As of: 23 September 2026

Wild camping on the Stockhorn

The Stockhorn above Thun and Erlenbach im Simmental is a cable-car summit with a restaurant, and its top is a narrow rock crest. On the Erlenbach side, a 2020 court order bans tents and nights out, both lakes included. The legal tent goes on the Obere Walalp.

Leon Helg
Leon Helg · Legal situation checked in September 2026
What do these mean?

Illegal A specific rule bans it, usually with a fine, and it can be enforced. Sleep somewhere else.

Not allowed No real place to camp here. A gated site, a developed area, or nowhere sensible to lie down, even if no fine is attached.

It depends You can sleep here, but there's a condition first: ask the landowner, book a spot, stay inside a set zone, or use a bivvy instead of a tent. The report says which.

Tolerated No rule clearly allows or bans it, but a single night is accepted in practice and nobody enforces against it. Normal for high bivouacs above the treeline.

Legal Camping one night is fine here. Either a rule allows it, or we checked every law and found nothing against it. Still: pitch late, leave early, no trace.

What "wild camping" means here: one night. A small tent or a bivvy bag, up towards evening, gone in the morning. Not a base camp, not a camper van. Most Swiss bans are written against camping; whether a single night also falls under them depends on the exact wording, so this article checks that wording. The full difference: wild camping vs bivouacking.

Wild camping on the Stockhorn: a cable-car summit on a rock crest

Wild camping on the Stockhorn starts with which Stockhorn. This report covers the 2'190 m summit of the Stockhorn chain above Thun, the top station of the Stockhornbahn from Erlenbach im Simmental, not the Stockhorns above Zermatt, Baltschieder or Binn in Valais. Three communes meet within metres of the summit point, 2'189.4 m on the national map. The point itself is in Stocken-Höfen, on a parcel that takes in the north face and the viewing platform. Erlenbach im Simmental begins 3.1 m south, with the restaurant, the top station, both lakes and the Oberstockenalp. Därstetten begins 3.6 m south-west: the Obere Walalp, whose ground reaches up to the summit ridge.1

Then look at what stands there. The Panoramarestaurant Stockhorn, 180 seats and a sun terrace, is 80 m from the summit point, the top station 136 m. A gallery through the rock leads to a viewing platform with a glass floor in the north face, 46 m away. A telecom mast of the cantonal police and Skyguide stands 95 m east-south-east, the main paragliding launch 121 m south, and trail no. 1 brings every cabin passenger up to the summit in about seven minutes.18

The top itself is a narrow crest of bare rock, falling away at around 50 degrees within 20 m of the summit point; the level patches are a few metres across. What level ground there is up here is spoken for: the main paragliding launch lies inside the court order described below, and the second launch, on the Strüssligrat 316 m west-south-west, runs out 30 m on at a cliff.1

And it is busy. In 2026 the cable car runs every 30 minutes from 11 April to 22 November, the first cabin reaching the top at 08:10 and the last one leaving at 17:35. On Fridays until 25 September the evening rides run until the last descent at 22:05, and from 26 September the Mondschein-Dinner does the same on Saturdays around the full moon, down at 23:00. There is no bed at the top.8

The court order of 2020: no tents and no night out on seven Erlenbach parcels

The rule that decides the ground around the summit is a court order under the Civil Procedure Code, not a statute. The Stockhornbahn AG applied "für die Eigentümer", for the owners of seven parcels in Erlenbach im Simmental; the Regionalgericht Oberland in Thun approved the ban on 11 May 2020, and the Simmentaler Anzeiger, the official gazette of Erlenbach and Därstetten, published it on 14 May 2020.23

"Verboten ist insbesondere das freie Campieren. Dies betrifft das Aufstellen und das Bewohnen von Zelten, das Übernachten im Gelände und in den Unterständen / Gebäuden, das Entfachen von Feuern ausserhalb bestehender Feuerstellen."Richterliches Verbot for parcels 62, 124, 168, 217, 263, 268 and 1428 of Erlenbach im Simmental, approved by the Regionalgericht Oberland on 11 May 2020, Simmentaler Anzeiger no. 20 of 14 May 2020.

