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Best Mountain Hikes in Vaud

The directory currently contains 17 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Vaud. Their average mapped distance is 18.1 km and average recorded ascent is 804 m (2,638 ft); the longest route in the set is 91.5 km.

This subset represents 12% of the 144 quality-checked routes in Vaud. Its average distance is 18.1 km, compared with 6.7 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 804 m (2,638 ft), versus 249 m (817 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the mountain tag. Their measured distance and ascent are shown separately so the label is not used as a proxy for difficulty. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 12 (71%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed 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

13.2 km

Tour des Alpes Vaudoises Étape 4

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

637 m

Jura Crest Trail

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.

Trails

Hard

Via Alpina

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
13.6 km
/ 8.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,758 m
Typical duration
5 hr 28 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
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
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
24.8 km
/ 15.4 mi
Elevation gain
637 m
Typical duration
6 hr 25 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Via Alpina

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
18.7 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,637 m
Typical duration
6 hr 28 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

The Toblerones Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
22.1 km
/ 13.7 mi
Elevation gain
88 m
Typical duration
4 hr 57 min
  • Mountain
Col du mont d'Orzeires lors de la sortie photo du 18-08-2012
Moderate

Mont d'Orzeires - fixme

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
96 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Col du mont d'Orzeires lors de la sortie photo du 18-08-2012
Moderate

Mont d'Orzeires - fixme

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
65 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Col du mont d'Orzeires lors de la sortie photo du 18-08-2012
Moderate

Mont d'Orzeires-Saigne Geret

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
16 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Mountain
  • 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 - part France - 04 Besançon - frontièreVaud91.5 km1,817 m24 hrExpertApril to October
Via AlpinaVaud13.6 km1,758 m5 hr 28 minHardJune to October
Jura Crest TrailVaud35.9 km1,520 m10 hrExpertApril to October
Jura Crest TrailVaud24.8 km637 m6 hr 25 minHardJune to October
Via AlpinaVaud18.7 km1,637 m6 hr 28 minHardJune to October
Tour des Alpes Vaudoises Étape 4Vaud13.2 km1,145 m4 hr 29 minHardJune to October
Tour des Alpes Vaudoises Étape 1Vaud6.9 km1,051 m3 hr 1 minHardApril to October
Tour des Alpes Vaudoises Étape 6Vaud17.7 km857 m5 hr 3 minHardJune to October
Tour des Alpes Vaudoises Étape 7Vaud21.4 km942 m6 hr 3 minHardJune to October
Les Cernets Dessus-Pouetta RaisseVaud15.9 km1,297 m5 hr 17 minHardApril to October

Via Francigena - part France - 04 Besançon - frontière, Jura Crest Trail, Via Alpina currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

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.

Read article →

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 →

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