Jurahöhenweg
The Jura High Trail ( Chemin des Crêtes du Jura ) is a hiking trail that leads from northeast to southwest through the Jura . As National Route 5, it is one of the most promising long-distance hiking trails in Switzerland and part of the European long-distance hiking trail E4 .
Most of the path runs on the foremost and highest ridge of the Jura ranges at an altitude of around 352 meters ( Brugg ) to 1677 meters ( La Dôle ). It begins in Dielsdorf north of Zurich and ends after about 300 kilometers in Borex near Geneva . The marking used to consist of red and yellow rhombuses and signposts, which have now been replaced by signposts with the number 5. The Jura High Trail was set up by the Jura Association and is now maintained by the hiking trail associations of the neighboring cantons. The Swiss Jura Association maintained 640 km of secondary routes between Zurich, Basel and Geneva. There are overnight accommodations along the way.
The total distance is calculated according to the official route table with a pure walking time of 90 hours and has, despite the name, "trail" significant differences in height because the Jura main ridge often of ravines and gorges is interrupted. The high-altitude trail is traditionally divided into 16 stages of six to eight hours, but the time can also be adjusted using various high-altitude access routes and cross-connections of the respective cantonal hiking trail network.
Part of the route can be done with cross-country skis and snowshoes in winter.
The lonely, less promising long-distance route Grande Traversée du Jura runs largely parallel on the French side .
Stages and sights
1st stage: Dielsdorf - Baden
The first stage leads from Dielsdorf up to the historic town of Regensberg and on to the Lägern . The Höhenweg reaches a height of 859 m at the Burghorn and continues on a narrow ridge path to the Schartenfels inn near Wettingen and down to the Limmat .
Hiking time: 4 hours
2nd stage Baden - Brugg
The intermediate stage from Baden to Brugg leads over the Gibstorfer Horn, from where there is a view of the so-called moated castle of Switzerland (confluence of the Limmat and Reuss into the Aare at Windisch ). The hike ends in the historic town of Brugg.
Hiking time: 3 hours
3rd stage Brugg - Staffelegg
The hike through the Aargau Jura first leads along the Bözbergpass to the village of Linn , where the Linner linden tree is located. The path continues through forests to Staffelegg , an important Jura crossing. A detour from Linn to the Sagenmülital with its tuff rock formations is worthwhile.
Hiking time: 4 h 30 min
4th stage Staffelegg - Hauenstein
The fourth stage leads first to Aarau's local mountain, the Wasserflue , at 844 m and continues to the Saalhöhe , another Jura crossing from Aarau towards Frick . The hiking trail continues into the Solothurn Jura and across the Schafmatt pastures near the distinctive radio antenna at the Froburg ruins . The hike ends in the village of Hauenstein near the Unterer Hauenstein pass of the same name .
Hiking time: 5 h 40 min
5th stage Hauenstein - Balsthal
The stage first leads to the Belchenflue at 1099 meters and on to the Basel-style hamlet of Bärenwil (778 m), where a detour into the Teufelsschlucht is possible. We continue on the Roggenflue, which towers over the Gäu and Oensingen with its 992 meters. The long descent to Balsthal leads on the official route directly through the mountain forest or, in a variant, along the rock formations of the Klus, which breaks through the first Jura main ridge, to the Balsthal train station.
Hiking time: 6 h 30 min
6th stage Balsthal - Weissenstein
The hike begins with an ascent to the Schwengimatt, which is exactly 1000 meters. The high path continues through wooded area and past the Schattenbergflue to the Balmberg . This is followed by the Röti and the Kurhaus on Solothurn's local mountain, Weissenstein (1284 m). From here the Oberdorf – Weissenstein chairlift once went down into the valley, which was closed in 2009. A new gondola lift went into operation in December 2014.
Hiking time: 6 h 15 min
7th stage Weissenstein - Frinvillier
The rear Weissenstein with the Nidlenloch cave system is followed by the highest peak in the canton of Solothurn , the Hasenmatt at 1,444 meters. The hike continues over Jura pastures to the Grenchenberg . At the Stierenberg the canton and language border is crossed. The farming village of Plagne is on the descent of the path to the Klus near Frinvillier at 572 meters. A detour is the half-hour continuation through the Taubenloch Gorge to Biel .
Hiking time: 6 h 30 min
8th stage Frinvillier - Chasseral
The eighth stage first leads steeply up to Orvin and through the holiday home area Prés-d'Orvin onto the ridge. High above Lake Biel , the path continues up to the Chasseral (1,607 m), from there on the ridge slightly down to the Berghaus.
Hiking time: 6 hours
9th stage Chasseral - Chaumont
The hiking trail leads over the ridge of the Chasseral, with a detour to Combe Grède possible. Finally, with the Chaumont at 1087 meters, another peak in the Chain Jura is reached. The Chaumont is Neuchâtel's local mountain and can be reached by funicular.
Hiking time: 5 hours
10th stage Chaumont - Creux du Van
The hike first leads through the Neuchâtel suburbs of Peseux and Corcelles-Cormondrèche , then through the gorges of the Gorges de l'Areuse west of Boudry . Finally the Val de Travers is reached at Noiraigue , from where the path leads steeply uphill to the main ridge of the Jura at Le Soliat. The Creux du Van rock circle is the last stop on the stage.
Hiking time: 7 hours
11th stage Creux du Van - Ste. Croix
The hike leads steadily downhill from Le Soliat to the woods near the Poëta-Raisse gorge . Môtiers is down in the valley . The actual high trail leads to the Chasseron , a popular excursion mountain . The descent from the summit to 1607 m leads through typical Jura landscapes.
Hiking time: 6 h 30 min
12th stage Ste. Croix - Vallorbe
After the small town of Sainte-Croix , the path leads to the 1588 meter high Suchet near Ballaigues , where you have a panoramic view of the granary of Gros-du-Vaud and Lake Neuchâtel . The hike finally leads to the town of Vallorbe (807 m).
Hiking time: 6 hours
13. Stage Vallorbe - Le Pont
Shortly after Vallorbe is the Source de l'Orbe. The river Orbe , which flows out of the rock here, does not arise here, but about 50 km further west. The 6 km from Lac de Joux to the town of Vallorbe, the water runs through extensive karst caves. The path now leads steeply up to the Dent de Vaulion (1483 m). The descent into the Vallée de Joux ends in the village of Le Pont .
Hiking time: 3 h 30 min
