Barmsee mit Karwendel und Wettersteingebirge im Hintergrund Photo: ©Alpenwelt Karwendel/ Maximilian Ziegler

Karwendel

The Karwendel region in Tyrol and Bavaria captivates with its flowering mountain meadows and rugged peaks, rushing mountain streams and fresh mountain air. In the past, Romans, merchants and pilgrims came to the region, but today it is mainly hikers, cyclists and families who enjoy the beautiful landscape. From its source in the Karwendel Mountains, the turquoise Isar River meanders through a sunny high valley to Bavaria. Numerous lakes offer an ideal excursion destination in hot temperatures.

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Activities in the Karwendel region

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Attractions in the Karwendel region

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Hiking route · Schwaz District

Stanser Joch (2102m) from Jenbach

recommended route Difficulty difficult

Distance 13.7 km

Duration 8:00 h

Ascent 1,500 m

Descent 1,500 m

Demanding and lonely hike from Jenbach to the Stanser Joch with a ridge section in the upper part offering great views.

from Michael Gasteiger, alpenvereinaktiv.com

Hiking route · Karwendel

Steinkarkopf from Mittenwald via Hochlandhütte

recommended route Difficulty moderate

Distance 13.5 km

Duration 6:00 h

Ascent 1,150 m

Descent 1,150 m

Mountain hike from Mittenwald to the Steinkarkopf via the Hochlandhütte

from Gotlind Blechschmidt, alpenvereinaktiv.com

Mountain Biking · Wettersteingebirge

By mountain bike to the royal Schachenhaus and back to Innsbruck

recommended route Difficulty S0 difficult

Distance 101.5 km

Duration 9:30 h

Ascent 1,641 m

Descent 2,019 m

The bike tour to the Schachenhaus is challenging, but the scenery is incredibly rewarding. The return journey by bike to Innsbruck is an option, ...

from Josef Essl, alpenvereinaktiv.com

Hiking route · Karwendel

Fleischbank (2026 m) from the Eng

recommended route Difficulty moderate

Distance 14.9 km

Duration 6:00 h

Ascent 1,230 m

Descent 1,190 m

Medium-difficulty mountain hike in the Rißtal valley with great views over the Karwendel

from Michael Reimer, alpenvereinaktiv.com

Mountain Hike · Karwendel

Von der Nördlinger Hütte über das Solsteinhaus nach Hochzirl

recommended route Difficulty moderate

Distance 14.4 km

Duration 6:00 h

Ascent 340 m

Descent 1,530 m

Der lange Weg ins TalVon der Nördlinger Hütte wandert man über den Ursprungsattel und die Freiungen zum Solsteinhaus. Danach führt der Weg nur noch ...

from Eva Goldschald, ALPIN - Das Bergmagazin.

Hiking route · Region Innsbruck

Von der Neuen Magdeburger Hütte aufs Brandjochkreuz und Abstieg nach Innsbruck-Allerheiligenhöfe

recommended route Difficulty difficult

Distance 14.6 km

Duration 7:05 h

Ascent 1,091 m

Descent 2,097 m

Auf dieser Tour kann man im Karwendel noch Bergeinsamkeit erleben, vor allem auf dem Weg bis zum Brandjochkreuz. Der Abstieg nach Innsbruck ...

from Karsten Seliger, alpenvereinaktiv.com

Hiking route · Achensee

Stanser Joch (2102m) from Pertisau

recommended route Difficulty moderate

Distance 14.3 km

Duration 5:30 h

Ascent 692 m

Descent 1,219 m

On the long mountain ridge between the Inn Valley (striking avalanche barriers) and Lake Achensee, the Stanser Joch is the highest point with the ...

from Elisabeth Reder, alpenvereinaktiv.com

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Location and extent of the Karwendel

Most of the Karwendel is located on Austrian territory in Tyrol, but part of the mountain range also extends into the German state of Bavaria. Divided into four large mountain ranges leading from west to east, numerous side chains and a vast promontory in the north, the Karwendel is a mountain group of the Northern Limestone Alps. Over 45 km long and 30 km wide, the mountain range has 125 peaks of two thousand meters, of which the Birkkarspitze is the highest at 2749 m. The Karwendel is surrounded by the villages of Seefeld in Tyrol and Mittenwald in the west, Pertisau in the east and Innsbruck in the south, while Hinterriß is the only permanent settlement within the mountains.

The Gamsjoch group from the Sonnjoch west flank, on the left the Laliderer Wand with Kaltwasserkarspitze and Birkkarspitze, on the right the Falken Group
Photo: Tirolerbergwelten, CC BY-SA, Wikimedia Commons

Karwendel Nature Park

The Karwendel Nature Park is the largest nature park in Austria and consists of three nature reserves, two rest areas and six landscape protection areas. Directly adjacent to it, the protection of the Karwendelgebirge nature is continued by the German Karwendel nature reserve and Karwendel foothills. As one of the last large areas in the Alps not yet completely covered by lifts, there is still a lot of wild nature to be found here. In the mountain center, there is little civilization, so the forest and the Isar river still develop naturally here. A special feature of the Karwendel is the large population of golden eagles. When visiting the nature reserves, you should pay attention to the prohibitions in force.

The Vorkarwendel from the Seebergspitze
Photo: Tirolerbergwelten, CC BY-SA, Wikimedia Commons

Hiking in the Karwendel

Hikers and mountaineers love to come to the Karwendel. While there are no gondolas and lifts in the interior of the mountains, there are some on the edges, which are uphill from the villages. There are 25 serviced huts in the Karwendel, as well as self-catering huts and bivouac boxes. Those who take a longer tour, such as the Red Route of the Via Alpina or the Munich-Venice Dream Trail, can stay overnight in these when crossing the mountains. Popular shorter routes lead to the Mittenwalder Hütte, over the Sulzeklamm suspension bridge to the Brunnsteinhütte or to the top station of the Karwendel cable car.

Hiking route · Karwendel
Access to Brunnsteinhütte from Mittenwald/ hut car park
Mountain Hike · Karwendel
Access to Brunnsteinhütte from the Karwendelbahn mountain station

Challenging hikes in the Karwendel mountains

Mountain climbers venture farther into the mountains. While only a few peaks of the two mighty central mountain ranges are accessible by good pathways, most other peaks can be reached from the south without major climbing difficulties. However, the climbs through craggy, mountain pine or scree fields are sometimes pathless and the rock is often fragile. The Karwendel Altitude Trail is ideal for those looking for adventure.

Mountain Hike · Karwendel
Sonntagskarspitze (2525 m) from the Pfeishütte
Mountain Hike · Karwendel
Ascent from the Hafelekar mountain station to the Pfeishütte
Mountain Hike · Karwendel
Hohe Fürleg (2570 m) from the Hinterhornalm
Mountain Hike · Silberregion Karwendel
Access to Lamsenjochhütte from the Eng
Mountain Hike · Karwendel
Sonnjoch (2459m) east-west crossing

Nature excursion destinations in the Karwendel

Beautiful excursion destinations include the Gleirschklamm Gorge (with an untamed wild river), the Hafelekar (the window into the Karwendel) and the Halltal Valley as a valley with history and wildly romantic nature. Routes to the Hochplatte, a gentle peak with flowering meadow slopes above Lake Achensee, to the source of the Isar or to the Mondscheinspitze, the residential area of the ibex, are also worthwhile. Through the Wolfsklamm Gorge and dense forest, you reach a pilgrimage church enthroned on rocks and the Lalidererwände are probably the most famous northern walls of the Limestone Alps, whose colossal grey rock faces tower above the green alpine meadows.