Skip to content

Hard Hiking Trails near Aarau

40 routes near Aarau qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 45.0 km and 870 m (2,854 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 424 km.

That is 27 percent of the 149 routes we map near Aarau. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 45.0 km against 14.7 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 870 m (2,854 ft) on average versus 288 m (945 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

Vista de los alrededores de la comuna de Romoos, en el Cantón de Lucerna (Suiza).
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
16.9 km
/ 10.5 mi
Elevation gain
256 m
Typical duration
3 hr 58 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
The Towers of the Ruin Dorneck
Expert

Interregio-Wanderweg

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
50.8 km
/ 31.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,535 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
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
Naturpark Thal - near Matzendorf
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
20.4 km
/ 12.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,228 m
Typical duration
6 hr 15 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Kloster Schönthal, Basel-Landschaft, Schweiz
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
21.0 km
/ 13.0 mi
Elevation gain
816 m
Typical duration
5 hr 47 min
  • Waymarked route
Die Synagoge von Baden im Winter
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
24.8 km
/ 15.4 mi
Elevation gain
771 m
Typical duration
6 hr 37 min
  • Waymarked route
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
Grenze BL SO bei der Schafmatt
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
19.8 km
/ 12.3 mi
Elevation gain
672 m
Typical duration
5 hr 17 min
  • Waymarked route
Linde von Linn, Linn AG, Schweiz. Einer der ältesten Bäume der Schweiz.
Hard

Jura Crest Trail

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
17.1 km
/ 10.6 mi
Elevation gain
323 m
Typical duration
4 hr 6 min
  • Waymarked route
Sie steht hoch oben auf dem Berg und ist ein markantes Wahrzeichen von Muttenz (BL).
Hard

ViaGottardo

Basel-City · Switzerland

Distance
20.4 km
/ 12.7 mi
Elevation gain
460 m
Typical duration
5 hr 6 min
  • Waymarked route
DB locomotive BR 23 058 in front of it's depot in Sissach, BL, Switzerland
Hard

ViaGottardo

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
20.3 km
/ 12.6 mi
Elevation gain
563 m
Typical duration
5 hr 13 min
  • 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
Hüswil railway station at the Lucerne - Huttwil line
Hard

ViaJacobi

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
16.1 km
/ 10.0 mi
Elevation gain
296 m
Typical duration
3 hr 51 min
  • Waymarked route
Aerial view of Buttwil Airfield taken from a Helicopter
Expert

Freiämterweg Bergroute

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
52.9 km
/ 32.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,000 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Schönauer Schlössli
Expert

Fricktaler Höhenweg

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
57.8 km
/ 35.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,286 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • 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
Shot from Passwang, towards Mümliswil, Switzerland on a December day.
Hard

2. Solothurner Waldwanderung

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
17.9 km
/ 11.1 mi
Elevation gain
978 m
Typical duration
5 hr 17 min
  • Waymarked route
Switzerland , Aargau , aerial view of the nuclear power plant in Leibstadt
Hard

Flösserweg

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
20.6 km
/ 12.8 mi
Elevation gain
467 m
Typical duration
5 hr 9 min
  • Waymarked route
Malters von Schwarzenberg aus gesehen
Hard

Emmenuferweg - Etappe 4

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
19.1 km
/ 11.9 mi
Elevation gain
151 m
Typical duration
4 hr 20 min
  • Waymarked route
Hallwiler See in den Kantonen Aargau und Luzern, Schweiz
Hard

Rundgang Hallwilersee

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
21.2 km
/ 13.2 mi
Elevation gain
93 m
Typical duration
4 hr 44 min
  • Waymarked route
Borne de distance «Stundenstein» du XIXème siècle en kilomètres depuis l’Hôtel de Ville de Lucerne. 35km de Lucerne sur la route Luzern-Sursee-Zofingen (ancienne route vers Bâle).
Hard

ViaGottardo

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
25.7 km
/ 16.0 mi
Elevation gain
568 m
Typical duration
6 hr 32 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Via Gottardo

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
29.4 km
/ 18.3 mi
Elevation gain
347 m
Typical duration
7 hr 5 min
  • Waymarked route
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

Ämtlerwäg

Zurich · Switzerland

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

ViaJura - Etappe 2

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
16.6 km
/ 10.3 mi
Elevation gain
520 m
Typical duration
4 hr 17 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaRhenana

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
19.2 km
/ 11.9 mi
Elevation gain
200 m
Typical duration
4 hr 25 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaRhenana

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
18.6 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
260 m
Typical duration
4 hr 23 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaRhenana

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
20.6 km
/ 12.8 mi
Elevation gain
360 m
Typical duration
4 hr 59 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaRhenana

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
30.6 km
/ 19.0 mi
Elevation gain
380 m
Typical duration
7 hr 25 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSurprise - Etappe 1

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
13.9 km
/ 8.6 mi
Elevation gain
580 m
Typical duration
3 hr 46 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSurprise - Etappe 2

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
12.4 km
/ 7.7 mi
Elevation gain
660 m
Typical duration
3 hr 35 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSurprise - Etappe 3

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
17.3 km
/ 10.7 mi
Elevation gain
740 m
Typical duration
4 hr 47 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSurprise - Etappe 4

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
16.8 km
/ 10.4 mi
Elevation gain
520 m
Typical duration
4 hr 20 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaSurprise - Etappe 6

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
16.1 km
/ 10.0 mi
Elevation gain
440 m
Typical duration
4 hr 3 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
European long distance path E4 - part SwitzerlandAargau424 km6,393 m110 hrExpertApril to October
Alpine Panorama TrailBern16.9 km256 m3 hr 58 minHardApril to October
Interregio-WanderwegAargau50.8 km1,535 m13 hrExpertApril to October
Hochrhein Jakobsweg (2)Aargau101 km601 m24 hrExpertApril to October
Westweg (Östliche Variante)Basel-City92.7 km2,285 m25 hrExpertApril to October
Jura Crest TrailBern20.4 km1,228 m6 hr 15 minHardApril to October
Chemin de Compostelle, Basel -LaufenBasel-City25.3 km401 m6 hr 11 minHardApril to October
Jura Crest TrailBasel-Landschaft21.0 km816 m5 hr 47 minHardApril to October
Jura Crest TrailAargau24.8 km771 m6 hr 37 minHardApril to October
Aargauer WegAargau103 km1,627 m26 hrExpertApril to October

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