfall in an unusually high rainfall year, my guess would be that Staubbach Falls might struggle to flow well into August.

That said, its longevity might be enhanced if its drainage was protected as a spring or if there were other steadier, supplemental sources of water that I’m not aware of.

Authorities

Staubbach Falls resides in the town of Lauterbrunnen, which sits within the Interlaken-Oberhasli District of the Bern Canton, Switzerland. I can’t find an official governmental authority administering this waterfall. So for information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, you may try visiting the Bern Canton website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual members. See Membership Options.
Content is for members. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: lauterbrunnen, bernese oberland, bern, switzerland, swiss alps, waterfall, train, interlaken, swiss rail



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Staubbachfalle May 5, 2024 8:27 pm by Philipp Merillat - These falls are best viewed from a distance, though you may hike to their base. The area is known as the Valley of the Waterfalls. The Jungfrau may be seen up the valley from the falls. ...Read More

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Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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