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Hard Hiking Trails near Rapperswil

We track 55 routes that match this search near Rapperswil. They average 25.0 km and 824 m (2,703 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 87.5 km.

That is 34 percent of the 161 routes we map near Rapperswil. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 25.0 km against 12.0 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 824 m (2,703 ft) on average versus 368 m (1,207 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

St. Meinrad chapel, Etzel ( Switzerland )
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
22.5 km
/ 14.0 mi
Elevation gain
989 m
Typical duration
6 hr 24 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Graeppelensee
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
12.4 km
/ 7.7 mi
Elevation gain
977 m
Typical duration
4 hr 3 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Anflug auf Piste 34L am Flugplatz Schänis (links im Hintergrund der Benkner Büchel )
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
25.8 km
/ 16.1 mi
Elevation gain
670 m
Typical duration
6 hr 43 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Klausen Pass (el. 1948 m.) is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting the cantons of Uri and Glarus.
Hard

Via Alpina

Uri · Switzerland

Distance
27.0 km
/ 16.8 mi
Elevation gain
787 m
Typical duration
7 hr 10 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Bellevue; 1,148 m; Gottschalkenberg; Zug; Switzerland; View of the Lake of Zuerich.
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
18.7 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
776 m
Typical duration
5 hr 11 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Blick von Amden gen Südwesten
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
13.8 km
/ 8.6 mi
Elevation gain
830 m
Typical duration
4 hr 7 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
D71_9277_DxO
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
29.0 km
/ 18.0 mi
Elevation gain
572 m
Typical duration
7 hr 19 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Foto taken at Nüsellstock, North East view: Nüsellstock (1,479 m), Sihlsee (lake, 872 m), Säntis (2,502 m)
Hard

ViaJacobi

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
19.1 km
/ 11.9 mi
Elevation gain
621 m
Typical duration
5 hr 2 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Blick von der Klausenpaßstraße auf den Bifertenstock , der ein 3'421 m ü. M. hoher Gipfel in den Glarner Alpen ist.
Hard

Via Alpina

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
16.1 km
/ 10.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,075 m
Typical duration
5 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Crepuscular rays over the Obersee valley near Lake Walen, Glarus, Switzerland.
Hard

Sardona-Welterbe-Weg Etappe 1

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
15.8 km
/ 9.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,683 m
Typical duration
5 hr 51 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Aussicht vom Weiler Hischwil im Zürcher Oberland
Hard

ViaJacobi

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
30.0 km
/ 18.7 mi
Elevation gain
924 m
Typical duration
8 hr 6 min
  • Waymarked route
Richtung Zürich Obersee
Hard

ViaJacobi

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
27.8 km
/ 17.3 mi
Elevation gain
589 m
Typical duration
7 hr 3 min
  • Waymarked route
Etzelpass in Switzerland as seen from towards Etzel , Einsiedeln and Sihlsee in the background.
Hard

ViaJacobi

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
16.6 km
/ 10.3 mi
Elevation gain
676 m
Typical duration
4 hr 31 min
  • Waymarked route
Bauen UR
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Uri · Switzerland

Distance
23.2 km
/ 14.4 mi
Elevation gain
618 m
Typical duration
6 hr
  • Waymarked route
Hembergerstrasse Road Bridge over the Necker River, St. Peterzell, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland
Hard

ViaJacobi

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
24.0 km
/ 14.9 mi
Elevation gain
811 m
Typical duration
6 hr 30 min
  • Waymarked route
View of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland near the town of Beckenried .
Hard

Trans Swiss Trail

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
20.5 km
/ 12.7 mi
Elevation gain
419 m
Typical duration
5 hr 3 min
  • Waymarked route
Blick auf Gersau, Kanton Schwyz.
Hard

ViaJacobi

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
30.4 km
/ 18.9 mi
Elevation gain
732 m
Typical duration
7 hr 54 min
  • Waymarked route
Blick ins Tal der Lauche mit dem Imenberg im Hintergrund. Auf der linken Vorderkante thront das Schloss Sonnenberg. Rechts die Dörfer Wetzikon TG und Zezikon. Panorama aus 7 Querformataufnahmen vom 4. Mai 2008 15 Uhr. EXIF Daten der ersten
Hard

ViaJacobi

Thurgau · Switzerland

Distance
27.3 km
/ 17.0 mi
Elevation gain
229 m
Typical duration
6 hr 24 min
  • Waymarked route
Hotel Seebenalp am Grosssee, Oberterzen
Hard

