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Hard Hiking Trails in Vaud

The directory currently contains 24 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Vaud. Their average mapped distance is 23.7 km and average recorded ascent is 805 m (2,641 ft); the longest route in the set is 91.5 km.

This subset represents 17% of the 144 quality-checked routes in Vaud. Its average distance is 23.7 km, compared with 6.7 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 805 m (2,641 ft), versus 249 m (817 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

This set contains routes rated hard or expert from their available distance and elevation measurements. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 24 (100%) 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

13.6 km

Via Alpina

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

382 m

Alpine Panorama 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

Alpine Panorama Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
29.8 km
/ 18.5 mi
Elevation gain
382 m
Typical duration
7 hr 13 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • 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

Alpine Panorama Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
18.9 km
/ 11.7 mi
Elevation gain
357 m
Typical duration
4 hr 35 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
18.2 km
/ 11.3 mi
Elevation gain
259 m
Typical duration
4 hr 16 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • 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

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
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
21.3 km
/ 13.3 mi
Elevation gain
848 m
Typical duration
5 hr 54 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
16.7 km
/ 10.4 mi
Elevation gain
329 m
Typical duration
4 hr 2 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaJacobi

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
29.8 km
/ 18.5 mi
Elevation gain
533 m
Typical duration
7 hr 27 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Via Alpina

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
13.8 km
/ 8.6 mi
Elevation gain
559 m
Typical duration
3 hr 42 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaJacobi

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
30.7 km
/ 19.1 mi
Elevation gain
90 m
Typical duration
7 hr
  • Waymarked route
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
Hard

The Toblerones Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
22.1 km
/ 13.7 mi
Elevation gain
88 m
Typical duration
4 hr 57 min
  • Mountain

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 Francigena - Historical variantVaud33.8 km503 m8 hr 21 minHardApril to October
Via AlpinaVaud13.6 km1,758 m5 hr 28 minHardJune to October
Jura Crest TrailVaud35.9 km1,520 m10 hrExpertApril to October
Alpine Panorama TrailVaud29.8 km382 m7 hr 13 minHardApril to October
Jura Crest TrailVaud24.8 km637 m6 hr 25 minHardJune to October
Alpine Panorama TrailVaud18.9 km357 m4 hr 35 minHardApril to October
Alpine Panorama TrailVaud18.2 km259 m4 hr 16 minHardApril to October
Via AlpinaVaud18.7 km1,637 m6 hr 28 minHardJune to October
Jura Crest TrailVaud18.4 km697 m4 hr 58 minHardApril to October

Via Francigena - part France - 04 Besançon - frontière, Via Francigena - Historical variant, Jura Crest Trail 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.

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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.

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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.

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