A cozy hiking sim about building a national park.
RollerCoaster Tycoon, except it is a national park. You lay the trails, you build the camps and the viewpoints, you give the hikees the views — and they give you the money. Then you walk the whole thing yourself.
What you do
Six things, roughlyLay the trail
Switchbacks up the ridge, a boardwalk over the marsh, a bench where the view opens. Grade and distance are real numbers here, so a path that is too hard is a path nobody enjoys.
Every hikee has a plan
Each one arrives with an intent and an ability. A long punishing ridge with a payoff view. A family after the nearest waterfall and a night at camp. Somebody who is only here to fish.
Camp for the night
Build a campsite and they sleep in it, build a fire and have a genuinely good time. An overnight is worth more than a day trip, if the walk in was fair.
Staff it and sign it
Hire volunteers to build paths and pick up after the hikees who could not find a trashcan. Put up signage so people arrive prepared and hike responsibly. Gate a path as fee‑only to pay for the upkeep.
Ride along
Drop into first person and hike the park you just made, at ground level, at hiking speed. Double jump to fly. Jump again to fall. It is the honest test of a trail.
Every biome its own
Pine forest, high desert, coast. The light, the plants and the whole interface shift with the ground you are standing on.
How it plays
Three minutes, one trail
Laying a route up a slope that is too steep to take head on, and what the switchbacks are actually for.
Little looks at Switchback
Quick gameplay clips from the trails, the little details, and a few things you might not expect in a cozy hiking sim.
He just wanted to go hiking
A short gameplay look at Switchback, the cozy hiking and park management game for iPhone, iPad and Android.
Watch on YouTube →Something big just surfaced… Switchback is out now on Android! 🤖🌲
A short gameplay look at Switchback, the cozy hiking and park management game for iPhone, iPad and Android.
Watch on YouTube →
Dropping into my mountain park
Fly through the clouds into a mountain park, with trails, cabins, bridges and little hikers exploring at golden hour.
Watch on YouTube →
Bigfoot… or Andrew?
Keep an eye on the edges of your park. Some visitors are a little more unexpected than others.
Watch on YouTube →Packs and add-ons
More on the way
Horses & Stables
Build a barn, buy a herd and name every horse. Feed, water and groom them, send visitors out on guided trail rides, or saddle up and ride yourself. Two new parks come with it: Rimrock Ranch and Tahoma Foothills. $0.99, and included in the Full Game + DLC Pack bundle.
See what's in the barn →
A look around
Real parks, mid-build
Common questions
Asked and answeredWhat is Switchback?
Switchback is a cozy hiking sim and national park management game for iPhone, iPad and Android. You lay out the trails, build the camps, viewpoints and fishing spots, and keep the hikees happy — then hike the park yourself in first person.
Is Switchback free?
Yes, it is free to download. Most parks open after one short ad you choose to watch, and a single purchase turns ads off everywhere. There are also biome packs and an optional tip.
Is Switchback on Android or Steam?
It is on Android. Switchback came to Google Play on October 9, 2026, where it is listed as Switchback: A Cozy Park Tycoon — the same game, the same parks and the same packs as on iPhone. Steam is something I would like to do, and it is not announced.
Is it like RollerCoaster Tycoon or Zoo Tycoon?
That is exactly where it came from. The difference is what you are selling: not rides, but a good day outside. There is no fail state and nothing catches fire — you are managing a park, not defending one.
Can you walk the park yourself?
Yes. The ride along drops you into first person at ground level and hiking speed, so you find out whether the climb you drew is actually fair. Double jump to fly, and jump again to fall.
Are there horses in Switchback?
Yes, in the Horses & Stables add-on. You build barns, buy and name a herd, keep them fed, watered and groomed, sell guided trail rides to visitors, and ride the horses yourself in first person. It is $0.99 and comes with two new parks.
Does Switchback need an internet connection?
No. There are no accounts and no sign-in, and your parks are saved on your device and never sent anywhere. A connection is only needed to load an ad or make a purchase.
Does it work on tablets, and with a controller?
Yes to both. Switchback runs on iPhone and iPad and on Android phones and tablets, and a connected controller is picked up on its own — Xbox, PlayStation and Switch Pro pads all show their own button labels.
Out now on iPhone, iPad and Android
Free on the App Store and Google Play. Search Switchback: A Cozy Hiking Game on the App Store or Switchback: A Cozy Park Tycoon on Google Play, or tap through.
iOS, iPadOS & Android · Steam, we will seeCome along for the build
Short clips, art passes and the occasional trail that goes badly wrong. Posted as it happens, and it is not finished just because it shipped.