7-Gipfel-Tour Flumserberg

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
15.3 km
/ 9.5 mi
Elevation gain
597 m
Typical duration
4 hr 5 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
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
Aerial View overhead Schönengrund
Expert

Neckertaler Höhenweg

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
53.5 km
/ 33.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,835 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Aerial View of Hemberg
Expert

Neckerweg

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
37.6 km
/ 23.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,330 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Switzerland , Zurich , Flooding of the Thur in Altikon
Hard

Huguenot and Waldensian Trail

Schaffhausen · Switzerland

Distance
25.1 km
/ 15.6 mi
Elevation gain
483 m
Typical duration
6 hr 15 min
  • Waymarked route
Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn train type Be 4/8 at the Bibenlos-Sonnenhof stop
Expert

Freiämterweg Ostroute

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
58.0 km
/ 36.1 mi
Elevation gain
886 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
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
Expert

Pragelpass-Weg

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
48.1 km
/ 29.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,600 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Panoramaweg Aegerital

Zug · Switzerland

Distance
30.5 km
/ 19.0 mi
Elevation gain
671 m
Typical duration
7 hr 50 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Schaffhauser-Zürcher-Weg

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
23.3 km
/ 14.5 mi
Elevation gain
380 m
Typical duration
5 hr 40 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Ämtlerwäg

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
50.3 km
/ 31.2 mi
Elevation gain
832 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Saumweg

Zug · Switzerland

Distance
17.5 km
/ 10.9 mi
Elevation gain
396 m
Typical duration
4 hr 19 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Schaffhauser-Zürcher-Weg

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
27.7 km
/ 17.2 mi
Elevation gain
390 m
Typical duration
6 hr 44 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Schaffhauser-Zürcher-Weg

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
25.0 km
/ 15.5 mi
Elevation gain
10 m
Typical duration
5 hr 32 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Thurweg

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
18.6 km
/ 11.5 mi
Elevation gain
140 m
Typical duration
4 hr 11 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Thurweg

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
20.5 km
/ 12.7 mi
Elevation gain
280 m
Typical duration
4 hr 51 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Thurweg

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
25.8 km
/ 16.0 mi
Elevation gain
660 m
Typical duration
6 hr 41 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Via Glaralpina

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
16.1 km
/ 10.0 mi
Elevation gain
354 m
Typical duration
3 hr 55 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Via Glaralpina

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
16.1 km
/ 10.0 mi
Elevation gain
355 m
Typical duration
3 hr 56 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Via Glaralpina

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
17.6 km
/ 11.0 mi
Elevation gain
388 m
Typical duration
4 hr 20 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Via Glaralpina

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
17.9 km
/ 11.1 mi
Elevation gain
393 m
Typical duration
4 hr 24 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSuworow

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
14.6 km
/ 9.1 mi
Elevation gain
500 m
Typical duration
3 hr 48 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSuworow

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
21.4 km
/ 13.3 mi
Elevation gain
680 m
Typical duration
5 hr 40 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSuworow

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
18.4 km
/ 11.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,100 m
Typical duration
5 hr 36 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSuworow

Uri · Switzerland

Distance
9.8 km
/ 6.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,250 m
Typical duration
3 hr 55 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
Alpine Panorama TrailSchwyz22.5 km989 m6 hr 24 minHardApril to October
Alpine Panorama TrailAppenzell Ausserrhoden12.4 km977 m4 hr 3 minHardApril to October
Alpine Panorama TrailGlarus25.8 km670 m6 hr 43 minHardApril to October
Via AlpinaUri27.0 km787 m7 hr 10 minHardJune to October
Alpine Panorama TrailSchwyz18.7 km776 m5 hr 11 minHardApril to October
Alpine Panorama TrailSt. Gallen13.8 km830 m4 hr 7 minHardApril to October
Alpine Panorama TrailLucerne29.0 km572 m7 hr 19 minHardApril to October
ViaJacobiSchwyz19.1 km621 m5 hr 2 minHardApril to October
Via AlpinaGlarus16.1 km1,075 m5 hrHardApril to October
Sardona-Welterbe-Weg Etappe 1Glarus15.8 km1,683 m5 hr 51 minHardJune to October

If you only have time for one, start with Alpine Panorama Trail, Alpine Panorama Trail, Alpine Panorama 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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