Switzerland
Best Time to Visit Glarus
Glarus has a short, sweet summer and a long, snowy winter. It's less touristy than the big Alpine resorts, so 'crowds' are relative. The best time depends on whether you want to hike or ski.
✦ Come in June for hiking and clear lakes, or September for autumn light and quiet trails.
✅ Best months
June and September. June has long, sunny days and full access to high-altitude trails; September offers settled weather, autumn colour, and no school holidays.
🔥 Peak season
July and August. Prices for hotels and holiday apartments rise 30–50% vs shoulder months. The big draw is guaranteed snow-free hiking, plus the Glarner Höhenweg and Klöntalersee are at their best. No major single festival, just peak summer occupancy.
💷 Shoulder (best value)
May and October. May can be wet but trails are open and accommodation is cheap. October is crisp, quiet, and dramatically cheaper – you'll get half-price hotel rooms. The risk is sudden snow closing passes like the Klausen.
🌙 Quietest & cheapest
November and late March. November is grey, damp, and many mountain lifts are closed. Late March has melting snow, slushy trails, and limited services. Rooms can be 50–60% cheaper than summer.
Glarus season by season
Spring (Mar–May)
Weather: 2–10°C, mixed sun and rain, snow lingering above 1500m until late April
Crowds: low
Good for budget travel and empty trails if you don't mind mud and sudden weather shifts.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Weather: 15–25°C, mostly sunny, occasional thunderstorms
Crowds: medium
Prime hiking season; all mountain huts and cable cars run. The lake is swimmable by late June.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Weather: Sep 10–20°C, Oct 5–15°C, Nov 0–8°C, crisp and often foggy in valleys
Crowds: low
Best for clear views, fewer hikers, and golden larch forests. By November, many services close.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Weather: -5–5°C, frequent snow, inversion fog possible
Crowds: low–medium
Skiing at Elm and Braunwald; reliable snow cover from Christmas. January is quiet outside school holidays.
🎭 Events worth timing a trip around
Glarus Open Air (early July) – a small rock festival in the valley. Glarus Alpine Marathon (mid-August) – a 42km trail run through the mountains.
🧳 What to pack
Pack layers for 20°C swings: a single day can start at 8°C and hit 28°C in direct sun at altitude.
Found your dates? Get your hotel briefing.
Room tips, the 14-day forecast for your exact stay, dining, transport and more — free for any Glarus hotel.
Researched & reviewed by the TripSage editorial team · Updated July 2026.