Horgen is the perfect starting point for countless beautiful road bike tours. No, we’re not talking about the well-known loop around Lake Zurich. Instead, we’re talking about roads and lanes with as little traffic as possible in the Zimmerberg and Albis regions, all the way to Lake Ägeri. Are you ready to rediscover the region on a road bike? We’ve put together our eleven favorites for you. All tours take between two and three hours and include some elevation gain. However, they’re easily manageable for all recreational cyclists. Right below each tour description, we’ve also provided the GPX file for you to download for your GPS. Vive le vélo!

(P.S.: Are you out riding your gravel bike? Click here for some great gravel rides in the Horgen area)

Here are our top 10 road bike routes starting in Horgen (plus 1 bonus route):

To the southernmost municipality in the Canton of Zurich

Our first tour takes us to Hütten, the southernmost municipality in the canton of Zurich. After a flat start along Seestrasse, we turn right in Käpfnach and ride mostly on side roads heading south. We encounter a few steep but short climbs along the way. On the way back, we take a detour around the Schönenberg golf course, followed by a fast descent toward Sihlbrugg. Right in the middle of the industrial district, the beautiful side road toward Kappel am Albis branches off quite unexpectedly. It’s arguably one of the highlights of this loop. From there, the route heads back toward Lake Zurich via Albis (the easier side!). Admittedly, this tour has some elevation gain. But anyone can ride on flat terrain—this is real road cycling.

Menzingen Monastery

On this tour, we start right after the Seehallen Horgen and head up the first climb toward Horgenberg. Once we’re up there, we’ll show you the truly beautiful route toward Hirzel. Steep but awesome. And with a view. Then it’s a smooth ride through Samstagern and Hütten to Menzingen, where we’ll have already covered most of today’s elevation gain. Of course, we’ll be riding on side roads all the way to Menzingen. Just before the monastery, we turn right and ride down small roads to Sihlbrugg. On Sihltalstrasse, we really let loose all the way to Sihlwald, from where we take the “Sihlstutz”—unknown to most casual riders—directly up to Horgenberg and down to the Seehallen. There are still some elevation gains ahead today, but you’ll also be treated to some scenic highlights. So the effort is definitely worth it! As I said: Anyone can ride on flat terrain.

Panorama of Lake Zurich

There’s quite a bit of elevation gain on this route as well. But who would want to miss out on this panoramic tour! After the warm-up climb just past Käpfnach to Hüttnersee, the route heads to Schindellegi for the absolute highlight of this tour: the unbeatable panoramic view of the entire Lake Zurich. The climb isn’t exactly a walk in the park, but it’s definitely doable. This world-class view, however, makes all the effort worth it a thousand times over. Afterward, the route heads down over the historic wooden bridge in Egg and via Bennau back to Schindellegi, Hütten, and Hirzel, ending in the familiar surroundings of the Seehallen.

Christa's Choice: Gottschalkenberg

This route was put together by our customer Christa Hess. She knows every road in the region. You can expect some elevation gain, but also magnificent panoramic views. Right after the start, the route heads uphill toward Horgenberg and Hirzelhöchi. From there, it descends along the old Zugerstrasse (very steep at the end) to Sihlbrugg. We ride briefly on the main road toward Neuheim, but soon the route branches off and we take small side roads via Winzwilen to Finstersee. Today’s mountain prize is on the Gottschalkenberg. The ascent from Finstersee runs almost entirely through the forest and follows the less steep route via Sparenhütte. On the other side, the trail descends immediately, and we pass Finstersee via the beautiful Schwandegg side, take a shortcut past Bostadel, and return to Horgen almost directly via Hirzel. A challenging tour, but doable and, above all, beautiful.

Säuliamt

Now we’re heading to the Säuliamt. First, we take the familiar climb to Hirzelhöchi and Sihlbrugg. Then we follow a beautiful side road to Hausen and Kappel am Albis, continuing on to Rifferswil, from where we cruise along Jonentalstrasse to the outskirts of Affoltern am Albis. Before the village, we take a sharp right turn, climb a few meters up the main road, but leave it at the first opportunity and come out again via a small side road with a beautiful panorama (paved) below Aeugst. Via Müliberg (note: another beautiful panorama), the route descends to Aeugstertal, past Lake Türlersee over the Albis to Sihlwald, from where we climb the Sihlstutz up to Horgenberg and finally reach Horgen.

