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Best Forest Hikes near La Chaux-de-Fonds

54 routes near La Chaux-de-Fonds qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 3.4 km and 152 m (499 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 20.3 km.

That is 39 percent of the 140 routes we map near La Chaux-de-Fonds. They are shorter than the local average, 3.4 km against 8.3 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 152 m (499 ft) against 246 m (807 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Forest trails are the dependable choice: shade when it is hot, shelter when it is not, and a completely different character once the leaves turn. The mix is broad: 18 are rated easy and 4 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Borne frontière Neuchâtel-Vaud VD070
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
13.0 km
/ 8.1 mi
Elevation gain
888 m
Typical duration
4 hr 2 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Borne frontière Neuchâtel-Vaud VD029
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
18.4 km
/ 11.4 mi
Elevation gain
697 m
Typical duration
4 hr 58 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Granges-près-Marnand and Sassel, Valbroye, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland
Moderate

ViaJacobi

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
16.5 km
/ 10.3 mi
Elevation gain
94 m
Typical duration
3 hr 38 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Vue de Sainte-Croix depuis les Aiguilles de Baulmes. A droite, le Cochet et le Chasseron
Moderate

Chemin des Gorges de Covatannaz

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
8.2 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
544 m
Typical duration
2 hr 32 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
borNE.BUTT-LCAF.i
Moderate

La Côte-aux-Fées - Buttes

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
6.7 km
/ 4.2 mi
Elevation gain
345 m
Typical duration
1 hr 55 min
  • Coastal
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
borNE.BUTT-LCAF.b
Easy

La Côte-aux-Fées - fixme

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
57 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Coastal
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
TRANSJURA 26.07.2016
Moderate

Les Cugnets -Mont Dar

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
149 m
Typical duration
41 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Creux du Van / Switzerland
Moderate

Les Oeuillons-Le Soliat

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
536 m
Typical duration
1 hr 27 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Parc du Doubs
Moderate

Soubey - Les Enfers

Jura · Switzerland

Distance
3.5 km
/ 2.2 mi
Typical duration
44 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
La ferme du Sollier et le sommet du Chasseron.
Moderate

Chalet de la Maya - fixme

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
25 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Bullet-Fiez-Chasseron-pt1558
Easy

Chasseron-Les Illars

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
140 m
Typical duration
41 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
On 10 November 1998 Chemins de Fer des Montagnes Neuchâtelois (CMN) railcar BDe4/4 no. 5 is seen at Les Brenets. Train 26, 12:04 from Le Locle to Les Brenets. This company operates two separate metre gauge lines both at 1500V dc.
Moderate

La Caroline - fixme

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
25 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Borne frontière France-Suisse (Doubs-Neuchâtel) no.1O
Moderate

La Caroline - fixme

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
210 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
It has been taken the 2013-09-28. Orvin (Switzerland)
Easy

Les Coperies-Jurahaus

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
40 m
Typical duration
1 hr 9 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
TRANSJURA 26.07.2016
Moderate

Les Cugnets -fixme

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
156 m
Typical duration
48 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Yverdon-les-Bains vu des Rasses
Moderate

Les Praises-La Casba

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
150 m
Typical duration
33 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
borNE.NEUC-PESE.an
Moderate

Peseux - Le Gibet

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
214 m
Typical duration
47 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Borne frontière France-Suisse (Doubs-Neuchâtel) no.2 Situation dans la falaise depuis la falaise en face
Moderate

Col des Roches - fixme

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
148 m
Typical duration
51 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
On 10 November 1998 Chemins de Fer des Montagnes Neuchâtelois (CMN) railcar BDe4/4 no. 5 is seen at Les Brenets. Train 26, 12:04 from Le Locle to Les Brenets. This company operates two separate metre gauge lines both at 1500V dc.
Moderate

La Caroline - fixme

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
11 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Borne frontière Neuchâtel-Vaud VD029
Moderate

La Preisette-Les Illars

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Typical duration
20 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Route de Diesse, the main street of Lamboing , seen in the direction of Diesse , roughly westward.
Easy

Les Moulins - Lamboing

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
59 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Creux du Van / Switzerland
Moderate

Les Oeuillons-Ferme Robert

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Fluss Le Doubs am Weiler Tariche 4 Kilometer südwestlich der Stadt St. Ursanne im Kanton Jura.
Moderate

Tariche - Les Errauts

Jura · Switzerland

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
97 m
Typical duration
22 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Borne frontière France-Suisse (Doubs-Neuchâtel) no.1O
Moderate

fixme - fixme

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
160 m
Typical duration
36 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Borne frontière France-Suisse (Doubs-Neuchâtel) no.2 Situation dans la falaise depuis la falaise en face
Moderate

fixme - fixme

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
140 m
Typical duration
48 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Lac des Taillères, Kanton Neuenburg
Moderate

La vy aux moines

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
7.2 km
/ 4.5 mi
Elevation gain
192 m
Typical duration
1 hr 47 min
  • Forest
borNE.NEUC-PESE.ba
Moderate

Neuchâtel Vauseyon - Peseux

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
23 m
Typical duration
22 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Switzerland, La Sagne. Old farmhouse
Easy

La Sagne crêt - Marmoud

Neuchâtel · Switzerland

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
22 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Le sommet du Chasseron avec le signal géodésique, l'observatoire météo, le toit de l'hôtel et le bunker de Telecom PTT (Stations relais radio. Vue depuis les Petites Roches.
Easy

Le Sollier - fixme

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
25 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Jura Crest TrailNeuchâtel13.0 km888 m4 hr 2 minHardApril to October
Via Cluny Variante Morteau Etape 2Neuchâtel20.3 km619 m5 hr 19 minHardApril to October
Jura Crest TrailVaud18.4 km697 m4 hr 58 minHardApril to October
ViaJacobiFribourg16.5 km94 m3 hr 38 minModerateApril to October
Les Cernets Dessus-Pouetta RaisseVaud15.9 km1,297 m5 hr 17 minHardApril to October
Chemin des Gorges de CovatannazVaud8.2 km544 m2 hr 32 minModerateApril to October
La Côte-aux-Fées - ButtesNeuchâtel6.7 km345 m1 hr 55 minModerateApril to October
La Côte-aux-Fées - fixmeNeuchâtel1.4 km57 m23 minEasyApril to October
Les Cugnets -Mont DarNeuchâtel2.2 km149 m41 minModerateApril to October
Le Belvédère - Forêt de BoudryNeuchâtel1.3 km75 m23 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Jura Crest Trail, Via Cluny Variante Morteau Etape 2, Jura Crest Trail. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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