Enjoy the golden autumn – walking adventures around Innsbruck!

Last updated on 12.09.2022

Hannah breathes in deeply. There are scents of pine needles, mosses, the forest floor. A golden light makes its way through the treetops. Hannah senses her body and how good it feels to be out in the cool air. Round the next corner on the path, a mountain inn appears with its promise of a deliciously warm welcome. Time for a break! But what about the path? It’ll still be there for her afterwards…

Would you like to feel just as good as Hannah? Then come hiking with us in the Innsbruck region, through the golden autumn, where a heavenly sense of relaxation reigns. The way is the reward: and there is no shortage of ways. Depending on your fitness, mood and desire, you can either take a leisurely stroll through idyllic landscapes, or really push yourself on a challenging climb. Long hikes are possible until deep into autumn, either on sunny paths close to the city, or in the rugged charm of the high Alpine scenery. What’s more, most mountain inns remain open during the autumn months to treat their guests with Tyrolean delicacies.

Our tip: enjoy a free guided hike as part of our activity programme. The region’s hiking guides can take you on wonderful tours, free of charge until 3 November 2022 for guests with a Welcome Card.

The golden autumn not only shows itself on hiking trails, but also bathes the city itself in warm colours. © Innsbruck Tourismus / Markus Mair © © Innsbruck Tourismus / Markus Mair

The city as a starting point for hikes

The joys of hiking in the Innsbruck region begin right in the middle of the city! One moment you are walking under the charming arcades of the medieval old town, past street cafés and tempting shop windows. Five minutes later you are whizzing silently up to the Nordkette on the ultra-modern Hungerburg funicular for a therapeutic hiking adventure. You can use public transport to reach the starting points on the city’s outskirts and in the surrounding villages, with bus, tram and train travel all free with the Welcome Card, which also offers discounts on numerous lifts and cable cars. The Card is available free of charge when you stay in one of our participating partner establishments.

Hiking near the city

The Alpine pastures on the slopes of the Nordkette are not far from the city’s hustle and bustle, yet are still wonderfully quiet. The ultra-modern Umbrüggler Alm lies 40 minutes from the Hungerburg station of the Nordkettenbahn funicular and cable cars, while it takes just under an hour to hike to the rustic Arzler Alm. Further up, but still within easy reach, are the Höttinger Alm and Bodenstein Alm with their views of Innsbruck. And, if you like high-level hiking with a city view, you can walk from the Hafelekar, over 2,000 metres above sea level, via the Goetheweg trail to the Pfeis Hut in the Karwendel. You will scarcely believe that such a mountain idyll can lie so close to an urban area! Closer still to the city is a meditative path preferred by the spiritual and pilgrims: the way to the Höttinger Bild, long a place of pilgrimage, especially for students, with many a prayer for academic success sent heavenwards from this little forest chapel. Should you wish, you can carry on to the Alpengasthof Rauschbrunnen, a delightful place with views of Innsbruck to enjoy as you feast on Tyrolean delicacies.

The Zirbenweg on the Patscherkofel offers grandiose hiking opportunities close to the city that are doable for the whole family. © Innsbruck Tourismus / Pastourmatzis © P.Pastourmatzis

On the other side of the valley, close by Innsbruck, is the Patscherkofel, whose rounded summit makes it a stark contrast with the rocky Nordkette soaring opposite. But here too there are magnificent opportunities for hiking close to the city. All the family can enjoy the walk to the summit from the top station of the Patscherkofel cable car, or you can visit one of the many Alpine pastures on the slopes of the Patscherkofel, where there are plenty of trails of varying lengths.

The last rays of autumn sun can be enjoyed with a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains. © Innsbruck Tourismus / Markus Mair © © Innsbruck Tourismus / Markus Mair

Lovely scenery on the way to the Mieming Plateau

The Mieming Plateau offers an autumn idyll, along leisurely paths via sun-kissed meadows and the bright leaves of the “fiery larches”. The sunny charms of this area, which lies some 35 minutes west of Innsbruck, are hard to beat. Here can be found gentle hikes without any major climbing involved, with the imposing sight of the Hohe Munde towering in the background. Relax and unwind on wonderful walks and undemanding hikes.

The stress of everyday life can be forgotten on walks and easier hikes through golden larch forests. © Innsbruck Tourismus / Klaus Kranebitter

High-altitude hiking adventures for hardy mountaineers

Close to nature and authentic, the three mountaineering villages of the Sellraintal Valley – Sellrain, Gries and St. Sigmund – lie in the midst of an Eldorado for alpinists and make an ideal starting point for an extended hiking holiday. Experienced mountaineers and practised hikers in particular will be in their element here, with the sky truly the limit. Fit and proficient mountain hikers will savour the challenging hut-to-hut hiking tour in the Sellraintal Valley: some 5,700 metres of ascent and descent over a total of 80 kilometres, to be completed in seven daily stages. A week’s hiking overflowing with wonderful impressions: Alpine roses and gentians that grow by the wayside, and mountain streams that babble in unspoilt natural surroundings. Stamina and experience are essential, with a magnificent mountain adventure the reward.

The Karwendel is also a place for hiking in the wild and the Karwendel Nature Park is the largest of its kind in Austria. Rare alpine species such as golden eagles, chamois and exotic native creatures such as the three-toed woodpecker or the common sandpiper all live here. Perhaps you can observe some of these shy animals on the Karwendel High-Altitude Trail, with its 60 kilometres and 7,000 metres of ascent and descent in six daily stages between the communities of Scharnitz and Reith bei Seefeld: Innsbruck lies exactly in the middle.

*In good walking weather, long hikes are still possible well into autumn. We advise you to make proper preparations, especially before venturing into high mountain terrain, with adequate equipment and full information on the weather and trail conditions.

Most alpine huts, such as the Aldranser Alm, remain open in autumn and spoil their guests with Tyrolean delicacies. © Innsbruck Tourismus / W9 Studios © © Innsbruck Tourismus / W9 Studios

Top reasons for hiking:

Apart from the wonderful impressions to be gained in the mountains, the great views from up above, and the tasty Alpine delicacies served up in the huts, here are three top reasons for hiking in Innsbruck:

You can take fantastic holiday photos while hiking.
You get the best breakfast here!
You meet the coolest people on the mountains! Our Werner, for example, a blogger, amateur archaeologist and passionate pilgrim.

Links:

About Innsbruck Tourismus

Innsbruck Tourismus is the official destination management organisation for the Innsbruck region, encompassing the capital of Tyrol and over 40 localities in the surrounding area, from the Inntal valley to the Mieming Plateau via Kühtai and as far as the Sellraintal valley. With almost 3.5 million overnight stays (as of 2019), the Innsbruck region is one of Austria’s largest tourism institutions – a unique symbiosis of pulsating urban space and fascinating Alpine world. The vibrant city atmosphere and sightseeing highlights are just a stone’s throw from your next biking or hiking tour, your next ski adventure or winter walk. The Welcome Card, free for visitors, is the key to the region’s boundless opportunities: public transport, usable at no cost, means that the area’s numerous highlights can be enjoyed both sustainably and comfortably. Visitor enjoyment is the focus of the thoughts and actions of each of the organisation’s 90 or so staff: they pass on their passion and enthusiasm for this alpine-urban space to guests, ensuring unforgettable holiday experiences for all in harmony with both people and nature. With a total of twelve tourist information offices, Innsbruck Tourismus can stay close to visitors, be right in the action and keep a finger on the pulse of events – a true hub for the authentic stories and personal impressions of local characters that can be found on the popular blog and social media channels at #myinnsbruck.