Golden Larches in the Engadin Autumn

Golden larches belong to the Engadin autumn just as snow belongs to winter. By mid-October, the larch forests are cloaked in gold. The Larch Tracker shows in real time exactly when this natural spectacle reaches its peak.

When do the larches turn golden?

Depending on the weather, the larches in the Engadin turn golden sometime between early and late October. The colour explosion in the Upper Engadin usually reaches its peak around mid-October, though the exact timing varies from year to year: according to MeteoSwiss, the larches in St. Moritz were already showing their autumn colours by 6 October in 2007, whereas in 2020 this wasn't the case until 24 October.

Why do the needles change colour?

As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, the larch breaks down nutrients and stores chlorophyll – the green pigment in its needles – in its roots, trunk, and branches. Once no green remains in the needles, yellow pigments emerge. Shortly after, the larch sheds its golden cloak, preparing itself for winter. Source: MeteoSwiss

Where the larches glow gold

The golden larches are especially beautiful to see along Lake Sils or on a hike into Val Roseg. The best view over the golden Upper Engadin can be found from the Muottas Muragl lookout.

Larch tracker

Webcams in the Engadin

Where are the larches already glowing gold? With the Larch Tracker, you can find out where the larches are currently changing colour and immerse yourself in the landscape via webcam.

Visit the Larch Tracker