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Hard Hiking Trails in Parc national des Écrins (cœur)

We track 9 routes that match this search in Parc national des Écrins (cœur). They average 85.4 km and 2,331 m (7,648 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 373 km.

That is 36 percent of the 25 routes we map in Parc national des Écrins (cœur). They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 85.4 km against 33.2 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 2,331 m (7,648 ft) on average versus 962 m (3,156 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit. A good share of them are loops, so you can park once and finish where you started.

Trails

Hard

Via Alpina Red R128

Parc national des Écrins (cœur) · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Distance
19.8 km
/ 12.3 mi
Elevation gain
436 m
Typical duration
4 hr 55 min
  • Forest
Expert

Tour de l'Oisans et Écrins

Parc national des Écrins (cœur) · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Distance
192 km
/ 119 mi
Elevation gain
4,224 m
Typical duration
51 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Tour du Parc National des Écrins

Parc national des Écrins (cœur) · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Distance
373 km
/ 232 mi
Elevation gain
8,211 m
Typical duration
100 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Les lacs de Crupillouse

Parc national des Écrins (cœur) · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Distance
16.4 km
/ 10.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,351 m
Typical duration
5 hr 28 min
  • Waterfall
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Tour du Chaillol

Parc national des Écrins (cœur) · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Distance
97.0 km
/ 60.2 mi
Elevation gain
2,133 m
Typical duration
25 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Le Col du Cheval de Bois

Parc national des Écrins (cœur) · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Distance
18.6 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,024 m
Typical duration
5 hr 31 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Eldorado ! Le col de Vallonpierre

Parc national des Écrins (cœur) · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Distance
23.9 km
/ 14.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,317 m
Typical duration
7 hr 13 min
  • 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 Alpina Red R128Parc national des Écrins (cœur)19.8 km436 m4 hr 55 minHardApril to October
Tour de l'Oisans et ÉcrinsParc national des Écrins (cœur)192 km4,224 m51 hrExpertApril to October
Tour du Parc National des ÉcrinsParc national des Écrins (cœur)373 km8,211 m100 hrExpertApril to October
Les lacs de CrupillouseParc national des Écrins (cœur)16.4 km1,351 m5 hr 28 minHardApril to October
Tour du ChaillolParc national des Écrins (cœur)97.0 km2,133 m25 hrExpertApril to October
Le Col du Cheval de BoisParc national des Écrins (cœur)18.6 km1,024 m5 hr 31 minHardApril to October
Eldorado ! Le Pas de la Cavale par ChampoléonParc national des Écrins (cœur)5.2 km970 m2 hr 32 minHardApril to October
Eldorado ! Le col de VallonpierreParc national des Écrins (cœur)23.9 km1,317 m7 hr 13 minHardApril to October
Le col des Terres Blanches depuis PrapicParc national des Écrins (cœur)22.3 km1,310 m6 hr 50 minHardApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Via Alpina Red R128, Tour de l'Oisans et Écrins, Tour du Parc National des Écrins. 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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