Hike along the Zillertal Alps

Located at 840 meters above sea level, the climatic health resort is located in a sunny location at the entrance to the Tux Valley and is an ideal starting point for your hiking tour in the high mountain nature park of the Zillertal Alps. The short, but all the more impressive walk in the "Glocke" could serve as an introduction to the hiking week. It is a 60 meters deep gorge with great botanical diversity and a unique gorge forest. You will receive your travel documents at the hotel in Finkenberg.
(1 night in Finkenberg)

With the crossing of the spectacular Tuxerbach Gorge you start the first day of the hiking tour. The wood-roofed Devil's Bridge was built in 1876 and is a listed building. The path leads quickly uphill over serpentines. Then the forest thins out and you reach the 1577-metre-high Kehlkopf below the Nesselwand. After a well-deserved rest with a beautiful view of the Tux Alps, the trail continues uphill. The last part of today's trail leads through the natural forest reserve Ebenschlag, which has been left to its own devices since 1998, a fairytale primeval forest with ferns, flowers and rocks that form small caves. Finally you reach the Gamshütte at 1921 meters. It has a truly exquisite place on the ridge up to the Vordere Grinbergspitze between the Tux and Zemm valleys and is the northernmost base in the main ridge of the Tux Alps. Due to the free location of the rustic refuge, the view itself can wander to the glaciers. Let yourself be pampered by the cuisine and hospitality of the hut landlady Corina Epp.
(Overnight in the Gamshütte)
Hiking: 4 hours (approx. 6 km, ascent: 1030 m in height / descent: 10 m in height)

Today's stage is the longest and least frequented of the Berlin High Trail. It runs almost continuously at an altitude of 2000 meters, is incredibly impressive in terms of landscape, leads over steep slopes and boulder heaps and crosses countless refreshing streams. Over steeply sloping meadow slopes, it first goes to the so-called Grey Plate. If you like, you can take a break here; There is even a small shelter nestled against the imposing stone. Now follow the Feldalm and Pitzenalm, the latter with the possibility of refreshments, and after crossing a casual ridge, the waterfall at the Kesselalm is reached. Framed by several 3000m peaks such as the Zsigmondyspitze or
the Ochsner, the following section is a real treat for all those who love spending time in high alpine terrain. A longer stop including a Kneipp cure is offered at the fine Wesendlkarsee. The next place to spend the night, the Friesenberghaus, originally built in the 1930s by Jewish mountaineers, is soon reached; With its almost 2500 meters, it is located at one of the most beautiful vantage points of the Zillertal Alps in Tyrol on the picturesque Friesenbergsee.
(Overnight in the Friesenberghaus)
Hiking: 7 hours (approx. 14 km, ascent: 1100 m in height / descent: 550 m in height)

With a detour to the Petersköpfl, the path follows above the Friesenbergsee over a pronounced grass and rocky ridge and a short rock step to the wide summit ridge of the Petersköpfl (2679 m). By the way, the view from here is especially recommended at sunrise, as the countless ‘Steinmandl’, to which you could add another one, form a particularly interesting picture. The ‘Steinmandl’ are stones stacked on top of each other, which were used in the past to mark paths in confusing terrain. The descent from the summit leads back towards Friesenbergsee and then goes up in steep hairpin bends to 2630 meters to the Friesenbergscharte. Following the beautifully laid slab path below the Frozen Wall peaks (3288 m) you pass some waterfalls. The panorama is also magnificent on the few kilometers that lie ahead of you before you reach a suspension bridge that translates the outflow of the Großer Riepenkees. Shortly afterwards, the Olpererhütte with its panoramic terrace is reached. The hut towers majestically at 2400 meters and offers a perfect view of the shimmering turquoise Schlegeis reservoir 600 meters below.
(Overnight in the Olpererhütte)
Hiking: 3-4 hours (approx. 6 km, ascent: 350 m in height / descent: 450 m in height)

Once again you can enjoy the wonderful view over the reservoir and the mountain scenery from the Olpererhütte. Staying almost at the same altitude, the Panorama High Trail leads south into the wild and lonely Unterschrammachkar. Once you have overcome the mountain pine belt, the cirque opens up over the flat cirque floor. Now begins a picturesque section along the meandering and babbling Unterschrammachbach. In midsummer, the boggy hollows are home to many colourful alpine flowers. The trail now descends a little steeper to the Zamser Grund and then continues over the flat valley floor to the Schlegeis reservoir.  The reservoir is an artificial lake in the Zillertal on the border with South Tyrol and is one of the largest reservoirs in Austria. Next to the mighty dam wall, which was built in 1973 with a height of 130m, you will reach a path that takes you to the foot of the dam. Now you hike in the Zemmgrund in the footsteps of the glaciers to the rustic, over 100-year-old mountain inn Breitlahner. From here, take the public bus to the hotel in Finkenberg.
(Overnight in the hotel in Finkenberg)
Hiking: 5 hours (approx. 13 km, ascent: 110 m in height / descent: 1260 m in height)

If you have the opportunity to extend your stay in the Zillertal, you can go hiking on other beautiful paths that lead through the spectacular mountain landscape. For example, the summit hike to the Penken, from where you have a breathtaking panoramic view of the Zillertal, is very pretty. Otherwise, the return journey will take place today.