Hikes

Head west from the hikers' car park along the forest road above Wildermieming until you come to the turn-off for the Iversensteig trail. This challenging mountain path leads steeply uphill to the Iversenhütte mountain hut (not open to the public). From there, the trail continues to the Judenköpfe. Hikers must be sure-footed and have a good head for heights. The hike remains just as challenging as it continues via Judentörl and later downhill along the Alplbach stream to the Neue Alplhütte mountain hut. The descent from there leads along the Alplbachsteig trail ("steinernes Meer" - literally "Rocky Sea") towards the Straßberghaus mountain hut and then along the Ochsenbründlsteig trail back to the car park.  

A hike along the famous Speckbacherweg path from Judenstein to Tulfes This connecting route links two starting points, leading south from Judenstein, past the sports ground to the village of Rinn. It then continues through the village and up into the forest, where you join the Speckbacherweg path. This path takes you constantly east to the village of Tulfes. If you continue through the village, you come to the end of the hike, which is also the start of several running and Nordic walking trails.

This route leads from Juifenalm car park to the Juifenalm mountain hut, either via the Sommerweg trail or the forest road.

Arrival by car. Paid parking is available at the P 8 "Rettung" emergency services at Zirl Ost. Roughly 200 metres above the floor of the Inn Valley, in the middle of the Martinswand rock face, lies a natural cave known as Maximilian's Grotto (Maximiliansgrotte), which is 26 metres wide and 19 metres high. Legend has it that Emperor Maximilian sought refuge in the cave after getting lost while hunting chamois. The Grottensteig trail on the Martinswand was reconstructed and has been open to hikers again since the beginning of April 2015. The route leads from the Brunntalweg trail, across the quarry and along the completely redeveloped old section of the grotto trail to the cave. Bridges, fences and handrails provide extra security along the route up to the spectacular viewpoint, which overlooks Zirl and the upper Inn Valley. Hikers must be sure-footed and have a good head for heights!

A hike through a beautiful stone pine forest to Marlstein.

Head north from the centre of the village of Flaurling and through the winding "Mitteldorf", past Ris Castle and through the dense mixed forest up to the Kalvarienberg (or calvary hill). There are plenty of chapels to admire and enjoy along the way. When you reach the top, continue past the small fish pond and take the old mountain path back to the starting point. Another possibility is to follow the Kapellenweg trail back to the starting point via Flaurling Berg mountain (total walking time via Flaurling Berg: about 1.5 hours, 230 vertical metres).

Hiking trail 6b. This route starts in Kammerland and heads south on Wiesenweg trail no. 6 to Plörl before continuing left onto path 6b through a forested area and uphill over alpine meadows. The trail then merges into trail 9b and leads past the Egghöfe settlement to Stiglreith. Finally, hikers can either take the Panoramastraße panoramic road or the forest and meadow trail back to Kammerland. A very scenic hike with stunning views.

Route description: The chapel trail can be walked in approximately 4 hours and leads from the starting point above Burg Klamm castle via Wald, Thal, Holzleiten, Aschland, Weisland, Arzkasten, Oberstraß and Gschwent back to the starting point in Fronhausen. The route follows gravel roads, low-traffic village roads and alpine trails as it makes its way through the region. The ascent up to the chapel on the Simmeringalm takes about 2.5 hours. Various route options are available for this section (detailed information can be found on the hiking map for the region). Starting point: Grünberg car park. The hike up to the chapel on the Marienbergalm (only accessible on foot from Arzkasten in summer, the route is closed in winter) takes approximately 2 hours – either on the forest road or the "Alpsteig" trail. Starting point: Arzkasten.