In English: free camping is banned in particular, meaning putting up and living in tents, spending the night in the open and in shelters or buildings, and fires outside existing fireplaces. "Das Verbot ist unbefristet", it has no end date. Breaches are fined "gemäss Art. 258 ZPO auf Antrag mit einer Busse bis CHF 2'000.00": up to CHF 2'000, on complaint of the owners. The 30 days for an objection under art. 260 ZPO ran out in 2020.23

Does it catch a night without a tent? Yes, in its own words. "Das Übernachten im Gelände" is a night on open ground, tent or no tent, and shelters and buildings are named on top of that. A bivvy bag on the Oberstockenalp is banned as plainly as a tent.2

Where it applies. The seven parcels are the whole Erlenbach side of the mountain: the surroundings of the restaurant, the top station and the main paragliding launch, the Oberstockensee and the Hinterstockensee, the Oberstockenalp, Hinterstocken, the Oberbärgli, the Laseberg and the Erlenbach side of the Strüssligrat. The Stockhornbahn's own perimeter map follows the same parcels. The summit point lies 3.1 m outside, on Stocken-Höfen ground, and the Därstetten side is outside too. Neither is an opening: the one is the rock crest described above, the other has a rule of its own, set out below.12

The operator's page goes further than the notice. The Stockhornbahn writes that "free camping is prohibited in the entire Stockhorn area", in the words of the court order and with the same CHF 2'000. That is its statement about its mountain; the court order behind it names the seven Erlenbach parcels. The Berggasthaus Oberstockenalp tells its guests the same.810

Why it exists, and what does not get round it. Camping at the lakes was common before 2020, and older trip reports show tents on the shore of the Oberstockensee. When the order came, the Stockhornbahn's managing director told the Berner Oberländer that it answered camping that had got out of hand and would be enforced from the end of June 2020, together with the Bäuerten, the local alp corporations; the paragliding club passed it on to its members that July. Fishing is no way round it: the permit is valid from 06:00 to 18:00. Nor is the winter igloo at the Hinterstockensee, a fondue bar whose last guests go down at 21:00.58

The Längenberg wildlife reserve: a drone ban everywhere, a camping ban only in zones 1b to 1f

The whole upper mountain lies in a cantonal wildlife reserve, Längenberg, no. 27 of the Bern wildlife protection ordinance. The summit, both lakes, the Oberstockenalp and the Obere Walalp are in its zone 1a, where the rules of all zones apply and nothing more: deer hunting under the canton's annual rules, dogs on a lead in the forest from 1 December to 31 July, and no drones or model aircraft. Zone 1a carries no camping or bivouac rule.4

The camping ban sits in zones 1b to 1f. For those zones the ordinance adds: "Freies/wildes Campieren und Biwakieren sind verboten", free or wild camping and bivouacking banned, all year. Two of them come close. Zone 1d begins 448 m north of the summit, on the slopes below the north face towards the Bachegg forest, north-east of the Walalp. Zone 1b begins 39 m east of the Hinterstockensee and runs from Chrindi towards Oberchlus. There a game warden can fine you CHF 100 on the spot. The federal CHF 150 does not apply: there is no federal game reserve on the Stockhorn.4

Two practical points. Leave the drone at home: the ban covers every zone, the summit included, and since 2022 the mountain has been home to a young ibex colony, released by the canton. And the federal map shows the ban zones: on map.geo.admin.ch, the layer of wildlife rest zones carries Längenberg zones 1b and 1d with the camping sentence and leaves zone 1a out. If it shows a zone where you stand, you are in one. Stocken-Höfen adds a communal wildlife zone in the Bachegg forest, 453 m north of the summit, where "alle störenden Aktivitäten" are to be avoided: marked paths only, dogs on a lead.457

