Arrive in Dielsdorf at the start of the Jura, where the high ground begins. We are just outside Zurich here, easily reached by train, and with a high view from over Zurich Airport from the church. The village of Dielsdorf is quiet, and we can relax over a pizza before the uphill tomorrow.
Hotel in Dielsdorf (breakfast)
Blue 4 (grade) 24.3km with 789m ascent, 876m descent
Our first part of the Jura ridge here is well-defined, an arc of mountain that jumps off the map, taking us from Dielsdorf to Baden. Woods up, rocky walking along the top, and woods down, to Baden, which appears suddenly to Jura Crest Trail hikers, head-on, glorious, colourful. We cross the ancient covered bridge into Baden. Further upland woodland walking takes us on to Brugg, where a hotel awaits.
Hotel in Brugg (breakfast)
Blue 2 (grade) 15.2km with 530m ascent, 251m descent
Leaving the old town of Brugg we climb steadily over this rolling stage and, later, find ourselves in farmland, high fields, with fresh air and wider views. Today's stage is a relatively short one, possibly welcome after the first day. Our end point for the day is the café at the Staffeleggpass and from here we take a bus to our hotel in Aarau.
Hotel in Aarau (breakfast)
Blue 3 (grade) 19.8km with 819m ascent, 765m descent
A route meandering across farmland and through woods, we start by linking two important North-South passes in this part of Switzerland: the Staffeleggpass and the Salhöhepass. Views are exensive to left and right. We follow a wooded ridge above the Salhöhepass. Walking into Hauenstein we catch the bus down the hill to the important railway town of Olten with its central covered bridge.
Hotel in Olten (breakfast)
Blue 4 (grade) 21.2km with 869m ascent, 1055m descent
We walk steadily towards the Roggenflue, the final summit of our day along a wooded ridge. At the Roggenflue is a long view to the main chain of the Alps and its peaks, and a sign board pointing these out. We drop across fields with cattle into the small town of Balsthal. Balsthal is a delight, its pleasant high street overlooked by its old church. A train links Balsthal with Oensingen on the main line.
Hotel in Balsthal (breakfast)
Blue 4 (grade) 21.1km with 1190m ascent, 398m descent
Our aim for today is to reach Weissenstein, an unusual area that is a plateau of meadows and woods above the town of Solothurn. Clients who prefer a town setting for their evening are welcome to take the cable car and train to Solothurn, around its historic centre one of the most pleasant towns in this part of Switzerland. The last cable car is at 5:30pm.
Hotel at Weissenstein (breakfast)
Blue 4 (grade) 24.1km with 675m ascent, 1405m descent
Today's stage sets off across the plateau of Weissenstein to the first summit, the Hasenmatt (1,445m) with its rocky top and long views North and South. From here, the day is downhill over meadows and through woods to reach Frinvillier, a village joined to the big town of Biel by a gorge, which we can visit as a detour.
Hotel in Frinvillier (breakfast)
Blue 3 (grade) 18.5km with 1347m ascent, 249m descent
Solidly uphill, today we gain the ridge on which sits Chasseral. Initially the walking is steep. This is a quieter day. The grassy ridge of Chasseral with some rocky bands sits high above the valley to the South and affords long views.
Hotel at Chasseral (breakfast)
Blue 3 (grade) 18.7km with 652m ascent, 917m descent
This last stage of the Eastern half involves descent then re-ascent, through the village of Le Pâquier to the road crossing at Vue des Alpes. Vue des Alpes is linked to nearby towns only by bus; the railway line that you might see on maps, runs in a tunnel below. From Vue des Alpes we catch the bus to La Chaux-de-Fonds and the train to Neuchâtel, to stay in Neuchâtel for two nights (which becomes 3 nights with our continuation to Noiraigue - please see later). Please ask us to advise on other towns for your rest day.