If you choose to start your chapel hike in the centre of Oberperfuss, you should set off from the free car park next to the Parish Church of Saint Margaret. According to official documents, the original church was constructed back in 1391. The old late Gothic building was replaced with a new church building in 1729. The current church is a Baroque single-nave construction with a large north tower and is surrounded by a cemetery. Its impressive features include a sundial created by Peter Anich on the south side and vault paintings by Franz Altmutter inside the building. The fact that religious folk art flourished during this period made the church a treasure of the Baroque era. On 20 July every year, the church celebrates the patronage of Saint Margaret by holding a special mass and festival.  After admiring the parish church, walk a few steps west to the Peter Anich House, to the left of which you will find the Gasslerkapelle chapel. The building, which is also known as the “Chapel of Our Lord in Misery”, is home to an old statue of Christ based on the statue of the Man of Sorrows at the Pilgrimage Church of Wies in Upper Bavaria. The chapel was formerly used for the blessing of the deceased, who were brought to the cemetery from the local district. On Palm Sunday, the chapel holds a palm ceremony followed by a procession to the parish church.   Continue your hike past the Hotel Krone to the road and then follow it north until you reach the Huebe-Hinterhof crossing. Here you will find the Albis Chapel, which was constructed as a plague chapel by a farmer from the Albis family in 1676. In 1959, a commemorative year marking 150 years since the Tyrolean Rebellion in 1809, the chapel was restored by an 80-year-old farmer from the Albis family and the Young Farmers Association. A Sacred Heart painting was consecrated on 6 September 1959 in place of the painting of the Virgin Mary by Zötsch.   After leaving the chapel, continue west for approximately one kilometre until you reach the address Völsesgasse 21. The Zischgen Chapel is located on the right of the courtyard of Johann Witting. According to the Monuments Authority for Tyrol, the building dates back to the late Gothic period and was decorated in Baroque style in the 17th century. The altarpiece depicts the Black Madonna of Einsiedeln. The chapel was damaged during the Second World War and subsequently repaired. In 1991, the chapel was completely refurbished by Johann Witting.   Continue along Völsesgasse until you reach the Sattlerbauern farm (Völsesgasse 47). On the left you will find the Hueber Chapel, which is adorned with a Sacred Heart painting. The Polten Chapel is located at the end of Völsesgasse road. It was built by a farmer from the Grünfeld family in 1837. The altarpiece depicting Our Lady of Sorrows was created by the painter Schnaiter from Zirl. The main ceiling painting depicts the Descent from the Cross and was painted by Anton Krömer in 1838. The four spandrels of the chapel ceiling feature images of the four Evangelists and their corresponding symbols. After being completely renovated, the chapel was re-consecrated on 12 October 1982. It is named after the nearby farm, which was formerly known as the Poltenhof and now belongs to the Stackler family. The chapel is now owned by a group of ten farmers. It is also the destination of one of the local processions.   Continue along Peter-Anich-Weg back towards the village. On your right by the Studlerhof farmhouse, you will see the Dickicht Chapel, which looks like a wayside shrine and used to stand to the right of the farmhouse together with a large old statue of the Virgin Mary. In 1935, the farmer’s wife was offered a large sum of money for the statue but replied that the Mother of God is not to be sold. The Mother of God was stolen one year later. When work was carried out to straighten the road, the chapel was moved to its current position in the thicket.   Continue along Peter-Anich-Weg and you will find the little Hütter Chapel tucked away on the mountainside on the right-hand side of the road, opposite the cable car station. The chapel contains carved figures of the Holy Family and was a wayside chapel until the road was rebuilt. On the right-hand side of the mountain, you can also see the nearby Tschoner Chapel. The construction of this chapel as an Our Lady of Lourdes chapel with a small bell tower was commissioned by Mrs Tschoner around the turn of the century.  Opposite the electrical shop Hörtnagl, you will find the Aigen Chapel, formerly known as the Ela Chapel. The chapel was constructed in 1858 and restored by the Young Farmers’ Association in 1985. It is adorned with a large carved cross. In the early 1990s, the figure of Saint John was stolen and the figure of the Virgin Mary was recovered from the neighbouring farmhouse.   At the point where the Peter-Anich-Weg branches off towards Aigen, you can find the Marxerhof farm on the left-hand side of the road. In 2015, a stunning wooden chapel was built in the courtyard of the Triendl family home, the Marxer Chapel.  In the past, the local processions led from the parish church to Aigen and on to the Marxerhof, where the gospel was also preached. In recognition of this, a chapel was constructed in the courtyard and now houses the old procession altar. Next to the chapel you will find the old summit cross from Rosskogel mountain, which was replaced in 2011 after 46 years and is also well worth admiring.   Finish off your journey by following Peter-Anich-Weg back to the starting point of your chapel hike, the parish church in the village centre.   Sources and literature: “Gemeindebuch Oberperfuss” (Oberperfuss Parish Chronicle)   Rest stops: Hotel Krone – m1 Cafe Restaurant Bar Lounge (closed on Thursdays), Vormittagscafe Kleißl (open mornings only, closed on Mondays), Baguette Cafe Bistro and the Bäckerei Oberperfuss bakery 