How it is possible: the Obere Walalp on the Därstetten side

The west side of the mountain belongs to Därstetten, which has a camping regulation of 23 May 1978, approved by the cantonal police directorate on 10 April 1979 and still referred to in the commune's building regulation. It covers the whole commune, and its article on camping outside campsites holds the two sentences that matter: "Zum einmaligen Uebernachten dürfen Zelte und Wohnwagen ohne polizeiliche Bewilligung aufgestellt werden", and "In jedem Falle ist die Zustimmung des betreffenden Grundeigentümers einzuholen." One night in a tent needs no permit but always the landowner's consent; a breach can cost up to CHF 1'000. Camping is defined by the shelter, tents, caravans "oder in ähnlichen beweglichen Unterkünften", so a bivvy bag arguably falls outside it; consent is what you need either way.6

On the Walalp that consent is arranged in advance. The Obere Walalp, the Bio-Demeter alp of Irene and Heinz Iseli-Gerster at 1'714 m below the Stockhorn north face, about 500 m west-north-west of the summit and 430 to 480 m lower, has a line on its price list for exactly this: "Im Zelt; pauschal pro Zelt 20.-", followed by "Zelten nur nach Absprache mit dem Alpteam möglich". CHF 20 a tent, and only once you have arranged it with the alp team. That arrangement is the consent the Därstetten rule asks for, which makes a tent on the Walalp with the team's yes the lawful one-night tent on this mountain. The team decides where it goes. The alp lies in zone 1a of the Längenberg reserve and, to the west, of the Scheibe reserve, neither with a camping rule there.694

Who to ask on the Obere Walalp. Heinz Iseli, 079 262 48 88: the alp writes that a WhatsApp text works best. The hut phone is 033 681 30 26, best reached from June to September between 11:30 and 12:30. Your own tent: CHF 20 flat, by arrangement only. The alp also rents DoRm-Zelte, dorm tents of 4 by 4 m, at CHF 55 per adult and CHF 25 per child, booked through Melinda Iseli, 079 961 34 61, and a small self-catering hut, the Chupferhüsi, at CHF 23 per adult and CHF 15 per child; bring a sleeping bag. Prices and the tent offer are from the alp's website as of September 2026 and hold for the summer alp season: message before you go.9

Getting there. From the top station the alp gives about an hour on foot via the Baachegg, a section it flags with an exclamation mark; the way back up takes longer. From the middle station Chrindi it gives an hour and a half via both lakes and the Bättelwägli, through the court-order area, where walking is fine and sleeping is not. By car, a permit road runs from Därstetten via Weissenburg Berg and Beret to the Untere Walalp, then 50 minutes on foot. Stay on the marked path over the Baachegg: zone 1d, with its camping ban, begins about 250 m north-east of the saddle.94

A bed inside the ban area: the Berggasthaus Oberstockenalp

If you would rather not carry a tent, the bed is on the other side of the summit. The Berggasthaus Oberstockenalp at 1'776 m, run by the Bühler family for generations, lies about 40 minutes below the summit on trail no. 2 and is open from 30 May to 18 October 2026. The Matratzenlager sleeps up to 30 at CHF 22, CHF 39 with breakfast, CHF 29 with breakfast for children up to 16; the double rooms Strüssliflueh and Mieschflue cost CHF 150 for two with breakfast, the three Stärnebett igloos CHF 215. Phone +41 33 681 14 88, info@oberstockenalp.ch; for the dorm the house recommends calling ahead.10

The Oberstockenalp stands inside the court-order area, and that is the point: a bed there is lawful, a tent beside it is not. The house says so itself on its overnight page, under "Campieren (Verboten)": camping and bivouacking are banned in the whole Stockhorn area by a court order, with fines of up to CHF 2'000.10

Sunrise and sunset on the summit, without a night on it

What most people want from a night up here is the light at either end of it, and both are possible without one. For sunrise, sleep at the Oberstockenalp and walk up trail no. 2, the classic path the Stockhornbahn calls suitable for families: about 360 m of ascent, roughly an hour. From the Obere Walalp it is 430 to 480 m and over an hour, on the Baachegg section the alp flags. The first cabin only reaches the top at 08:10, too late.8910