Hotel in Neuchâtel (breakfast)
We stay in Neuchâtel for a second night, half-way through our hike, this being a charming and practical base. Neuchâtel is the largest town in this region. From Neuchâtel we can take the brilliant Swiss trains out to bigger towns such as Bern, and perhaps stroll alongside Lac de Neuchâtel.
Hotel in Neuchâtel (breakfast)
Blue 4 (grade) 22.1km with 620m ascent, 1170m descent
We begin the Western half of the Jura Crest Trail by traveling by train and then bus back to Vue des Alpes. The route follows the crest of the ridge initially, and reaches several high points, walking in and out of trees. In the second half of the day the route is more wooded and we follow the edge of rocky cliffs through trees before steeply descending to Noiraigue, a small village in the valley. Take the train back to Neuchâtel for a third hotel night there.
Hotel in Neuchâtel (breakfast)
Blue 3 (grade) 18.5km with 895m ascent, 400m descent
After returning by train to Noiraigue, we climb steeply through trees to leave the valley and reach the Creux du Van cliffs. This impressive rocky arena is made up of cliffs up to 160m high. The views are well worth the effort, and the walk along the top of these cliffs is one of the highlights on the entire Jura Crest Trail. In clear weather enjoy views to the South-East, including over Mont Blanc. Later pass in and out of meadows and trees as we pass through the countryside. Our end point for the day is the café at La Combaz. From here we take a taxi to the hotel in Couvet.
Hotel in Couvet (breakfast - taxi included)
Blue 2 (grade) 14.5km with 565m ascent, 720m descent
The highlight of today is reaching the rocky summit of Le Chasseron (1,607m) with commanding views over Lac de Neuchâtel and Lac Léman. To get there, walk through woodland pastures and peaceful forests, with the ever present sound of cow bells serenading you along the way. The ascent is fairly gradual and from the summit we traverse along the ridge line to Petites Roches, before descending into the mountain resort of Sainte-Croix, famed for its music boxes.
Hotel in Sainte-Croix (breakfast)
Blue 3 (grade) 18.4km with 815m ascent, 1020m descent
Today's stage stays close to the French border and our route passes many remnants of WW2 fortifications, used to secure the Swiss border in case of an invasion. We begin climbing through woods before traversing the top of cliffs, still in trees. After descending past farm buildings we climb again to reach the high point of our day and the optional summit of Le Suchet at 1,588m. End by descending through meadows and trees to reach your hotel in either Ballaigues or Vallorbe.
Hotel in Ballaigues (breakfast)
Blue 3 (grade) 18.6km with 865m ascent, 725m descent
We reach Vallorbe, and then ascend through mixed woodlands, climbing past cliffs to reach a narrow tree-covered ridge. The route takes to rockier ground as we follow the ridge and then ascend to the grassy summit of Dent de Vaulion. With a selection of benches, it's an excellent spot for lunch and to soak up the views over Lac du Joux (the largest lake in the Jura mountains), the forested French border and the Savoie Alpine peaks. Descend through steep woodland pastures, following grassy paths and tracks before arriving at Le Pont on the shores of Lac du Joux.
Hotel in Le Pont (breakfast)
Blue 4 (grade) 24.1km with 1000m ascent, 560m descent
Today we summit the highest peak in the Swiss Jura range: Mont Tendre (1,679m). Follow lanes and tracks through peaceful pastures and meadows, before following rooty paths through trees. Arrive out of the trees and cover open ground over low rocky ribs to reach the summit. From the top, look back and take in the progress already made; ahead is La Dôle, the final summit. We're now a significant way along Lake Geneva and it's satisfying to see how far you've come. Finish the day descending through meadows and woods to reach our roadside hotel at Col du Marchairuz.
Hotel in Col du Marchairuz (breakfast)
Blue 2 (grade) 16.8km with 380m ascent, 780m descent
Our route begins in typical forested Jura terrain, but soon opens up into meadows with wildflowers, and pastures with grazing cattle. An easier day today, we gain our summit, Crêt de la Neuve (1,494m) early on in the stage, and without too much ascent given that we already start quite high. On a clear day enjoy sweeping views over Lake Geneva, the Vaud Alps, and Mont Blanc. Later pass by the ruins of the Chartreuse of Oujon (ancient monastery ruins) on the way into St Cergue, a picturesque village.