This scenic hike leads up Rangger Köpfl mountain. The starting point for the third section of the chapel hike is the lift car park at Bergbahnen Oberperfuss, which is free of charge for anyone using the lift. Take the 8-seater gondola up to Stiglreith. Alternatively, you can choose to walk up the mountain by following the Haggenweg trail gently uphill through the forest for 1.5 hours until you reach the Stiglreith car park. Please note: the car park at Stiglreith costs € 6 per day (coins required) and a driving ban prohibits anyone from driving there between 1 November and 30 April. Opposite the car park in Stiglreith, you will find the Chapel of the Visitation, which was built by the Kofler Family to fulfil a promise. The chapel was consecrated in 1992. A mountain church service (Almsegen) accompanied by a small celebration takes place there every year on the Sunday after the Visitation (2 July). The site of the chapel was formerly home to a stone cross built to ask God for good weather.  It is also possible to take Gondola II from Stiglreith to Sulzstich and then hike to Gfas from there. Follow the road uphill until you come to the turnoff for Gfas, which is the highest district of Oberperfuss at an altitude of 1,517 metres above sea level, and then follow the paved road as far as the chapel in Gfas. The chapel is dedicated to St Mary and was originally made out of wood. In 1941, Franz Leitner replaced the wooden construction with a brick-built chapel, which was consecrated in 1987 following renovation work. The distinctive Rosskogel mountain towers up behind the chapel.  From the Gfas district, hike back along the road towards Sulzstich (reservoir) and then follow either the Geisterwanderweg (Ghost Trail) or the road back to Stiglreith. From there, continue down the mountain along the scenic "Panoramastraße" road towards the Egghöfe district, which is home to the Notburga Chapel, built in 2003. The chapel’s altar is adorned with a beautiful carved figure of Saint Notburga by Mathias Resch from St. Ulrich. The hike now leads down the scenic route to Oberperfuss: Follow the signposts along the Wiesensteig trail no. 9b and the Waldsteig trail no. 6b until you reach the edge of the forest. From there, head west to the Haggenweg trail and follow it back to the Bergbahnen Oberperfuss car park or follow the Panoramastraße road back to the village (longer route). This relaxed chapel hike is an excellent opportunity to get to know both the landscape and the culture of Oberperfuss in more detail. A number of friendly and welcoming mountain huts invite you to stop off for a rest and a bite to eat along the way. Places to stop for food and drink: Restaurant Sulzstich (only open when the Bergbahnen Oberperfuss lift is operating, open daily in July and August), the Panoramarestaurant Stiglreith (open daily) and the Rosskogelhütte mountain hut (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays). Sources and literature: "Gemeindebuch Oberperfuss" (Oberperfuss Parish Chronicle)