For sunset, the Friday evening rides run until 25 September 2026, up until 20:20 and down at 22:05 at the latest, CHF 31 for adults, with no guaranteed public-transport connection at the bottom. From 26 September 2026 to 20 March 2027 the Mondschein-Dinner runs on Saturdays around the full moon, up at 19:00, down at 23:00, CHF 105 with the ride.8

  • Obere Walalp, your own tent. 1'714 m, Därstetten, an hour from the top station via the Baachegg. CHF 20 a tent by arrangement with the alp team: Heinz Iseli, 079 262 48 88, WhatsApp works best.69
  • Obere Walalp, dorm tent or hut. DoRm-Zelte at CHF 55 per adult (Melinda Iseli, 079 961 34 61), or the self-catering Chupferhüsi at CHF 23; bring a sleeping bag.9
  • Berggasthaus Oberstockenalp. 1'776 m, 40 minutes below the summit, open to 18 October 2026: Matratzenlager CHF 22, double rooms CHF 150 and Stärnebett CHF 215 for two with breakfast, +41 33 681 14 88.10
  • Not on the summit, not at the lakes. The summit is a rock crest at a cable-car station, the lakes and the whole Erlenbach side are under the court order, and zones 1b and 1d of the wildlife reserve, north of the summit and east of the Hinterstockensee, ban camping and bivouacking outright.24

General rules for wild camping

This applies wherever you are genuinely allowed to sleep outside, which at the Stockhorn means the Obere Walalp with the alp team's yes. It is not legal text, it is decency and common sense, and on an alp that sells a pitch it is also what keeps that line on the price list.

  • No fire. An open fire has no place in the mountains. A gas stove is enough.
  • Pitch late, strike early. Set up towards evening, gone again early. A bivouac is one night, not a base camp.
  • Leave no rubbish. Everything you carry up you carry down, organic scraps and toilet paper included.
  • At least 50 metres from any water for the big business, so you do not foul what people and livestock drink.
  • Stay small and quiet. A small group, no speaker, no drone, dogs on the lead, and the alp staff's word goes.

Disclaimer

This article reflects my research and assessment to the best of my knowledge, as of September 2026. It is based on the publicly accessible and official sources linked below. It does not replace legal advice and is not a binding statement of the current legal situation.

The verdict covers the summit of the Stockhorn and the ground around it. It rests on the terrain and the facilities at the summit, on the court order of the Regionalgericht Oberland of 11 May 2020 for seven parcels in Erlenbach im Simmental, on the Bern wildlife protection ordinance for the Längenberg reserve, and on the Därstetten camping regulation of 1978 for the Walalp side. The perimeter of the court order is read from the parcel list in the published notice and from the operator's own map; the boards on site may say more or less. Where the boundaries of the wildlife reserve's zones are marked on the ground was not checked; the canton's map and the federal map of wildlife rest zones show them. The alps' prices and tent offer can change from one season to the next. Before every tour, check the current sources yourself and follow instructions on site. A genuine emergency bivouac in distress is a separate question from a planned camp. Anyone who spends the night outside bears responsibility for their own conduct and any consequences themselves. Hikebeast, Leon Helg and Saftladen GmbH accept no liability for decisions made on the basis of this text, and call on no one to break applicable law.