Hotel in Saint-Cergue (breakfast)
Blue 4 (grade) 26km with 725m ascent, 1395m descent
The goal for this morning is the summit of La Dôle at 1,677m, with sweeping views over Lake Geneva. Below you can see Nyon on the lake shore - our destination for the day. After climbing uphill, a short traverse along the ridge leads to the summit. The ascent is now done for the day and a long descent awaits, all the way to the valley below. The final section walks along the valley floor to reach Nyon and can be skipped by bus if desired. Arrive at the lake side and find your final hotel - congratulations!
Hotel in Nyon (breakfast)
Relax over breakfast, explore Nyon's old town, or take a boat ride on Lac Léman. We recommend departing from Geneva Airport, just half an hour away by train. If embarking on further travels please ask us to advise, whether in Switzerland or elsewhere in the Alps.
Make the trip shorter
For a shorter trip we recommend skipping the first stage after the rest day (so, our Stage 9). After your nights in Neuchâtel therefore, you take the train straight to Noiraigue and restart walking from there. This works well logistically and avoids long days.
Alternatively, if you want to walk the entire trip in 15 or fewer stages, we recommend firstly combining Stages 2 and 3 for a long 33km day. We can advise on more!
Make the trip longer
Our plan for a trip of more than our standard 18 nights would be to space out the sandard 16 stages with more rest days than the one standard rest day. Take as many as you wish! Our advice is to be prepared for the number of consecutive days of walking that you'll be doing. Please ask us!
Rest days
We already include one day in Neuchâtel as standard, but you're welcome to add more:
- After Stage 4 (to Balsthal) could be a good point to add a rest day. Balsthal is pleasant and is near towns like Olten and Solothurn off-route.
Stage 13 (to Le Pont) is quite short, giving you an afternoon to relax in this lakeside town.
We’d also recommend spending more time in Zurich at the start of your trip, Neuchâtel (half-way, off-route) or Nyon (or nearby Geneva) at the end of your trip. Please ask us if you’d like to add any extra nights at either end.
Hike with a guide
Hike with confidence in the company of one of our fully qualified International Mountain Leaders (IMLs). They'll take charge of the navigation and logistics, leaving you to enjoy leaving you to enjoy the day without worrying about the details.
Please see our In the Pipeline page for more details on trips coming soon.
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Jura Crest Trail 1 June to 16 Sept 2027 |
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| Classic | |||
| Self-guided | |||
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16 stages 1 rest day (18 nights) |
GBP 2,780 Singles 850 Main Trip |
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15 stages (16 nights) |
GBP 2,600 Singles 770 | ||
| Options | |||
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Baggage transfer |
Please ask us | ||
Where we stay
Our Jura Crest Trail includes hotel stays every night in private ensuite rooms. Generally the nights are spent in quiet, rural villages, with simple, independantly run hotels.
Roughly (depending on what we book) seven of your hotels are not directly on the route, being in a town lower down the hillside from the Jura Crest Trail itself, and the other hotels are on the route. We make use of the excellent Swiss train system. Additionally, we book and pay for taxis to get between La Combaz and Couvet, after Stage 10.
We book breakfasts as standard apart from in Saint-Cergue on the night before last, at which our hotel doesn't include breakfast. In Saint-Cergue there are bakeries to choose from.
A Swiss breakfast is an uplifting affair with wholesome ingredients: plenty of eggs, yoghurt, fruit and bread.
Staying in Noiraigue
At the end of Stage 9 we suggest taking the train back to Neuchâtel for another hotel night, and this is our normal plan. Alternatively, in Noiraigue there is one auberge offering non-ensuite accommodation in a mix of private rooms and dormitory places. If you prefer, we can book this for you; please note you'll need to pay for this night directly (including dinner and breakfast). We would reduce your price and agree this with you, if you prefer this Noiraigue option.
