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Hard Hiking Trails in Ticino

We track 51 routes that match this search in Ticino. They average 16.0 km and 960 m (3,150 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 41.4 km.

That is 23 percent of the 223 routes we map in Ticino. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 16.0 km against 7.8 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 960 m (3,150 ft) on average versus 410 m (1,345 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.

Trails

The station building of Reckingen station, on the Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn and in the Reckingen-Gluringen municipality of the Swiss canton of Valais.
Expert

14a-Alpine Passes Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
41.4 km
/ 25.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,249 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
6781 Bedretto, Switzerland
Hard

13-Alpine Passes Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
26.6 km
/ 16.5 mi
Elevation gain
543 m
Typical duration
6 hr 42 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Lake Luzzone, canton of Ticino.
Hard

10-Alpine Passes Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
14.4 km
/ 8.9 mi
Elevation gain
722 m
Typical duration
4 hr 5 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Passerella sul Lago di Morasco, Formazza, Italy
Hard

14-Alpine Passes Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
16.3 km
/ 10.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,248 m
Typical duration
5 hr 19 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
South slope of the pass of the San Gottardo - Ticino - Switzerland
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
6.9 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
992 m
Typical duration
2 hr 56 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Remnant from the time of the construction of the Gotthard base tunnel. This tunnel was built in the area of the south portals to bypass a difficult geological zone that took a lot of time. Switzerland, Oct 20, 2016.
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
18.6 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,228 m
Typical duration
5 hr 50 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
South slope of the pass of the San Gottardo - Ticino - Switzerland
Hard

Via Gottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
7.0 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
992 m
Typical duration
2 hr 56 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Marcatura semi-permanente Scenic Trail eseguita con spray bianco a rapido degrado
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
23.6 km
/ 14.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,203 m
Typical duration
6 hr 58 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Protected area dry Grasslands and Pastures of National Importance Monte San Giorgio.
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
12.3 km
/ 7.6 mi
Elevation gain
852 m
Typical duration
3 hr 50 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Marcatura semi-permanente Scenic Trail eseguita con spray bianco a rapido degrado
Hard

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
18.0 km
/ 11.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,135 m
Typical duration
5 hr 33 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Passo del Lucomagno - Val di Blenio
Hard

11-Alpine Passes Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
16.7 km
/ 10.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,075 m
Typical duration
5 hr 9 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Lake Naret, canton of Ticino.
Hard

03-Sentiero Cristallina

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
16.8 km
/ 10.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,646 m
Typical duration
6 hr 1 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Mountains in Switzerland (Gotthard region?)
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
12.9 km
/ 8.0 mi
Elevation gain
725 m
Typical duration
3 hr 47 min
  • Waymarked route
Mountains in Switzerland (Gotthard region?)
Hard

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
12.9 km
/ 8.0 mi
Elevation gain
725 m
Typical duration
3 hr 47 min
  • Waymarked route
Carona, Casa Bernasconi, arch. Luigi Snozzi 1989-90
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
13.7 km
/ 8.5 mi
Elevation gain
881 m
Typical duration
4 hr 11 min
  • Waymarked route
Carona, Casa Bernasconi, arch. Luigi Snozzi 1989-90
Hard

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
13.6 km
/ 8.5 mi
Elevation gain
870 m
Typical duration
4 hr 8 min
  • Waymarked route
Centrale idroelettrica della Biaschina
Hard

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
19.7 km
/ 12.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,107 m
Typical duration
5 hr 54 min
  • Waymarked route
Meride village in Mendrisio.
Hard

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
13.6 km
/ 8.4 mi
Elevation gain
546 m
Typical duration
3 hr 39 min
  • Waymarked route
Gotthard railway Way between Faido and Airolo closing up Ambrì Special train «125 Years of Gotthardbahn»
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
17.7 km
/ 11.0 mi
Elevation gain
804 m
Typical duration
4 hr 58 min
  • Waymarked route
Gotthard railway Way between Faido and Airolo approaching the Piottina spirals Special train «125 Years of Gotthardbahn»
Hard