Frequently asked questions

Is wild camping allowed on the Stockhorn?
No. The Stockhorn above Thun and Erlenbach im Simmental, the 2'190 m summit of the Stockhorn chain and not one of the Stockhorns in Valais, is a cable-car summit on a narrow rock crest, with a 180-seat restaurant 80 metres from the top. On its Erlenbach side, a court order approved by the Regionalgericht Oberland on 11 May 2020 under art. 258 ZPO bans camping, tents and nights in the open on seven parcels, both lakes and the Oberstockenalp included, with fines of up to CHF 2'000. The lawful tent is on the Obere Walalp in Därstetten, CHF 20 by arrangement with the alp team.
What is the fine?
Up to CHF 2'000 inside the court-order area on the Erlenbach side, imposed on complaint of the landowners under art. 258 ZPO; the order names spending the night in the open, so it catches a bivvy bag too. In the core zones 1b to 1f of the Längenberg wildlife reserve, a game warden can issue a CHF 100 fixed fine on the spot (KOBV, BSG 324.111, Annex 1 no. 29). On Därstetten ground, a tent without the landowner's consent can cost up to CHF 1'000 under the camping regulation of 1978. The federal CHF 150 does not apply: there is no federal game reserve here.
Why is the verdict "Not allowed" and not "Illegal"?
Because no norm reaches the exact summit point. It lies 3.1 metres outside the court order, on ground of Stocken-Höfen, a commune with no police or camping regulation, in the zone of the wildlife reserve without a camping rule, and no federal or cantonal norm bans a night there. What rules it out is the place: a rock crest falling away at around 50 degrees, with a restaurant, a station, a viewing platform and a telecom mast within 140 metres, and visitors from 08:10 until the last evening ride. Three metres south the court order begins, and the Stockhornbahn states that camping is banned in the whole Stockhorn area. None of this makes the summit point a place to try.
Can I camp at the Oberstockensee or the Hinterstockensee?
No. Both lakes lie inside the court order of 11 May 2020: the Oberstockensee in parcel 168, listed as Vorderstockensee mit Umland, the Hinterstockensee in parcel 263, with its surroundings in parcel 1428. Tents, nights in the open and fires outside existing fireplaces are banned there, with fines of up to CHF 2'000 under art. 258 ZPO. Older photos show tents at the Oberstockensee because camping there was common before 2020. The fishing permit runs from 06:00 to 18:00 only. The nearest bed is the Berggasthaus Oberstockenalp.
How do I see sunrise or sunset on the Stockhorn without sleeping there?
Sleep nearby and walk up. From the Berggasthaus Oberstockenalp it is about 360 metres of ascent on trail no. 2, roughly an hour; from the Obere Walalp it is 430 to 480 metres over the Baachegg, over an hour. The first cabin only reaches the top at 08:10. For sunset, the Friday evening rides run until 25 September 2026 with the last descent at 22:05, and from 26 September 2026 the Mondschein-Dinner runs on Saturdays around the full moon, with the descent at 23:00. Neither needs a night at the lakes or on the Oberstockenalp, where the 2020 court order under art. 258 ZPO bans it.
Leon Helg

Leon Helg

Swiss filmmaker and software developer. Spends his free time in the Swiss Alps and maps his favourite spots for Hikebeast. Posts as @leon.helg on Instagram and TikTok.

