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Best Long-Distance Hikes near Zürich

There are 9 hikes near Zürich in our database that fit. They average 103 km and 1,649 m (5,410 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 233 km.

That is 5 percent of the 166 routes we map near Zürich. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 103 km against 17.9 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,649 m (5,410 ft) on average versus 394 m (1,293 ft) across the wider area.

Multi-day paths, normally walked in stages, with the accommodation and waymarking to support them. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Harpolingen Rathaus
Expert

Hochrhein Jakobsweg (2)

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
101 km
/ 62.6 mi
Elevation gain
601 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Switzerland , Thurgau , Etzwilen
Expert

Hochrhein Jakobsweg (1)

Schaffhausen · Switzerland

Distance
74.5 km
/ 46.3 mi
Elevation gain
610 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Steinbruch in Holderbank
Expert

Aargauer Weg

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
103 km
/ 63.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,627 m
Typical duration
26 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Landscape near Schachen Waldshut (50536293337)
Expert

Hochrhein-Höhenweg

Basel-City · Switzerland

Distance
128 km
/ 79.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,742 m
Typical duration
32 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Bünzer Moos: Blick vom Forenmoos Richtung Murimoos mit Lindenberg (Schweiz) im Hintergrund
Expert

Freiämterweg Talroute

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
62.6 km
/ 38.9 mi
Elevation gain
803 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Kommunikationszentrum der Firma Sto AG
Expert

Wutach-Pilgerweg

Schaffhausen · Switzerland

Distance
61.3 km
/ 38.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,171 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Toggenburger Höhenweg

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
87.5 km
/ 54.4 mi
Elevation gain
4,300 m
Typical duration
26 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Züri Oberland-Höhenweg

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
74.2 km
/ 46.1 mi
Elevation gain
2,900 m
Typical duration
21 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path

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
Europäischer Fernwanderweg E5, SchweizAargau233 km1,083 m56 hrExpertApril to October
Hochrhein Jakobsweg (2)Aargau101 km601 m24 hrExpertApril to October
Hochrhein Jakobsweg (1)Schaffhausen74.5 km610 m18 hrExpertApril to October
Aargauer WegAargau103 km1,627 m26 hrExpertApril to October
Hochrhein-HöhenwegBasel-City128 km1,742 m32 hrExpertApril to October
Freiämterweg TalrouteAargau62.6 km803 m15 hrExpertApril to October
Wutach-PilgerwegSchaffhausen61.3 km1,171 m15 hrExpertApril to October
Toggenburger HöhenwegSt. Gallen87.5 km4,300 m26 hrExpertApril to October
Züri Oberland-HöhenwegSt. Gallen74.2 km2,900 m21 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Europäischer Fernwanderweg E5, Schweiz, Hochrhein Jakobsweg (2), Hochrhein Jakobsweg (1). 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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