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
12.2 km
/ 7.6 mi
Elevation gain
708 m
Typical duration
3 hr 36 min
  • Waymarked route
Gotthard railway Way between Faido and Airolo at Piotta Special train «125 Years of Gotthardbahn»
Hard

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
13.8 km
/ 8.6 mi
Elevation gain
669 m
Typical duration
3 hr 53 min
  • Waymarked route
Staudamm Selvatica im Verzascatal
Hard

02-Sentiero Verzasca

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
21.2 km
/ 13.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,429 m
Typical duration
6 hr 44 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Dreamtime Boulder in Cresciano, opened by Fred Nicole in 2000
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
23.3 km
/ 14.5 mi
Elevation gain
69 m
Typical duration
5 hr 12 min
  • Waymarked route
Il nuovo vallo sul Riale Pián Perdásc ultimato nel marzo 2013, che serve a proteggere la strada Cantonale e le industrie sud, fotografato dalla strada Cantonale
Hard

Via Gottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
26.6 km
/ 16.5 mi
Typical duration
5 hr 53 min
  • Waymarked route
Vista sul lago Maggiore dall'alpetto Caviano
Hard

Cammino del Lago Maggiore

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
23.6 km
/ 14.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,111 m
Typical duration
6 hr 51 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Vicolo al Castello 3, Brissago. "Palazzo Branca-Baccalà" et musée Leoncavallo.
Hard

Cammino del Lago Maggiore

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
19.6 km
/ 12.2 mi
Elevation gain
989 m
Typical duration
5 hr 42 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
01 202 of "Verein Pacific 01 202" ahead (together with 01 1066) of a northbound special train at Minusio.
Hard

Cammino del Lago Maggiore

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
24.4 km
/ 15.1 mi
Elevation gain
193 m
Typical duration
5 hr 39 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Old village in the Valle Maggio, in canton Ticino, Switzerland
Hard

01-Sentiero Cristallina

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
13.1 km
/ 8.1 mi
Elevation gain
783 m
Typical duration
3 hr 54 min
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
33.0 km
/ 20.5 mi
Elevation gain
725 m
Typical duration
8 hr 29 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
16.4 km
/ 10.2 mi
Elevation gain
361 m
Typical duration
4 hr
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
16.9 km
/ 10.5 mi
Elevation gain
372 m
Typical duration
4 hr 8 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Sentiero Lago di Lugano

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
22.6 km
/ 14.0 mi
Elevation gain
496 m
Typical duration
5 hr 40 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Di Monte in Monte - Tappa 2

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
16.2 km
/ 10.1 mi
Elevation gain
851 m
Typical duration
4 hr 41 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSuworow

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
7.0 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
950 m
Typical duration
2 hr 53 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
14a-Alpine Passes TrailTicino41.4 km2,249 m12 hrExpertJuly to September
13-Alpine Passes TrailTicino26.6 km543 m6 hr 42 minHardJuly to September
10-Alpine Passes TrailTicino14.4 km722 m4 hr 5 minHardJune to October
14-Alpine Passes TrailTicino16.3 km1,248 m5 hr 19 minHardJuly to September
Trans Swiss TrailTicino6.9 km992 m2 hr 56 minHardJune to October
Trans Swiss TrailTicino18.6 km1,228 m5 hr 50 minHardApril to October
Via GottardoTicino7.0 km992 m2 hr 56 minHardJune to October
Trans Swiss TrailTicino23.6 km1,203 m6 hr 58 minHardApril to October
Trans Swiss TrailTicino12.3 km852 m3 hr 50 minHardApril to October
ViaGottardoTicino18.0 km1,135 m5 hr 33 minHardApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with 13-Alpine Passes Trail, 14a-Alpine Passes Trail, 10-Alpine Passes 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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