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Best Forest Hikes near Lausanne

67 routes near Lausanne qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 5.1 km and 203 m (666 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 35.9 km.

That is 52 percent of the 129 routes we map near Lausanne. They are shorter than the local average, 5.1 km against 13.6 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 203 m (666 ft) against 508 m (1,667 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: 25 are rated easy and 8 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Dans les gorges de l'Orbe.
Expert

Jura Crest Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
35.9 km
/ 22.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,520 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
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
Refuge près de Métabief
Moderate

Via Cluny Etape 8

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
7.5 km
/ 4.7 mi
Elevation gain
114 m
Typical duration
1 hr 45 min
  • 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
Photo prise depuis la terrasse des Marindes, dans la réserve naturelle du Vanil Noir, faisant partie du Parc naturel régional Gruyère-Pays-d’Enhaut, dans le canton de Fribourg, en Suisse
Moderate

Les Marindes-Motélon

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
4.5 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
282 m
Typical duration
1 hr 22 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Charmey 26-06-2008
Moderate

Les Reposoirs

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
200 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • Mountain
  • 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
Building of the railway station of Fey.
Hard

Chemin des Blés

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
22.5 km
/ 14.0 mi
Elevation gain
429 m
Typical duration
5 hr 33 min
  • 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
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
Crettet Borney
Moderate

Les Crosets-Sur Cou

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
57 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Bâtiment du service de dermatologie-vénérologie du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) (Lausanne, Suisse)
Moderate

Sur les traces du renard

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
7.8 km
/ 4.9 mi
Elevation gain
615 m
Typical duration
2 hr 33 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
L'arête ouest des Aiguilles de Baulmes
Moderate

Grange Neuve-La Poyette

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
205 m
Typical duration
53 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
The source of the river Orbe in the Swiss Jura
Moderate

Saigne Geret-Les Revines

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
3.5 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
207 m
Typical duration
1 hr 2 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Dans les gorges de l'Orbe.
Moderate

fixme - fixme

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
111 m
Typical duration
1 hr 8 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Pyramidal Orchid - Anacamptis pyramidalis
Easy

Ballaigues-Vallorbe

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
5.1 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
146 m
Typical duration
1 hr 17 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
A deux pas du village d'Hermance, sur le Pont du Bourg-Dessus; la France est située sur la rive droite, la Suisse sur la gauche.
Easy

Hermance - Les Lombards (F)

Geneva · Switzerland

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
48 m
Typical duration
27 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
Roues de Tem II 288 à la gare du Pont lors de la sortie photo du 18/08/2012
Moderate

Les Epoisats-Le Pont

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
68 m
Typical duration
30 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
Parc Bois-Murat, Corminboeuf (Fribourg)
Moderate

Matran - Sentier rouge🔴

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
78 m
Typical duration
1 hr 5 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Parc Bois-Murat, Corminboeuf (Fribourg)
Moderate

Matran - Sentier vert🟢

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
208 m
Typical duration
2 hr 2 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Parc Bois-Murat, Corminboeuf (Fribourg)
Moderate

Matran Gare - Bois des Morts

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
93 m
Typical duration
36 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
Via Francigena - Historical variantVaud33.8 km503 m8 hr 21 minHardApril to October
Jura Crest TrailVaud35.9 km1,520 m10 hrExpertApril to October
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
Via Cluny Etape 8Vaud7.5 km114 m1 hr 45 minModerateApril to October
Jura Crest TrailVaud18.4 km697 m4 hr 58 minHardApril to October
Sur les pas des Huguenots et des Vaudois du PiémontVaud1.6 kmflat21 minModerateApril 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
Les Marindes-MotélonFribourg4.5 km282 m1 hr 22 minModerateJune to October

If you only have time for one, start with Via Francigena - Historical variant, Jura Crest Trail, 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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