Breathtaking panorama

This ride is themed “Lake Panorama.” However, the world-class views of lakes and mountains definitely have to be earned. From Horgen, the route heads via Hirzel, past the Teufenbachweiher pond, to Finstersee. From there, scenic backroads await discovery. These take us up a short but steep climb to Schwandegg and then to Gubel, where the army’s Bloodhound position greets us. A few curves later, the Kisten Pass awaits, and then the landscape opens up before us to a magnificent panoramic view over Lake Aeger and the Alps. No one can resist this sight; souvenir photos are a must. We head toward the Raten Pass on a winding scenic road, which we eventually reach after a few meters on the main road. There, we turn toward Gottschalkenberg but immediately turn off again, leaving the hustle and bustle behind us. The descent via the Sparenhütte offers an incredible view over Lake Zurich. Back in the valley, after a short climb, we head down via Schönenberg to Horgen. Sure, there are a few meters of elevation gain today as well, but the panoramic views over Lake Aegeri and Lake Zurich are worth every drop of sweat!

Across the lakes

This “Classic Loop” takes us via Horgenberg, Sihlwald, and Langnau up to Buchenegg. The Buchenegg climb is an absolute classic in the region and, especially early in the morning, is almost free of motorcycles. After the rapid descent, we follow the separate bike path along the gently ascending road past the idyllic Türlersee to Hausen and Kappel am Albis. On the practically traffic-free side road with magnificent views across Lake Zug all the way to the Alps, we briefly pass Sihlbrugg but immediately disappear again on the opposite slope onto a side road toward Neuheim. From there, we climb steeply at first, but then very comfortably to the main road near Finstersee. A fast descent takes us across the Sihl and, after a short climb on the opposite side via Schönenberg, back to Lake Zurich.

“Best of” Ride

This tour is a mix of several routes we’ve already featured—a “best of,” so to speak. We start with the not-too-steep climb from Käpfnach, where we can enjoy our first breathtaking view of Lake Zurich just before the highway (be sure to look back ;-)). From there, we take side roads via the golf course and Schönenberg to Bostadel, then back down into the Sihl Valley on even smaller roads. Since the bike path to Kappel a. Albis from Sihlbrugg is so beautiful, we’re riding it again today. Over the Albis, we head through Langnau via the forest shortcut directly into the Sihl Valley and up our beloved Sihlstutz to Horgenberg and back to the Seehallen. A wonderful loop with some elevation gain, many small side roads, and sweeping views.

Short but intense (and beautiful)

For a change, this tour is a bit shorter. But it’s spiced up with a few tough climbs. Overall, though, it’s doable for everyone—don’t worry. Our first climb takes us up Horgenberg and along the Panoramaroute to Hirzel. From there, we’ll circle the golf course, continue via Samstagern to the idyllic Hüttnersee, and then on to the Teufenbachweiher. We’ll skip that, though, and turn onto the side street back toward Hirzel. After a quick descent on the main road, we reach the Sihltal, where we can roll for a few kilometers on a gentle downhill before the final climb over Horgenberg awaits us. A leisurely ride for an enjoyable day on the road bike.

Sihlbrugg Wall

This is a relatively short “local loop.” But we couldn’t resist adding a little challenge: the “Mur de Sihlbrugg” is waiting for you! Never heard of it? No problem—you’ll never forget it. We start off at a relatively leisurely pace, heading down toward Sihlbrugg via Oberrieden and Sihlstutz. But then the wall lurks ahead! Right after the big roundabout in Sihlbrugg, the climb begins toward Hirzel. Not on the busy main road, but right over the Mur. Have fun! Once at the top, a beautiful loop takes you across the golf course and back via the Sägeweg to Hirzel, then straight toward the Seehallen. Have fun!

Panoramic Tour, Long Version (72 km)

This is the longest tour featured here. The route first takes you through Hirzel and Menzingen up to the Gubel. It then follows the entire Panoramastrasse—arguably one of the most beautiful cycling routes in all of Central Switzerland—high above Lake Aeger to Morgarten. Here, it’s all about enjoying the ride and taking in the view once again. The return route follows the shore of Lake Aegeri via Unteraegeri to Sihlbrugg and over the Sihlstutz back to the Seehallen. The tour should take about 3 hours for most people. But it’s well worth the effort!