Single Room Supplement
If you would like to book a room for single occupancy, we would ask to add our single supplement fee. This covers the additional cost of booking a single occupancy room, compared to a double occupancy room.
We regret that we cannot take bookings for solo walkers on self-guided trips. Of course, if you are walking as part of a self-guided group (2+) then please ask us if you prefer your own room at night, and we will ask to add the single supplement above.
Along the way, highlights are the initial clear ridge to Baden (beautiful), the Weissenstein plateau, high views from Chasseral, the Creux du Van (a rocky amphitheatre), Mont Tendre as the highest point in the Swiss Jura, and then a final summit at Crêt de la Neuve before the walk down to Nyon.
Jura Crest Trail Walking Guide - more about the trail
Underfoot, the Jura Crest Trail follows a mix of well-maintained paths, forest tracks, trails on grassy ridges, quiet farm roads and gravel lanes. In dry weather the paths will be dusty, or hardpack, and in wet weather more muddy. The route ventures into the hills, with climbs at times sustained, without the particular steepness of those Alpine trails to the South.
Is it for me?
The Jura Crest Trail will suit hikers who are up for a typical day of 6 to 8 hours. Hikers should come prepared for heat, which can be especially challenging in the woods, even at low altitudes. The Jura Crest Trail suits independent travellers looking for a less-crowded alternative to the Alps, and with perhaps more rural, authentic and agricultural situations.
Difficulty
We grade the Jura Crest Trail as a Blue. The route is a walk and there are no glacier crossings, via ferrata or rock climbing. The route includes steady ascents and descents and follows rolling ridgelines, rather than the steep Alpine terrain typical of many of our other treks. The easier terrain is a contrast to the stage lengths, which are generally quite long - averaging around 20km per day.
Your first night is in Dielsdorf, a sweet Swiss village near to Zurich airport. There are 2 connetions per hour. One takes 40 minutes and the other 27 minutes; the time depends on whether there is a change for a bus, or a train all the way.
The trip finishes in Nyon on Lake Geneva, and now that we are at this end of Switzerland, Geneva is the most convenient airport - around 25 minutes by direct train to the airport.
Travel to and from the trip is not included in the holiday price, and we leave you to arrange your transfers individually. We do however take care to give the most useful notes possible about all travel options. We supply these on booking, in your Joining Notes. We also offer personalised tips based on our extensive travels across Switzerland and Europe.
Please ask us for advice and we'll be happy to help.
- Accommodation and Itinerary, tailored to your preferences
- Breakfast every morning except in Saint-Cergue
- Taxi transfers between La Combaz and Couvet (after Stage 10)
- Routecards JCT1-16 on waterproof paper (the Exploratory system)
- The topographical maps needed (1:50,000)
- Downloadable GPX Tracks covering the route
- Expert advice and local information
- Our Season Update following our pre-season recce
- Full support during your trip (9am until 9pm Alpine time)
- Travel to and from your trip
- Transport to off-route accommodation (by bus and train)
- Any other local transport taken whilst on the trip
- Travel insurance
- Lunches, snacks, drinks and evening meals
- Baggage transfer (available as an extra; please see below)
Baggage transfer
Let us move your bags along the route for you. We offer a baggage transfer service on the Jura Crest Trail, as an extra, to all stops.Alternatively, if your trip is part of a longer holiday and you won't need your kit every night, we can send your bags directly from Dielsdorf to Nyon. This is a lower price.
Please ask us for details.
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| Contact Alpine Exploratory | |
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Since Alpine Exploratory started in 2005 we have loved getting to know our clients from around the world. Our best-represented countries are the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
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Jura Crest Trail

The Swiss town of Baden on the Jura Crest Trail




Alpine Exploratory