Swiss Guide Wildcamping Checker Color Grading

Sources

  1. Federal geodata and the official cadastral survey, consulted in September 2026 on map.geo.admin.ch and in the property cadastre of canton Bern. Summit point of the Stockhorn (BE): LV95 2'607'546 / 1'171'424, WGS84 46.693993 / 7.537291, 2'189.4 m (swisstopo), commune of Stocken-Höfen, parcel 41, which also takes in the north face and the viewing platform. Communal boundaries (swissBOUNDARIES3D): Erlenbach im Simmental from 3.1 m south, Därstetten from 3.6 m south-west. Parcels: Erlenbach im Simmental 268 (Oberstockenalp-Stockhorn), 264 (restaurant) and 217 (top station); Därstetten 308 (Obere Walalp, up to the summit ridge). At the summit point, the Obere Walalp and the Baachegg: no federal game reserve, no federal wildlife rest zone, no park, no BLN object, no mire, no military area. Terrain (swissALTI3D) and land cover: bare rock, slopes around 50 degrees within 20 m of the summit point. Distances from the summit point: Panoramarestaurant 80 m, top station 136 m, glass-floored platform 46 m, main paragliding launch (2'090 m) 121 m south, Strüssligrat launch 316 m west-south-west, telecom installation of the Kantonspolizei and Skyguide at 2'607'639 / 1'171'404 (building notice, Simmentaler Anzeiger, October 2023) 95 m east-south-east, Obere Walalp about 500 m west-north-west. map.geo.admin.ch. ↩
  2. Richterliches Verbot, Simmentaler Anzeiger no. 20 of 14 May 2020, page 1, the official publication organ of Erlenbach im Simmental and Därstetten, verbatim: "Die Eigentümer der Grundstücke Erlenbach im Simmental Grundbuchblatt Nrn. 62 (Spätbergli), 124 (Vorderstockenberg), 168 (Vorderstockensee mit Umland), 217 (Hinterstocken, Oberbärgli, Lasenberg), 263 (Hinterstockensee), 268 (Oberstockenalp-Stockhorn) und 1428 (Umland Hinterstockensee) lassen hiermit die genannten Grundstücke gegen jede Besitzesstörung mit einem gerichtlichen Verbot belegen. Verboten ist insbesondere das freie Campieren. Dies betrifft das Aufstellen und das Bewohnen von Zelten, das Übernachten im Gelände und in den Unterständen / Gebäuden, das Entfachen von Feuern ausserhalb bestehender Feuerstellen. Das Verbot ist unbefristet. Widerhandlungen gegen dieses Verbot werden gemäss Art. 258 ZPO auf Antrag mit einer Busse bis CHF 2'000.00 bestraft." Dated Erlenbach i.S., 11 February 2020, signed "Die Eigentümerin: sig. Stockhornbahn AG, Stefan Schmid, Geschäftsführer, für die Eigentümer"; "Richterlich bewilligt: Thun, 11.5.2020, Regionalgericht Oberland". The notice prints no case number. The Stockhornbahn's perimeter map on the regional geoportal RegioGIS BEO, created in September 2020, follows the same seven parcels; the restaurant parcel 264 is not on the list. Simmentaler Anzeiger, 14 May 2020 (PDF), RegioGIS BEO, perimeter map. ↩
  3. Swiss Civil Procedure Code (Zivilprozessordnung, ZPO, SR 272), consolidated version in force since 1 July 2026, art. 258 para. 1: "Wer an einem Grundstück dinglich berechtigt ist, kann beim Gericht beantragen, dass jede Besitzesstörung zu unterlassen ist und eine Widerhandlung auf Antrag mit einer Busse bis zu 2000 Franken bestraft wird. Das Verbot kann befristet oder unbefristet sein." Art. 259: the ban is made public and posted on the land. Art. 260: objection to the court within 30 days of publication and posting. fedlex.admin.ch. ↩
  4. Canton Bern wildlife protection. Verordnung über den Wildtierschutz (WTSchV, BSG 922.63), Annex 2 in the version in force since 1 December 2024, no. 27 Längenberg, "Alle Zonen (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f)": category C, deer hunting under the annual rules; category E, "Hunde sind vom 1. Dezember bis zum 31. Juli im Wald an der Leine zu führen"; category F, "Der Betrieb von zivilen, unbemannten Luftfahrzeugen (z.B. Drohnen, Modellflugzeuge) ist verboten". "In Kernzone 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e und 1f zusätzlich: ... Freies/wildes Campieren und Biwakieren sind verboten." Zone 1a carries no camping