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Hard Hiking Trails near Sankt Gallen

There are 37 hikes near Sankt Gallen in our database that fit. They average 37.4 km and 1,042 m (3,419 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 162 km.

That is 49 percent of the 75 routes we map near Sankt Gallen. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 37.4 km against 21.0 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,042 m (3,419 ft) on average versus 579 m (1,900 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

Aerial View of Farm Buildings near Appenzell
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
15.5 km
/ 9.6 mi
Elevation gain
432 m
Typical duration
3 hr 53 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Grub SG, Gemeinde Eggersriet. Blick richtung Bodensee und auf die katholische Kirche im Dorf.
Hard

Alpine Panorama Trail

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
17.4 km
/ 10.8 mi
Elevation gain
468 m
Typical duration
4 hr 24 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Schloss Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Hard

Via Alpina Green C1

Liechtenstein

Distance
12.1 km
/ 7.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,339 m
Typical duration
4 hr 32 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
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
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
Kulturlandschaft Rheintalmoor in Lauterach , Vorarlberg Hier: der “Jannersee” Veröffentlicht: Georg Kessler in "Freizeit im Ländle, Die schönsten Ausflugziele in Vorarlberg ISBN 978-3-7022-3068-5 2010
Hard

Jakobsweg Vorarlberg

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
21.6 km
/ 13.4 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
4 hr 43 min
  • Pilgrimage route
  • 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
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
Appenzeller Bahnen ex-Trogenbahn Be 4/8 no. 32 'Der Appenzeller - Die Appenzellerin' at Birnbäumen station, on the outskirts of St. Gallen, Switzerland, with an S21 St.Gallen to Trogen service.
Hard

ViaJacobi

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
25.7 km
/ 16.0 mi
Elevation gain
264 m
Typical duration
6 hr 4 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
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
Aerial View of Appenzell
Expert

Appenzeller Weg

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
42.5 km
/ 26.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,006 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
The Rhine bridge near Trübbach , which also forms the border between Liechtenstein ( Balzers ) and Switzerland . In the background, Gutenberg Castle and the Liechtenstein Alps.
Hard

Via Alpina

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
16.1 km
/ 10.0 mi
Elevation gain
539 m
Typical duration
4 hr 12 min
  • Waymarked route
Das Harder Strandbad Kleinkinderbereich.
Hard

Bodenseeweg

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
25.2 km
/ 15.7 mi
Typical duration
5 hr 34 min
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Thurgauer Panoramaweg

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
37.4 km
/ 23.3 mi
Elevation gain
960 m
Typical duration
9 hr 55 min
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Kulturspur Appenzellerland

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
70.3 km
/ 43.7 mi
Elevation gain
3,300 m
Typical duration
21 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rheintaler Höhenweg

Appenzell Ausserrhoden · Switzerland

Distance
106 km
/ 65.8 mi
Elevation gain
5,000 m
Typical duration
32 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
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

Rheintalweg Vorarlberg

Liechtenstein

Distance
50.2 km
/ 31.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,105 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Margelchopf-Gipfelweg

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
10.0 km
/ 6.2 mi
Elevation gain
900 m
Typical duration
3 hr 26 min
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • 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

Thurgau · Switzerland

Distance
18.9 km
/ 11.7 mi
Elevation gain
130 m
Typical duration
4 hr 14 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
25.8 km
/ 16.0 mi
Elevation gain
660 m
Typical duration
6 hr 41 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Thurweg

Thurgau · Switzerland

Distance
23.6 km
/ 14.7 mi
Elevation gain
120 m
Typical duration
5 hr 21 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

ViaRhenana

Thurgau · Switzerland

Distance
18.6 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
340 m
Typical duration
4 hr 30 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

WALSA-Weg - Etappe 4

St. Gallen · Switzerland

Distance
10.9 km
/ 6.8 mi
Elevation gain
840 m
Typical duration
3 hr 32 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
[E4/E5] Europäischer Fernwanderweg Rhein bis Grenze DSt. Gallen60.7 km1,656 m16 hrExpertApril to October
Alpine Panorama TrailAppenzell Ausserrhoden15.5 km432 m3 hr 53 minHardJune to October
Alpine Panorama TrailAppenzell Ausserrhoden17.4 km468 m4 hr 24 minHardApril to October
Via Alpina Green C1Liechtenstein12.1 km1,339 m4 hr 32 minHardJune 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
Alpine Panorama TrailSt. Gallen13.8 km830 m4 hr 7 minHardApril to October
Via Alpina Stage 56: Feldkirch - GafadurahütteLiechtenstein11.6 km1,307 m4 hr 23 minHardJune to October
Via Alpina Stage 58: Sücka - SargansSt. Gallen27.7 km524 m6 hr 56 minHardApril to October
Bodensee- Rundwanderweg (Abschnitt Lindau - Kreuzlingen)St. Gallen87.3 km286 m20 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with [E4/E5] Europäischer Fernwanderweg Rhein bis Grenze D, 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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