Trails in the Canton of Solothurn

Split into several pieces, the canton of Solothurn stretches from the banks of the Aar to the gates of Basel. Its baroque capital, Solothurn, faces the Weissenstein, a 1,284 m limestone balcony set on the Jura ⛰️. Further east, Olten guards the passage to Aargau, while the Schwarzbubenland, on the other side of the ridges, heads toward Alsace and the Basel region.

For trail running in the canton of Solothurn, the terrain is all about efficiency. The paths climb steeply through beech forests, emerge onto high-altitude pastures, then follow rocky ridges to the Hasenmatt, the canton's highest point at 1,445 m. On a clear day, the view stretches from the Säntis to Mont Blanc 🌄. The Jura ridge trail crosses the area from west to east, and the Verena Gorge promises a shaded outing in the middle of summer. Autumn remains the best season, when the sea of fog drowns the Plateau and leaves the summits in the sun.

The Solothurn trail calendar is still being built on Finishers, so neighboring cantons take over. In Aarau, the Aare Lauf / Aare Trail offers nature courses along the river in June. In the Jura, Les Courses du Mont-Terrible kick off the season in April around Porrentruy 🌲. Above the Moutier gorge, Les Courses de Moutier-Graitery climb in September toward the summit of the Graitery. To broaden your search, take a look at the trails in the canton of Bern, those of the canton of Jura or the Trails in Switzerland page.

Solothurn has a curious obsession with the number 11: eleven fountains, eleven towers, and a St. Ursus Cathedral whose steps are counted in groups of eleven. Having joined the Confederation as the eleventh canton in 1481, the territory embraces this nod even in its carnival 😄. After the effort, a slice of Solothurner Torte, a hazelnut and meringue cake, serves as local refueling. Whether it's a short climb or a big ridge traverse, it's up to you to choose your playground 🏃.