or bivouac rule. Art. 4 para. 1: the reserves are delimited by digital geodata and the descriptions in Annex 2; the object sheet Längenberg no. 27 carries the same text. In the cantonal WILDSG geodata the summit, both lakes, the Oberstockenalp and the Obere Walalp lie in zone 1a; zone 1d begins 448 m north of the summit and about 250 m north-east of the Baachegg saddle, zone 1b 39 m east of the Hinterstockensee; the western part of the Walalp lies in zone 1a of no. 31 Scheibe, whose camping ban applies only in its core zone 1b, more than 5 km west. The federal layer of wildlife rest zones shows Längenberg zones 1b and 1d with the camping sentence and not zone 1a. Kantonale Ordnungsbussenverordnung (KOBV, BSG 324.111), Annex 1 no. 29: "Missachten von Verboten in Wildschutzgebieten (Art. 3 Abs. 1 Bst. f WTSchV i.V.m. Art. 31 Abs. 1 Bst. c JWG)", CHF 100. Gesetz über Jagd und Wildtierschutz (JWG, BSG 922.11), art. 27 para. 4: game wardens may impose and collect fixed fines; art. 31 para. 1 lit. c: fine of up to CHF 20'000 in ordinary proceedings. belex.sites.be.ch (WTSchV), object sheet Längenberg (PDF), KOBV, JWG. ↩
  5. Colour and history, not a basis for the verdict. Berner Oberländer, 4 June 2020, "Bergbahnen vor der Eröffnung": the Stockhornbahn's managing director on the court order, "spätestens ab Ende Juni werden wir dieses in Absprache mit den beteiligten Bäuerten in den Gebieten der beiden Bergseen, Lasenberg und Hinterstockenalp konsequent durchsetzen", after wild and reckless camping had got out of hand (archived copy). Para-Deltaclub Stockhorn, 30 July 2020, "Campingverbot Stockhorn": "Dies betrifft den Talkessel mit den beiden Seen und auch den Laseberg." hjop.ch, trip of 29 October 2017: a tent at the Oberstockensee, before the ban. Canton Bern, press release of the economy, energy and environment directorate of 2 May 2022, "Eine neue Steinwildkolonie auf dem Stockhorn", on the ibex released that spring, with the sentence "Im Sommer 2021 hat das Regierungsstatthalteramt im Stockhorngebiet ein Camping- und Biwakierverbot und ein Feuerverbot erlassen." No such decree is published in the official gazettes, and its three elements are those of the 2020 court order; unconfirmed, and not treated here as a second norm. Berner Oberländer (archive), pdcs.ch, hjop.ch, be.ch, press release. ↩
  6. Einwohnergemeinde Därstetten, Camping-Reglement adopted by the communal assembly on 23 May 1978 and approved by the Polizeidirektion of canton Bern on 10 April 1979, in force from that approval under art. 44. Art. 1: "Dieses Reglement schafft die Grundordnung für das Campingwesen auf dem ganzen Gemeindegebiet." Art. 2: "Unter Campieren versteht man das vorübergehende Verweilen und Uebernachten von Personen in Zelten, Wohnwagen, Mobilheimen oder in ähnlichen beweglichen Unterkünften." Art. 9 para. 3: "Zum einmaligen Uebernachten dürfen Zelte und Wohnwagen ohne polizeiliche Bewilligung aufgestellt werden. Die Campierenden haben sich dabei allfälligen Weisungen der zuständigen Organe zu fügen." Para. 4: "In jedem Falle ist die Zustimmung des betreffenden Grundeigentümers einzuholen." Art. 42 para. 2: breaches are fined by the communal council "mit Busse bis zu Fr. 1'000.--". The communal building regulation still refers to it in art. 56 para. 4: "Im Übrigen gilt das Campingreglement." Campingreglement Därstetten (PDF), daerstetten.ch, Reglemente. ↩
  7. Communal and cantonal law around the summit. Stocken-Höfen publishes no police regulation and no camping regulation. Its building regulation of 3 December 2021, art. 528, protects the Landschaftsschongebiete from buildings, installations and terrain changes and contains no rule on conduct; art. 542 sets for its Wildschutzgebiete: "In den Wildschutzgebieten sind alle störenden Aktivitäten zu unterlassen", "Bezeichnete Wege dürfen nicht verlassen werden und Hunde sind an der Leine zu führen", applied to the communal zone in the Bachegg forest, 453 m north of the summit. Erlenbach im Simmental publishes