Martin Wismer and Mudi Kubba-von Jüchen are actually satisfied with the canton of Zug’s official bike network. They agree that things could have been much worse—many more singletrack trails could have been closed to cyclists. As a reminder: Since the beginning of 2026, the canton of Zug has not imposed individual riding bans; instead, cycling is now only permitted on those trails that are designated as bike trails in the structural plan. A digital map of the canton is a mandatory basis for route planning.

But then, in the winter of 2026, an excavator appeared on the rock trail—a beautiful, meandering path along a ridge on the Zugerberg that winds across several rock slabs. Slickrocks with a view of the lake—a work of art of a trail—until the excavator arrived. A few months later, the work is complete. The Felsentrail has been turned into a gravel highway; a meter-wide layer of crushed stone is the new surface. And even more drastic: steps have been carved into the rock slabs, transforming the slickrocks into rough-hewn stone stairs. The Felsentrail in its original form had also served as Specialized’s e-MTB test track, Martin and Mudi explain when we meet on the trail.

On the way there and back, the two experienced mountain bikers—Martin is also an active Swiss Cycling Guide—show what still makes Zug’s singletrack trails special: root-laden, gnarled, and in places rugged paths with switchbacks on steep terrain. Equally attractive for hiking and biking. Martin and Mudi estimate they’ve lost about twenty percent of their favorite trails. Mountain bikers in the Ägeri region have been hit even harder. The Ägeri and Baar cycling clubs had to obtain special permits for mini-trail sections so they could continue training the next generation of cyclists in their region.

Building permit was missing

After the shock of the ruined rock trail, some are wondering if this is the future of the now-official bike trails in the canton and fear a widespread conversion of Zug’s singletrack trails into somewhat narrower forest roads. The referendum initiated by IG Mountainbike Zug had shown that the concerns of Zug’s trail bikers are those of only a minority: The group had launched a referendum against the new Forest Act, which stipulated that riding would only be permitted on a new official bike network. The proposal stood no chance at the ballot box.

However, in the case of the Felsentrail, it is now becoming clear that it’s not just cyclists who have a problem with this type of redesign. In response to an inquiry from Ride, the Office for Forests and Wildlife of the Canton of Zug confirmed that the Zug Corporation had subsequently submitted a building permit application for the work, which is currently being processed. In other words, the landowner remodeled the trail without a building permit. The corporation explains in the Zuger Zeitung: The trail had been damaged during logging operations and was subsequently “restored.” Apparently, this “restoration” also involved cutting steps into rock millions of years old and laying a gravel bed into the forest floor.

The Office of Spatial Planning and Transportation explains: “As is so often the case, there are conflicts of interest among the various stakeholders; for example, regarding the safety of the various trail users, maintenance requirements, forest access and management, the usage needs of cyclists and hikers, and nature and landscape conservation.” 

However, safety for the various trail users has certainly not improved on the gravel “highway,” since—unlike the old rock trail—it presents virtually no technical challenges and therefore practically invites riders to speed along. Furthermore, it’s unlikely that all hikers would agree that stairs and wide gravel paths are more attractive than natural trails. And it’s also rather difficult to see how this massive alteration to the trail serves the purposes of nature and landscape conservation. The only compelling counterargument: The gravel highway is likely less susceptible to erosion than the old, dirt singletrack.

Which interest carries how much weight?

In response to the question of whether the redesign of the Felsentrail serves as a model for future developments in the Zug cycling network, the Office of Spatial Planning and Transportation states that that each section of trail must be assessed individually based on its function, its location, and the requirements for safety, nature and landscape conservation, and property owners’ interests. And what comes close to a threat from a mountain biking perspective: “Designation as a bike route does not mean that the character of a trail must remain unchanged.”

At any rate, the canton assures that it takes the concerns of the various stakeholders seriously. Regarding the Felsentrail—officially known as the Mättli hiking trail—the Office of Spatial Planning and Transportation reports that the ongoing approval process will examine whether the cyclists’ criticism is justified and how it should be weighed. In other words, it remains to be seen whether trail bikers will be satisfied with Zug’s mountain bike network. And it doesn’t depend on them, but rather on whether the other stakeholders believe a singletrack should be allowed to remain as it currently is.

Martin Wismer emphasizes that IG MTB Zug is in dialogue with the other stakeholders and believes that the other trails in Zug will be preserved as naturally as possible. One thing is certain for them—as it is for probably every single-track enthusiast—that the Felsentrail is an example that should not be repeated.