Riding Graubünden: Switzerland's Mountain Bike Alps From Lenzerheide to Davos

Canton Graubünden occupies the eastern third of Switzerland and the entirety of the Swiss Alps in their most genuinely alpine form. It is the country's largest canton, the only officially trilingual canton (German, Romansh, Italian), and home to a concentration of mountain bike terrain that few European regions match across the range of disciplines.

The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup comes to Lenzerheide every June. Graubünden's riding extends well beyond the Bike Kingdom network that hosts the event. Here is how to make the most of the region.

The Bike Kingdom (Lenzerheide-Arosa-Chur): The Race Venue

The UCI World Cup takes place in Lenzerheide, which sits at 1,470 metres above the Rhine Valley in the Lenzerheide plateau. What makes Lenzerheide exceptional is not the World Cup course alone — it's the scale of the connected network.

Bike Kingdom links Lenzerheide, Arosa, and Chur through 12 lift systems and 366 trails, 208 of them designated for mountain biking. The altitude range runs from approximately 600 metres at the Chur valley floor to 2,865 metres at the Rothorn summit. A single lift pass covers the network.

The World Cup courses — DH track, XCC and XCO circuits — are rideable outside race weekends. The DH track is rated black and requires full-face helmet and body armour. The XCO circuit loops are accessible on any trail bike. The freeride lines (FLOWline, PRIMEline, SHOREline, STYLEline, STRAIGHTline) add scope for riders who want progression.

Practical start: Valley gondola from Lenzerheide village. First gondola runs 08:30. The Rothorn summit gives the day's best view of the Albula and Plessur Alps before the first descent.

Davos: The XC Rider's Alps

Davos sits at 1,560 metres, east of Lenzerheide over the Wolfgangpass. The famous winter resort has a summer character that mountain bikers have been quietly using for thirty years. The riding is different from Lenzerheide's bikepark focus — more natural singletrack, more sustained climbs, more alpine terrain at altitude.

Rinerhorn and Jakobshorn are the main lift-accessed zones. The natural singletrack from the Jakobshorn summit (2,590m) down to Davos Dorf is one of the most sustained high-alpine descents in Switzerland — loose terrain, above-treeline exposure, technical corners where the rock changes character above 2,000 metres. Not for riders who want manicured flow; for riders who want to read terrain.

Flüelapass (2,383m) is a classic ride from Davos — the paved pass to Susch in the Engadin, rideable as a road ride or as the return of a longer singletrack loop. The descent from the summit is one of the few high-alpine roads in Switzerland where you won't see heavy summer traffic.

When to go: Davos's higher elevation means the riding season opens later than Lenzerheide — mid-June at the earliest for the summit terrain, with the best conditions in July and early August before the autumn wet season arrives.

40 minutes west of Chur along the Rhine valley, the Flims-Laax-Falera area operates one of the most developed bikepark infrastructures in the Alps. The Crap Sogn Gion lift reaches 2,228 metres, from which a network of dedicated downhill runs, flow trails, and natural singletrack descends through multiple zones to the resort base.

Flims-Laax has a different character from Lenzerheide: more purpose-built than natural, more progressive-freeride in its design philosophy. The jump lines and skills parks are extensive. The terrain suits riders who want to push jump technique and commitment in a controlled environment before transitioning to the natural terrain of the wider Alps.

The Caumasee — an impossibly clear natural lake in the forest above Flims — is the region's rest-day activity. Swim after the morning ride. Not optional.

The Albula Pass: The Gravel Crossing

For riders who want to connect the Lenzerheide area with the Engadin to the southeast, the Albula Pass (2,315m) is one of the great gravel cycling experiences in the Alps. The ascent from Tiefencastel through La Punt climbs 16km at a manageable average gradient, through the Rhaetian landscape of stone churches, old farmhouses, and the UNESCO-listed Rhaetian Railway viaducts. The descent to the Engadin floor drops to Bever, near St. Moritz.

Rideable on gravel bikes (35–40mm tyre) or hardtail MTBs. The road is mostly sealed with some unsealed sections near the summit. Plan a full day — the approach from Lenzerheide to the pass start adds distance.

How to Build a Week in Graubünden

A seven-day trip built around the Lenzerheide World Cup and the broader region:

1. Day 1–3: Lenzerheide World Cup (XCC Friday, XCO Saturday, DHI Sunday). Watch the racing. Ride the Bike Kingdom network each morning before event sessions begin.
2. Day 4: Flims-Laax. 40 minutes west. Bikepark day on purpose-built terrain.
3. Day 5: Chur to Davos via road (Wolfgangpass loop, approximately 80km). Town-to-town road ride through the Landwasser valley.
4. Day 6: Davos trails. Jakobshorn descents, Rinerhorn loops, or the Flüelapass paved day.
5. Day 7: Albula Pass crossing. Gravel day from Tiefencastel to the Engadin.

Getting In and Out

Zürich Airport is the main international gateway. Train from ZRH to Chur takes 70 minutes (direct IC service). Chur is the hub — trains branch south toward Davos, southeast toward St. Moritz, and the Postbus runs up to Lenzerheide.

Milan Malpensa for those coming from the south — 2.5 hours to Chur via the Gotthard tunnel.

Car unlocks more flexibility but Graubünden's train connections (including the Rhaetian Railway) are excellent enough that a car-free trip is feasible for the main destinations.

Frequently Asked

Is Graubünden suitable for XC-focused riders, or only downhillers? Both. The bikepark focus (Lenzerheide, Laax) suits progressive downhill. Davos, the Albula crossing, and the natural singletrack of the upper Graubünden valleys suit XC riders with alpine touring ambitions.

What tyre width do I need? Lenzerheide bikepark: 2.4–2.6" rear, 2.35+ front. Davos natural singletrack: 2.25–2.35" works well. Albula gravel: 35–45mm on a gravel bike or hardtail.

Is July or September better? July for maximum trail quality and lift access everywhere. September for fewer crowds, better light, and the larch forests beginning to turn — a visual reward for returning to the alpine trails after the summer peak.

Where can I connect with local riders? Find athletes training in Graubünden or based in Chur and Davos via Find Athletes in Lenzerheide on ZealZag.

For today's XCC race coverage, see our Lenzerheide XCC field report. For the Bike Kingdom venue guide and DH qualifying context, see our Lenzerheide World Cup field report.