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Best Long-Distance Hikes near Basel

11 routes near Basel qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 131 km and 2,185 m (7,169 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 424 km.

That is 10 percent of the 109 routes we map near Basel. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 131 km against 23.2 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 2,185 m (7,169 ft) on average versus 499 m (1,637 ft) across the wider area.

Multi-day paths, normally walked in stages, with the accommodation and waymarking to support them. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Harpolingen Rathaus
Expert

Hochrhein Jakobsweg (2)

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
101 km
/ 62.6 mi
Elevation gain
601 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Atzenbacher Wasserfall, Zustand ist leider sehr vernachlässigt, nur schwer zugänglich, da Bauschutt abgeladen wurde
Expert

Westweg (Östliche Variante)

Basel-City · Switzerland

Distance
92.7 km
/ 57.6 mi
Elevation gain
2,285 m
Typical duration
25 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Steinbruch in Holderbank
Expert

Aargauer Weg

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
103 km
/ 63.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,627 m
Typical duration
26 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Landscape near Schachen Waldshut (50536293337)
Expert

Hochrhein-Höhenweg

Basel-City · Switzerland

Distance
128 km
/ 79.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,742 m
Typical duration
32 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Ferrette (Haut-Rhin, France), with the ruins of the castle
Expert

Circuits des Trois Châteaux

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
Westwegportal "Wiedener Eck Tor"
Expert

Himmelreich-Jakobusweg

Basel-City · Switzerland

Distance
185 km
/ 115 mi
Elevation gain
2,528 m
Typical duration
47 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Westweg (Westliche Variante)

Basel-City · Switzerland

Distance
90.2 km
/ 56.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,903 m
Typical duration
23 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Jubiläumsweg

Basel-City · Switzerland

Distance
70.6 km
/ 43.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,554 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Markgräfler Wiiwegli

Basel-City · Switzerland

Distance
89.8 km
/ 55.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,976 m
Typical duration
23 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

E5 Réchésy - Liebsdorf

Jura · Switzerland

Distance
13.3 km
/ 8.3 mi
Elevation gain
292 m
Typical duration
3 hr 12 min
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path

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
European long distance path E4 - part SwitzerlandAargau424 km6,393 m110 hrExpertApril to October
Hochrhein Jakobsweg (2)Aargau101 km601 m24 hrExpertApril to October
Westweg (Östliche Variante)Basel-City92.7 km2,285 m25 hrExpertApril to October
Aargauer WegAargau103 km1,627 m26 hrExpertApril to October
Hochrhein-HöhenwegBasel-City128 km1,742 m32 hrExpertApril to October
Circuits des Trois ChâteauxBasel-Landschaft77.9 km1,743 m20 hrExpertApril to October
Himmelreich-JakobuswegBasel-City185 km2,528 m47 hrExpertApril to October
Westweg (Westliche Variante)Basel-City90.2 km1,903 m23 hrExpertApril to October
Interregio-Wanderweg (deutscher Abschnitt)Aargau76.3 km1,678 m20 hrExpertApril to October
JubiläumswegBasel-City70.6 km1,554 m18 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with European long distance path E4 - part Switzerland, Westweg (Östliche Variante), Hochrhein Jakobsweg (2). 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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