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Loop Trails in Switzerland

The directory currently contains 329 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Switzerland. Their average mapped distance is 7.9 km and average recorded ascent is 339 m (1,112 ft); the longest route in the set is 166 km.

This subset represents 4% of the 8,033 quality-checked routes in Switzerland. Its average distance is 7.9 km, compared with 5.0 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 339 m (1,112 ft), versus 234 m (768 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set is classified as a loop and returns to its starting area. A loop can still reuse part of the same path. Within this set, 56 routes (17%) are rated easy, 42 (13%) are rated hard or expert, and 329 (100%) 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

14.1 km

Senda Val Trupchun

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

601 m

Senda Val Trupchun

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

6 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

Mountain tour from Prasüras, through the Val Trupchun to Alp Purcher in the Swiss National Park . cabin on Alp Purcher. (Detail).
Hard

Swiss National Park · Grisons

Distance
14.1 km
/ 8.7 mi
Elevation gain
601 m
Typical duration
3 hr 50 min
  • Waymarked route
Moonlight over Spiez and Lake Thun. Månsken över Spiez och Thunsjön. Location: Spiez, Thunersee, Canton Bern, Switzerland, Suisse, Schweiz Photograph by: Berit Wallenberg Date: Taken on 19 June 1921 Format: Film Persistent URL: kmb.raa.se/c
Expert

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
60.1 km
/ 37.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,239 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
66.3 km
/ 41.2 mi
Elevation gain
4,157 m
Typical duration
21 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Dents du Midi seen from the Haute Cime
Expert

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
47.1 km
/ 29.3 mi
Elevation gain
2,604 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
54.5 km
/ 33.9 mi
Elevation gain
3,545 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
77.9 km
/ 48.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,743 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Dranse de Bagnes, Valais, Switzerland
Expert

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
96.5 km
/ 60.0 mi
Elevation gain
5,042 m
Typical duration
30 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Ranunculus glacialis , Ranunculaceae, Glacier Crowfoot, Glacier Buttercup, habitus; Diavolezza, Engadin , Switzerland, altidude ca. 3.000 m. The plant is used in homeopathy as remedy: Ranunculus glacialis (Ran-g.)
Moderate

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
211 m
Typical duration
39 min
  • Mountain
  • Glacier
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Zug · Switzerland

Distance
30.5 km
/ 19.0 mi
Elevation gain
985 m
Typical duration
8 hr 18 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Vista del Pizzo Painale dalla Val Forame, nei pressi della Capanna Cederna-Maffina
Expert

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
46.7 km
/ 29.0 mi
Elevation gain
3,285 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
11.8 km
/ 7.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,076 m
Typical duration
4 hr 5 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
11.1 km
/ 6.9 mi
Elevation gain
854 m
Typical duration
3 hr 35 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Furggahorn and Schiesshorn in Arosa, Switzerland.
Hard

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
13.3 km
/ 8.3 mi
Elevation gain
968 m
Typical duration
4 hr 14 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
9.9 km
/ 6.2 mi
Elevation gain
882 m
Typical duration
3 hr 24 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
28.3 km
/ 17.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,364 m
Typical duration
8 hr 20 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Glaubenbielenpass at Giswil OW, Switzerland, with summit sign "Glaubenbielen Passhöhe 1611 m"
Hard

Obwalden · Switzerland

Distance
12.7 km
/ 7.9 mi
Elevation gain
875 m
Typical duration
3 hr 57 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Panoramic view (360°) from the Tour de Moron.
Hard

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
15.6 km
/ 9.7 mi
Elevation gain
785 m
Typical duration
4 hr 26 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
13.8 km
/ 8.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,018 m
Typical duration
4 hr 23 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
78 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • Lake
  • Wildlife watching
  • Waymarked route
fr:Lac des Toules sur le fr:Tour des Combins
Hard

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
14.6 km
/ 9.1 mi
Elevation gain
769 m
Typical duration
4 hr 12 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Derborence, Valais
Moderate

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
38 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
8.5 km
/ 5.3 mi
Elevation gain
848 m
Typical duration
3 hr 2 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Blick vom Turtmanntaler Aussichtsweg oberhalb Holustei zum Turtmannsee .
Hard

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
11.6 km
/ 7.2 mi
Elevation gain
757 m
Typical duration
3 hr 33 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
7.9 km
/ 4.9 mi
Elevation gain
501 m
Typical duration
2 hr 24 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
50.3 km
/ 31.2 mi
Elevation gain
728 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Braunwald
Moderate

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
9.0 km
/ 5.6 mi
Elevation gain
588 m
Typical duration
2 hr 46 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
8.6 km
/ 5.3 mi
Elevation gain
478 m
Typical duration
2 hr 31 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
14.4 km
/ 8.9 mi
Elevation gain
130 m
Typical duration
3 hr 11 min
  • Waymarked route
Hallwilersee
Hard

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
21.2 km
/ 13.2 mi
Elevation gain
93 m
Typical duration
4 hr 44 min
  • Waymarked route
Round-headed Rampion close to Moosalp, Wallis, Switzerland
Moderate

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
6.1 km
/ 3.8 mi
Elevation gain
236 m
Typical duration
1 hr 38 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Round-headed Rampion ( Phyteuma orbiculare ) , Schynige Platte , Switzerland
Moderate

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
306 m
Typical duration
1 hr 38 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
124 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
180° panorama view from the Gornergrat in Switzerland. Made from 13 single images by stitching with Hugin.
Moderate

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
37 m
Typical duration
11 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Caslano, Tessin, Switzerland - Downtown. In the background Monte Lema (1621 m) and Poncione di Breno (1653 m)
Moderate

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
4.4 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
95 m
Typical duration
1 hr 4 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
8.1 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
461 m
Typical duration
2 hr 23 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Ruins of castle Serravalle, Switzerland .
Moderate

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
6.4 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
505 m
Typical duration
2 hr 6 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
26 m
Typical duration
24 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
5.7 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
193 m
Typical duration
1 hr 29 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
11.3 km
/ 7.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,054 m
Typical duration
3 hr 56 min
  • Mountain
Easy

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
66 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • 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
Senda Val TrupchunSwiss National Park14.1 km601 m3 hr 50 minHardJune to October
Panorama Rundweg ThunerseeBern60.1 km1,239 m15 hrExpertApril to October
Tour de la Vallée du TrientValais/Wallis66.3 km4,157 m21 hrExpertJuly to September
Tour des Dents du MidiValais/Wallis47.1 km2,604 m14 hrExpertJuly to September
Tour des MuveransValais/Wallis54.5 km3,545 m17 hrExpertJuly to September
Bornes et Forts du Pays de MontbélierdJura117 km1,516 m29 hrExpertApril to October
Circuits des Trois ChâteauxBasel-Landschaft77.9 km1,743 m20 hrExpertApril to October
Tour du Val de BagnesValais/Wallis96.5 km5,042 m30 hrExpertJuly to September
Tour du Mont Blanc - Itinéraire principalValais/Wallis166 km7,379 m50 hrExpertJuly to September
Glacier Experience TrailGrisons1.6 km211 m39 minModerateJuly to September

Senda Val Trupchun, Panorama Rundweg Thunersee, Tour de la Vallée du Trient 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.

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