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🏞️ Mountain Hikes with Lakes

Routes carrying both lake and mountain tags

Routes qualify only when both lake and mountain tags are present. The tags do not establish shore access, swimming rules or the lake’s position along the route.

Updated September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

14.8 km

Via Alpina Stage 80: Trient - Champex-Lac

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

738 m

Via Alpina Stage 81: Champex-Lac - Bourg St. Pierre

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Compare the top 10

Start with the effort involved, then open a route for its map and full guide.

Distance, ascent, estimated moving time, difficulty and season field for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentEst. timeDifficultySeason field
Zentralalpenweg 02Grisons1146 km19,112 m301 hrExpertJuly to September
Via Alpina Stage 80: Trient - Champex-LacValais/Wallis14.8 km1,247 m4 hr 58 minHardJuly to September
ADT - Indiana (South) - H - Seg 2Indiana93.7 km747 m23 hrExpertApril to October
Via Alpina Stage 81: Champex-Lac - Bourg St. PierreValais/Wallis16.4 km738 m4 hr 34 minHardJune to October
Bucerdea Vinoasă - Modolești - CeteaAlba37.3 km1,838 m11 hrExpertApril to October
Catoctin National Recreation TrailMaryland42.8 km1,151 m11 hrExpertApril to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino22.6 km827 m6 hr 10 minHardJune to October
Sentiero Lago di LuganoTicino33.0 km1,580 m9 hr 46 minExpertJune to October
Rae Lakes LoopCalifornia57.6 km2,081 m16 hrExpertJuly to September
Upper Cascade Falls TrailColorado4.9 km784 m2 hr 12 minModerateJuly to September

Routes in this collection

Expert

Zentralalpenweg 02

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
1146 km
/ 712 mi
Elevation gain
19,112 m
Typical duration
301 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
22.6 km
/ 14.0 mi
Elevation gain
827 m
Typical duration
6 hr 10 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
33.0 km
/ 20.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,580 m
Typical duration
9 hr 46 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Rae Lakes Loop

California · United States

Distance
57.6 km
/ 35.8 mi
Elevation gain
2,081 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
Moderate

Upper Cascade Falls Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
4.9 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
784 m
Typical duration
2 hr 12 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Expert

Geneva Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
37.5 km
/ 23.3 mi
Elevation gain
2,175 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
15.2 km
/ 9.4 mi
Elevation gain
513 m
Typical duration
3 hr 56 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Ad ogni incrocio di sentiero ed ogni cambiamento importante di direzione, la marcatura permanente impedisce al corridore di potersi smarrire. Sul percorso di 54Km sono presenti circa 80 cartelli indicatori con il logo di Scenic Trail.
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
10.4 km
/ 6.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,185 m
Typical duration
3 hr 57 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
11.3 km
/ 7.0 mi
Elevation gain
887 m
Typical duration
3 hr 41 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Dove non è stato possibile mettere dei pali segnaletici ufficiali, sono stati posti dei paletti in alluminio anodizzato con marcatura bianco-rosso-bianco per permettere ai corridori di seguire senza difficoltà il percorso di Scenic Trail.
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
16.4 km
/ 10.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,140 m
Typical duration
5 hr 10 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Meadow Mountain Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
5.4 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
86 m
Typical duration
1 hr 15 min
  • Lake
  • River
  • Mountain
The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the U.S. states of California and Nevada, between the California Central Valley and the Basin and Range Province. The Sierra runs 400 miles (640 km) north-to-south, and is approximately 70 miles (110
Expert

North Lake South Lake Loop

California · United States

Distance
86.8 km
/ 53.9 mi
Elevation gain
2,788 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Hard

9 Seen-Weg

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
17.5 km
/ 10.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,701 m
Typical duration
6 hr 16 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Laghi Scouri Hospitz

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,052 m
Typical duration
3 hr 19 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Fern Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
11.8 km
/ 7.3 mi
Elevation gain
918 m
Typical duration
3 hr 50 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Moderate

Timber Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
443 m
Typical duration
1 hr 38 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Panoramic view on the trail up to Bella Tola
Moderate

Lac de la Bella Tola-Bella Tola

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
397 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Panoramic view on the trail up to Bella Tola
Moderate

Meidpass-Lac de Bella Tola

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
90 m
Typical duration
36 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

North/South Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
91.1 km
/ 56.6 mi
Elevation gain
585 m
Typical duration
22 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest

More collections

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

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Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →