Skip to content

Moderate Hiking Trails in Switzerland

We track 4,902 routes that match this search in Switzerland. They average 3.2 km and 183 m (600 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 17.9 km.

That is 58 percent of the 8,422 routes we map in Switzerland. They are shorter than the local average, 3.2 km against 4.8 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day.

Moderate routes are the sweet spot for most regular walkers: enough climbing to feel like a proper day out, never enough to turn into an ordeal. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Switzerland , Graubünden , Swiss National Park
Moderate

Nationalpark Panoramaweg

Swiss National Park · Grisons

Distance
9.1 km
/ 5.6 mi
Elevation gain
289 m
Typical duration
2 hr 19 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
This is an image of a cultural property of regional significance in Switzerland with KGS number
Moderate

25-Alpine Passes Trail

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
10.8 km
/ 6.7 mi
Elevation gain
103 m
Typical duration
2 hr 24 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Piz Surgonda and Piz Julier, picture taken from Tschima da Flix, Bever, Sur, Bivio, Grison, Switzerland
Moderate

02-Alpine Passes Trail

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
12.7 km
/ 7.9 mi
Elevation gain
597 m
Typical duration
3 hr 32 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
This is an image of a cultural property of regional significance in Switzerland with KGS number
Moderate

23-Alpine Passes Trail

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
12.1 km
/ 7.5 mi
Elevation gain
574 m
Typical duration
3 hr 23 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Mont Blanc de Cheilon 3869m, as seen from the "Pas de Chevres" 2855m, a famous walking destination at Arolla
Moderate

27-Alpine Passes Trail

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
8.8 km
/ 5.4 mi
Elevation gain
395 m
Typical duration
2 hr 25 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Dranse de Bagnes, Valais, Switzerland
Moderate

30-Alpine Passes Trail

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
10.7 km
/ 6.6 mi
Elevation gain
802 m
Typical duration
3 hr 26 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Great St Bernard Pass 2013
Moderate

33-Alpine Passes Trail

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
11.4 km
/ 7.1 mi
Elevation gain
194 m
Typical duration
2 hr 41 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Gotthard railway Way between Faido and Airolo at Piotta Special train «125 Years of Gotthardbahn»
Moderate

12-Alpine Passes Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
14.4 km
/ 8.9 mi
Elevation gain
271 m
Typical duration
3 hr 24 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
360 degrees panoramic view from the Mont Fort. Stitched with Hugin.
Moderate

29-Alpine Passes Trail

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
11.3 km
/ 7.0 mi
Elevation gain
657 m
Typical duration
3 hr 21 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Zermatt (5065248024)
Moderate

Monte Rosa tour stage 1

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
12.3 km
/ 7.6 mi
Elevation gain
32 m
Typical duration
2 hr 37 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Piz Bever, Blick vom Piz Nair
Moderate

01-Alpine Passes Trail

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
11.0 km
/ 6.9 mi
Elevation gain
792 m
Typical duration
3 hr 29 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Switzerland , Canton of Fribourg Riggisalp
Moderate

Alpine Panorama Trail

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
12.0 km
/ 7.5 mi
Elevation gain
680 m
Typical duration
3 hr 32 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
The Zugerberg (el. 1,039 m.) is a mountain overlooking Zug and Lake Zug in the canton of Zug. It lies approximately halfway between Lake Zug and Lake Ägeri , Switzerland.
Moderate

Alpine Panorama Trail

Zug · Switzerland

Distance
12.3 km
/ 7.7 mi
Elevation gain
532 m
Typical duration
3 hr 22 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Over the left door: «At unity» over the right door: «At peace». Two doors in Bühler (Appenzell, Switzerland) testify to the ideals of a rural society.
Moderate

Alpine Panorama Trail

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
13.5 km
/ 8.4 mi
Elevation gain
525 m
Typical duration
3 hr 36 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
New building of the train station of Littau, canton of Luzern, Switzerland
Moderate

Alpine Panorama Trail

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
12.5 km
/ 7.8 mi
Elevation gain
454 m
Typical duration
3 hr 17 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Charlie Winston in Carribana Festival (Nyon, Switzerland)
Moderate

Alpine Panorama Trail

Geneva · Switzerland

Distance
9.0 km
/ 5.6 mi
Elevation gain
25 m
Typical duration
1 hr 55 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Covered Wooden Bridge over the Kleine Emme River, Werthenstein, Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland
Moderate

Alpine Panorama Trail

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
10.2 km
/ 6.3 mi
Elevation gain
147 m
Typical duration
2 hr 21 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Cheese fondue served in bread, a mixture of Grosser Chaux d'Abel a hard cheese and Chaux d'Abel a semi-hard cheese is used, both tangy local cheeses – a speciality in the mountain house «La Bragarde» in Les Près d'Orvin; Berne, Switzerland.
Moderate

Jura Crest Trail

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
16.8 km
/ 10.5 mi
Elevation gain
138 m
Typical duration
3 hr 46 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Old 11th century Roman style church of Saint Sulpy
Moderate

Alpine Panorama Trail

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
12.9 km
/ 8.0 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
2 hr 43 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
View of Switzerland taken during ISS Expedition 15.
Moderate

Alpine Panorama Trail

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
12.1 km
/ 7.5 mi
Elevation gain
669 m
Typical duration
3 hr 31 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Refuge près de Métabief
Moderate

Via Cluny Etape 8

Vaud · Switzerland

Distance
7.5 km
/ 4.7 mi
Elevation gain
114 m
Typical duration
1 hr 45 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
CAS Capanna Basodino ( 1856 m.ü.M.) mit Seilbahn St.Carlo - Robiei oberhalb des Maggiates im Schweizer Kanton Ticino.
Moderate

02-Sentiero Cristallina

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
12.6 km
/ 7.9 mi
Elevation gain
144 m
Typical duration
2 hr 51 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Muttseehütte as seen from Nüschenstock, Glarus Süd, Glarus, Switzerland
Moderate

Via Glaralpina

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
256 m
Typical duration
2 hr 6 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
St. Erhard, Urnerboden
Moderate

Via Glaralpina

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
9.6 km
/ 5.9 mi
Elevation gain
477 m
Typical duration
2 hr 42 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Granges-près-Marnand and Sassel, Valbroye, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland
Moderate

ViaJacobi

Fribourg · Switzerland

Distance
16.5 km
/ 10.3 mi
Elevation gain
94 m
Typical duration
3 hr 38 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Cavaglia train station, between Poschiavo and Pontresina, Graubünden, Switzerland.
Moderate

Bernina-Tour

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
14.7 km
/ 9.1 mi
Elevation gain
163 m
Typical duration
3 hr 19 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Linth Gorge, Tierfed, Canton of Glarus, Switzerland
Moderate

Via Glaralpina

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
11.7 km
/ 7.3 mi
Elevation gain
348 m
Typical duration
2 hr 58 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Albula Railway Southbound train between Thusis and Tiefencastel after leaving Thusis train station on the bridge over the Hinterrhein .
Moderate

Walserweg - Etappe 6

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
11.4 km
/ 7.1 mi
Elevation gain
356 m
Typical duration
2 hr 54 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Eisee unterhalb des Brienzer Rothorns
Moderate

Emmenuferweg - Etappe 1

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
9.9 km
/ 6.1 mi
Elevation gain
102 m
Typical duration
2 hr 13 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 49.
Moderate

Trans Swiss Trail

Jura · Switzerland

Distance
12.5 km
/ 7.8 mi
Elevation gain
242 m
Typical duration
2 hr 58 min
  • Waymarked route
Gotthard-Strassentunnel in einer Nord-Süd-Befahrung Foto: nördliche Tunneleinfahrt
Moderate

Trans Swiss Trail

Uri · Switzerland

Distance
9.9 km
/ 6.2 mi
Elevation gain
809 m
Typical duration
3 hr 17 min
  • Waymarked route
Gotthard-Strassentunnel in einer Nord-Süd-Befahrung Foto: nördliche Tunneleinfahrt
Moderate

ViaGottardo

Uri · Switzerland

Distance
9.9 km
/ 6.2 mi
Elevation gain
809 m
Typical duration
3 hr 17 min
  • Waymarked route
A picture of a large field in the Swiss countryside. It was taken near Lauenen on the ninth of July 2020.
Moderate