The second part of the Oberperfuss chapel hike also starts from the parish church. Free parking is available in the car park below the church. The circular route leads from the village centre to the edge of the forest and the Burkter chapels, and along the idyllic Karl-Trautner-Weg trail to Oberperfuss Berg. A very scenic circuit with wonderful wide open views. Set off from Oberperfuss Parish Church and walk a short distance to the north until you reach the next junction, where you should turn right onto Silbergasse road. The Ruepen Chapel is located on the left-hand side of the road and is adorned with a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. A beautiful old statue of the Virgin Mary from around 1,500 originally stood in the chapel but is now kept in the baptistery of the parish church for security reasons.  Continue to walk along Silbergasse road until you come to the Schneiderhof and then turn right onto a path that takes you across the fields and into the forest. There you will discover the oldest chapel in the area, the Burkter Chapel. The chapel is situated near the source of the Burkter stream. It was built by the “Johannesbruderschaft” religious society in honour of Saint John of Nepomuk, the patron saint of streams and springs. The statue of the saint dates back to the 18th century and was restored in 1850 and 1852. Next to the Burkter Chapel you will find the Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel, which contains a plaster cast of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes (who was given the name after the Marian apparition in Lourdes in 1858).  From there, continue along the idyllic Karl-Trautner-Weg trail no. 5, a gently inclining path through the forest. After covering a good half of the trail, you will see another path branching off to the right towards the hamlet of Brandstatt. This leads to the "Marienkapelle" (St. Mary's Chapel) at the home of the Hofer family, Brandstatt 7a. This pretty chapel was built in 2002 and is lovingly maintained.  Follow the path back to Karl-Trautner-Weg and continue uphill until you reach the Kammerland district, home to the Antonius Chapel, which is located at the "Bauernhaus Simon" farmhouse and features a bell. Construction of the Antonius Chapel (1920) stems from a promise made by twelve families from Kammerland, who declared that they would build a chapel after returning home from the First World War. From there, follow the road towards Oberperfuss Berg until you reach the "Muchnhof" riding stables. Turn left and follow the signs that lead left to Au, another district in Oberperfuss. The Chapel in the Au was a wooden chapel that was left to deteriorate. In 1986, the Schlögl family built a new chapel in its place, which now contains a figure of Saint John and two reliefs from the old wooden chapel.  Halfway along the route to Au, a hiking trail branches off to the Wildgruben Chapel, a frequently visited forest chapel containing a statue of the Virgin Mary and a so-called “Gelöbniskapelle”, a chapel of vows. The chapel was built in 1919 to thank God for the safe return of soldiers from the First World War. It has since been lovingly restored. The old wayside cross dating back to 1857 used to hang from a tree at the side of the road.  The hike continues through the forest and into the Wildgrube district, past beautiful houses to the village of Aigling, the home of the Church of St Joseph. The Church of St Joseph was built based on plans by Franz Haider at great financial sacrifice to the local residents of Oberperfuss Berg and consecrated in 1974. Mass is still celebrated at the church on a regular basis. Continue uphill along the road for a short distance until you reach the bus turning circle and then take the path leading to the picturesquely situated district of Birkhof. The clearly visible Birkhof Chapel is located in the middle of the meadow at the side of the road, where it has stood since the 17th century. Before the construction of the Church of St Joseph, mass was celebrated at the chapel every Wednesday. A wooden extension was once added to the chapel but was torn down to make way for the widening of the road after the construction of the Church of St Joseph. The chapel’s bell, which was melted down during the Second World War, was replaced by a new bell in 1948. The current painting of the Virgin Mary is a copy of the former image painted by the religious sister Bernadette from Zams. The comfortable bench in front of the chapel is the perfect place to sit down and enjoy a short rest. The Tiefental Chapel is located in the district of Hinterburg, an approximately 45-minute walk away from Birkhof. We recommend that you visit this chapel on a separate hike, during which you can also follow the “Besinnungsweg” (Path of Reflection) in Sellrain to the Church of St Quirinus.  A wooden chapel used to stand in the location of the current Tiefental Chapel until 1958. When the previous chapel fell into a state of disrepair, the residents of Hinterburg decided to build the current chapel featuring a bell tower. A large painting on wood depicting Christ at the Column hangs above the altar and was previously used as the doors of the old chapel. Until the construction of the new chapel, the carved figure of Saint John of Nepomuk used to stand outdoors to protect the area from the often unruly waters of the local stream. It was finally moved into the building in 1959. The hike continues from Birkhof back to the main road, which you should follow downhill past the Church of St Joseph until you see the pretty Berchtesgadner Chapel on the slope on the left. This chapel was consecrated in 1993 and built based on plans by Franz Haider. Its size and appearance mirror that of the former Tummeler Chapel, which stood on the farm of the Tummeler family until it collapsed in 1991. The old chapel was a protected monument, above all due to its wooden vaults, a work of art by local carpenters that was a rare treasure in Tyrol. The ceiling painting and the panels depicting the Fourteen Holy Helpers in the new chapel were created by the painter Dagmar Ballogh. The statue of the Virgin Mary was donated to the church by the Ursuline Convent in Innsbruck. A new bell that was donated to the chapel was consecrated together with the building. Continue down the road to the Berchtesgaden district, turning left after the bus stop and heading down a narrow lane leading to house number 91b. There you will find the small Sacred Heart Chapel, another chapel of vows. Return to the main road, walk downhill into Kammerland and then turn left onto hiking trail no. 5. Enjoy the wonderful views as you follow the trail (via Bichl) down to Peter-Anich-Weg (Elektro Hörtnagl electrical shop). Finally, follow the road back to the church in the village centre. Sources and literature: “Gemeindebuch Oberperfuss” (Oberperfuss Parish Chronicle) Places to stop for food and drink in Oberperfuss Berg: Gasthof Bergheim (closed on Mondays), Cafe Restaurant Grünfelder (closed on Mondays), Vormittagscafe Kleißl (closed on Mondays), Baguette Cafe Bistro Bäckerei Oberperfuss, Hotel Krone – m1 (closed on Thursdays) and Cafe-Konditorei Kirchmair (closed on Tuesdays).

