The Mecca of Singletrack Riding
Back in 1850, Davos was simply a poor farming village in a remote mountainous region of Graubünden. Fast forward to today and it is the highest town in Europe at 1,560m, the home of the World Economic Forum and an all-round adventure sport hotspot.
The catalyst for this change was a doctor’s discovery of the health benefits of the Davos climate. After moving to Davos and noticing the complete lack of tuberculosis in its residents, the doctor spread the word on the healing properties of the local area’s clean mountain air. Davos soon became a world-renowned mountain spa resort with people coming from far and wide for a treatment of fresh air, sun and rest.
Winter sports had already been a big thing in Davos but with the installation of the world’s very first ski lift on the Bolgen practice area in 1934, the resort’s convalescent vibe was slowly replaced with something a bit more adventurous. Since then, Davos, and its neighbouring village Klosters, has become a fantastic ski area with 300km of piste and some 58 lifts. Despite this, it is in the summer that the resort truly shines.
With a massive 700km network of biking trails, nine mountain lifts linking them together, a huge range of bike hotel options and, most importantly, a cracking local microbrewery, Davos has everything you could possibly need from your next mountain biking destination. Whilst the stunning Sertig Valley is perfect for cross country cycling, and the 6-km long A-line flow trail is ideal for downhill riders, the star attraction in Davos is the singletrack riding.
Natural, narrow trails sprawl out far and wide across the region and, although they are maintained, they’re certainly not lacking when it comes to providing an authentic all-mountain experience. The highlight of these trails is undoubtedly the aptly-named Alps Epic Trail. The 40-km trail from Jakobshorn to Filisur is the longest singletrack in Switzerland and has been designated an IMBA Epic Trail (one of only two in Europe), making it one of the world’s best mountain bike trails.
So, it’s not hard to see why Davos should be on the bucket list of any keen mountain biker. The town itself is a lively one with a number of bars, restaurants and nightclubs to keep you entertained after an exhausting yet exhilarating day of riding. And if you do end up having one drink too many, that clean mountain air should sort you out in no time!