no police regulation and no camping regulation. Its building regulation in the version of 25 September 2025, art. 42, zone P "Touristikgebiet Stockhorn", secures the use of buildings and installations and allows fireplaces on the east side of both lakes, with no camping clause; art. 56 para. 3 excludes campsites, motorhomes and caravans from the landscape protection areas, among them, under art. 57, the Hinter- und Oberstockensee, Stockeflue. Canton Bern has no camping or bivouac norm of general application: the police act (PolG, BSG 551.1), the nature protection act (NSchG, BSG 426.11) and the hunting act (JWG, BSG 922.11) contain none. stocken-hoefen.ch, Erlasse, Baureglement Stocken-Höfen (PDF), erlenbach-be.ch, Reglemente, Baureglement Erlenbach (PDF). ↩
  8. Stockhornbahn AG, Erlenbach i.S., pages consulted in September 2026. Camping ban page, English version: "We would like to point out that free camping is prohibited in the entire Stockhorn area. This applies to setting up and living in tents, spending the night in the area and in the shelters/buildings, lighting fires outside existing fireplaces. Violations of this prohibition will be punished with a fine of up to CHF 2,000.00 according to Art. 258 ZPO." Summer timetable: 11 April to 22 November 2026, every 30 minutes, first arrival at the Stockhorn 08:10, last departure 17:35. Friday evening rides: every Friday from 12 June to 25 September, continuous service up until 20:20, "Letzte Talfahrt ab Stockhorn um 22.05 Uhr", CHF 31. Mondschein-Dinner: Saturdays around the full moon from 26 September 2026 to 20 March 2027, up 19:00, down 23:00, CHF 105. Panoramarestaurant: 180 seats and a sun terrace. Viewing platform in the north face, reached through the summit gallery. Trails: no. 1 station to summit, +50 m, about 7 minutes; no. 2 Stockhorn to Oberstockenalp, -358 m, about 40 minutes, suitable for families. Fishing: permit for up to six fish, "Die Ausübung der Fischerei ist von 06.00 - 18.00 Uhr gestattet". Stockhorn Iglu at the Hinterstockensee: fondue evenings, descent 21:00 or 18:00. stockhorn.ch, no camping, timetable, Friday evening rides, hiking trails. ↩
  9. Obere Walalp (Oberi Walalp), Därstetten, Bio-Demeter alp of Irene and Heinz Iseli-Gerster, website consulted in September 2026. Home page: "Unter der Stockhorn Nordwand liegt die Oberi Walalp auf 1714 m.ü.M." Price list: "Übernachtung Erwachsene 23.-", "Kinder bis 16 J 15.-", "Im Zelt; pauschal pro Zelt 20.-", "Zelten nur nach Absprache mit dem Alpteam möglich", "DoRm-Zelte 4x4Meter Pro Person 55.- Kinder 25.-". Chupferhüsi: two twin rooms and a dormitory for eight, simple kitchen, "Zum Schlafen bringst Du einen Schlafsack mit." Contacts: Heinz Iseli 079 262 48 88, "am besten WhatsApp Text"; hut phone 033 681 30 26, "Beste Erreichbarkeit (Juni-September): 11:30-12:30 Uhr"; DoRm-Zelte booking Melinda Iseli 079 961 34 61. Route page: "Bergstation Stockhorn - (!) Baachegg - Oberi Walalp 1 Std.", "Mittelstation Chrindi - Hinderstockesee - Oberstockesee - Bättelwägli - Oberi Walalp 1 Std. 30 Min."; permit road from Därstetten via Weissenburg Berg and Beret to the Untere Walalp, then 50 minutes on foot. walalp.ch, prices, Chupferhüsi, route. ↩
  10. Berggasthaus Oberstockenalp, Erlenbach i.S., run by the Bühler family, website consulted in September 2026. Opening: "Öffnungszeiten 2026 30. Mai bis 18. Oktober: täglich geöffnet". Matratzenlager for up to 30: CHF 22 a night, CHF 39 with breakfast, children up to 16 CHF 29 with breakfast, bed linen CHF 17. Double rooms Strüssliflueh and Mieschflue: CHF 150 for two with breakfast, CHF 130 from the second night. Stärnebett igloos "Stockhorn", "Heuflueh" and "Cheibehorn": CHF 215 for two with breakfast. Under "Campieren (Verboten)": "Campen und biwakieren ist im gesamten Stockorngebiet [sic] verboten (richterliches Verbot, bei Missachtung muss mit Bussen bis zu CHF 2000.- gerechnet werden)." Contact +41 33 681 14 88, info@oberstockenalp.ch. oberstockenalp.ch, overnight, contact. ↩