This leisurely, scenic hike starts from the free car park below the church in the village centre and heads east towards the tennis court. From there, it continues through the forest to the Burkter and the Our Lady of Lourdes chapels and then leads gently uphill through the forest to the Kammerland district. After crossing the main road, the route turns right onto the Wiesenweg trail to the district of Bichl, where you can enjoy wonderful views of Oberperfuss and the surrounding area. Finally, it turns right on the Peter-Anich-Weg trail at the Elektro Hörtnagl shop and heads back to the centre of the village.   

Route description: Start at the Pfeishütte mountain hut and follow trail 221 (= Via Alpina) east as it gently climbs up to Stempeljoch col, which is located 2,215 metres above sea level on a ridge between the Pfeiser Spitze and Stempeljochspitze mountains. From there, the trail leads steeply downhill over a scree field. PLEASE NOTE: in early summer, there may still be a large amount of old snow on the Stempelreise scree field. This snow freezes solid and becomes extremely hard in the mornings (be sure to take crampons and poles with you)! After following the trail downhill for about 140 vertical metres, turn left on to the Wilde-Bande-Steig trail. Snow fields are also often found at this point. From there, the trail leads below the east and south faces of the Stempeljochspitze, the Roßkopf, the Großer Lafatscher and the Kleiner Lafatscher mountains with very little variation in altitude as it undulates gently towards the Lafatscher Joch. Before reaching the Lafatscher Joch (2,081 m), you have to complete another ascent with an elevation gain of around 80 metres. From this point, follow trail 222 (= Via Alpina) as it gently climbs east through the Kleines Speckkar and Großes Speckkar corries. During the last part of the hike before the Bettelwurfhütte mountain hut, you can enjoy far-reaching views of the Hall Valley and the Inn Valley, The hut is perched proudly like an eagle’s nest on the south face of the Kleiner Bettelwurf mountain. Alternative route: From Stempeljoch, you can take a detour to Stempeljochspitze peak (2,543 m). To do this, simply follow the signposted trail north from Stempeljoch. You will reach the peak of this Karwendel mountain in about half an hour. The views from the top are absolutely stunning.

Route description: Start at the train station in Reith and follow the road as it leads north. Cross Römerstraße road to continue north on Panoramaweg road and follow it as it turns around a bend and continues in a southerly direction. Continue along Panoramaweg until you come to trail 211, which turns off to the north. After a few minutes, the trail branches off to the right and snakes along to the Schartlehnerhaus mountain hut (1,856 m). The path then leads across the Latschenrücken ridge of the "Schoaßgrat". The initial part of this path is very winding and then becomes less so for the final ascent to the Nördlinger Hütte mountain hut (2,239 m). Alternative route: Start at the bottom lift station of the Bergbahnen Rosshütte in Seefeld. Take the funicular up to the Rosshütte (1,751 m) followed by the Härmelekopfbahn cable car to the start of the hike. From there, you can either proceed directly along the Kuntersteig trail (10) to the Nördlinger Hütte mountain hut (option 1) or follow the steep and exposed route via the Härmelekopf and Reither Spitze mountains (79) to the Nördlinger Hütte mountain hut (option 2). More information can be found here: https://karwendel-hoehenweg.at/

Route description: This stage starts at the Nördlinger Hütte mountain hut and initially heads east. The trail then turns north and passes below the eastern rock faces of Reither Spitze mountain before heading east once more to the Ursprungsattel ridge (2,087 m). From there, do not continue towards the Freiungstürme mountains. Instead, head north-east and follow the trail that leads downhill. At the Breiter Sattel ridge (1,794 m), turn right to follow trail 74 towards the Eppzirler Scharte col. This trail takes you over a large scree field on the Kuhljoch and then winds its way up to the Eppzirler Scharte (2,102 m). From there, the route leads down the lime gravel-filled Höllkar corrie for around 200 vertical metres (trail 212) before following the gentle undulations of trail 211/212 to the Solsteinhaus mountain hut. More information can be found here: https://karwendel-hoehenweg.at/