Via Alpina Red R103

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
7.6 km
/ 4.7 mi
Elevation gain
468 m
Typical duration
2 hr 17 min
Rainbow in the Turtmann Valley
Moderate

22-Alpine Passes Trail

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
10.5 km
/ 6.5 mi
Elevation gain
642 m
Typical duration
3 hr 9 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Via Rovana, Cevio. Église de Santa Maria del Ponte alla Rovana.
Moderate

Walserweg Gottardo - Etappe 6

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
15.8 km
/ 9.8 mi
Elevation gain
244 m
Typical duration
3 hr 40 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Val Roseg mit Gletscher und Kühen
Moderate

Bernina Tour

Grisons · Switzerland

Distance
13.6 km
/ 8.4 mi
Elevation gain
194 m
Typical duration
3 hr 7 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
View of the Vorabgletscher slope.
Moderate

Via Glaralpina

Glarus · Switzerland

Distance
10.7 km
/ 6.7 mi
Elevation gain
775 m
Typical duration
3 hr 24 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Das Grab von Clay Regazzoni auf dem Friedhof in Porza
Moderate

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
11.8 km
/ 7.3 mi
Elevation gain
219 m
Typical duration
2 hr 47 min
  • Waymarked route
Switzerland , Canton of Bern , Eggiwil im Emmental
Moderate

Trans Swiss Trail

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
11.6 km
/ 7.2 mi
Elevation gain
593 m
Typical duration
3 hr 18 min
  • Waymarked route
Downtown of Morbio Inferiore, Tessin, Switzerland
Moderate

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
12.9 km
/ 8.0 mi
Elevation gain
591 m
Typical duration
3 hr 34 min
  • Waymarked route
Das Grab von Clay Regazzoni auf dem Friedhof in Porza
Moderate

ViaGottardo

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
11.9 km
/ 7.4 mi
Elevation gain
171 m
Typical duration
2 hr 44 min
  • Waymarked route
Gotthard railway Way between Biasca and Faido Special train «125 Years of Gotthardbahn»
Moderate

Trans Swiss Trail

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
12.6 km
/ 7.8 mi
Elevation gain
581 m
Typical duration
3 hr 29 min
  • Waymarked route
Bridge in the Churerstrasse between Altendorf and Lachen by Robert Maillart, built 1944; Schwyz, Switzerland.
Moderate

ViaJacobi

Schwyz · Switzerland

Distance
10.6 km
/ 6.6 mi
Elevation gain
73 m
Typical duration
2 hr 19 min
  • Waymarked route
Church Sachseln, Matroneum
Moderate

Trans Swiss Trail

Obwalden · Switzerland

Distance
9.7 km
/ 6.0 mi
Elevation gain
298 m
Typical duration
2 hr 28 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
Nationalpark PanoramawegSwiss National Park9.1 km289 m2 hr 19 minModerateJuly to September
25-Alpine Passes TrailValais/Wallis10.8 km103 m2 hr 24 minModerateJuly to September
02-Alpine Passes TrailGrisons12.7 km597 m3 hr 32 minModerateJuly to September
23-Alpine Passes TrailValais/Wallis12.1 km574 m3 hr 23 minModerateJuly to September
27-Alpine Passes TrailValais/Wallis8.8 km395 m2 hr 25 minModerateJuly to September
30-Alpine Passes TrailValais/Wallis10.7 km802 m3 hr 26 minModerateJuly to September
33-Alpine Passes TrailValais/Wallis11.4 km194 m2 hr 41 minModerateJuly to September
12-Alpine Passes TrailTicino14.4 km271 m3 hr 24 minModerateJune to October
29-Alpine Passes TrailValais/Wallis11.3 km657 m3 hr 21 minModerateJuly to September
Monte Rosa tour stage 1Valais/Wallis12.3 km32 m2 hr 37 minModerateJuly to September

If you only have time for one, start with Nationalpark Panoramaweg, 25-Alpine Passes Trail, 02-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

Related guides

Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

People also search for