About 243 kilometers from the monastery town of Disentis over the Oberalp and Furka passes through the Valais Goms and along the Rhône to St. Maurice. An alpine Way of St. James through the source regions of three great rivers – with heights up to around 2,460 m.
The Rhine-Reuss-Rhône Way is part of the Alpine Way of St. James and links the Graubünden Surselva to near Lake Geneva. It begins at the Benedictine monastery of Disentis, climbs over the Oberalp Pass into the source region of the Reuss at Realp, and crosses the Furka to Gletsch and into the Valais Goms. From there the way follows the young Rhône over Münster, Ernen and Brig/Glis, on over Gampel and Salgesch to Sion, then over Saillon and Martigny to St. Maurice.
The name reflects the three great rivers whose source regions the route touches: the Rhine, the Reuss and the Rhône. It's an alpine route that runs above 1,000 m for long stretches and crosses two high passes.
Ideal if you're drawn to grand alpine geography: two classic alpine passes, the watershed of three rivers, and the long descent into the sunny Valais. If you're fit and experienced in the mountains, you'll walk a magnificent route from the high peaks down to vineyard country.
Less suitable if you're after easy, flat stages or can only travel outside the summer months: the Oberalp and Furka passes are only sensibly walkable in the snow-free season.
From the monastery town of Disentis in the Surselva, the way climbs to the Oberalp Pass and down to Realp in the Urseren valley. Over the Furka it heads to Gletsch and into the Goms, the uppermost Valais Rhône valley.
The route then follows the Rhône downstream: over Münster and Ernen to Brig/Glis, on over Gampel and Salgesch into the sunny vineyard country around Sion. Over Saillon and Martigny you finally reach St. Maurice at the narrows of the Rhône valley. The landscape changes from high-alpine passes over the Goms to the vineyards and castles of the Lower Valais.
At about 243 kilometers, some 7,000 meters of climb and a highest point around 2,460 m, the Rhine-Reuss-Rhône Way is a demanding alpine route. Depending on your pace, plan for roughly 12–13 days. From the start at Disentis over the Oberalp and Furka into the Goms you're in the mountains above 1,000 m for long stretches.
The route is waymarked as a Way of St. James. The passes and terrain call for fitness, sure-footedness and mountain gear; if in doubt, follow the official waymarking.
The appeal of this route lies in its geography: it touches the source regions of the Rhine, the Reuss and the Rhône and crosses two of the best-known alpine passes, the Oberalp and the Furka. The start at the Benedictine monastery of Disentis ties a spiritual opening to the high mountains, before the long descent into the Valais leads through one of the sunniest regions of Switzerland.
The Rhine-Reuss-Rhône Way ends in St. Maurice – and that's where the next great stage south begins: here the Via Francigena (Switzerland) connects, leading on up the Rhône valley over Martigny and Orsières to the Great St. Bernard and into Italy. In that sense, the route can be seen as the alpine opening of a pilgrimage toward Rome.
Because of the high passes, the Rhine-Reuss-Rhône Way is only sensibly walkable in the snow-free months – depending on conditions, roughly June/July to September/October. The Oberalp and Furka can still hold snow early and late in the season; check pass and trail conditions.
You'll need good mountain gear, fitness and sure-footedness. A pilgrim credential is useful for stamps and lodgings. A route booklet and accommodation list for Disentis–St. Maurice are available; in the high sections the network of lodgings is thin – plan stages and overnight stops ahead.
Switzerland is expensive. Budget roughly €60–100 per day for accommodation and food; in mountain regions it can run toward the upper end. Simple lodgings and self-catering lower the cost.
The starting point is Disentis in the Surselva; the finish is St. Maurice in the Lower Valais.
The Swiss Ways of St. James are maintained by the association Jakobsweg Schweiz – Compostelle Suisse (formerly "jakobsweg.ch", renamed after its 2026 merger with "Les Amis"). The association waymarks and maintains the routes, trains pilgrim guides and publishes route booklets and the pilgrim credential.
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