Innsbruck Trek: hike the most beautiful valleys around Innsbruck in 6 days

And suddenly the summer is slowly coming to an end and the mountain stories are piling up for me, waiting to be told before the end of summer. This also includes my one-week trekking on the Innsbruck Trek. At the beginning of the summer season, I had the opportunity to explore the newly designed multi-day hike as part of a research trip – 6 days of sunshine, 6 days of clearing my head, 6 days of foresight – wonderful!

Out of the city, into nature: that’s the motto of the Innsbruck Trek. The multi-day hike starts in the Alpine town of Innsbruck. From there, it leads in six stages from the Karwendel Nature Park to the Patscherkofel through five different natural areas around Innsbruck. The new tour was designed by the Tyrolean family-owned company and hiking and trekking specialist “ASI Reisen” together with Innsbruck Tourism. The goal: to create a tour that shows the scenic diversity of the region and at the same time offers the greatest possible flexibility. The Innsbruck Trek is for all those who like to be outdoors, but who at the same time appreciate a certain degree of comfort: luggage transport, hotel bed, hut stop. No problem!

First day of trekking: Detour to the Umbrüggler Alm

The Innsbruck Trek is not a classic long-distance hike that leads from A to B on foot. Rather, it is a collection of particularly beautiful tours around Innsbruck. For each day, there is an easy as well as a medium to challenging route option to choose from. And if you want to skip a day of hiking: no problem either – simply take public transport to the next stage stop.

The first hiking stage starts in the middle of Innsbruck. We walk through the alleys of the old town to the valley station of the Hungerburgbahn. From the mountain station, it’s about 45 minutes uphill along a forest path until we reach the new Umbrüggler Alm. There, as a prelude to this hiking week, the best Tyrolean Alpine cuisine awaits us – including Kaiserschmarrn, of course.

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Theoretically, the first hiking stage of the Innsbruck Trek would lead from the Umbrüggler towards Kranebitten. In the spirit of maximum flexibility, we return to Innsbruck after the feast at the Umbrüggler Alm and spend the night in the city.

Second day of trekking: from the Mieming Plateau to the Lacke

The next morning, the bright blue sky awakens the wanderlust. From Innsbruck we now head towards the Mieming Plateau. The starting point for the second hike on the Innsbruck Trek can be reached directly by bus from Innsbruck train station in just under an hour. From Obsteig, the hiking trail follows the cheerfully gurgling Sturlbach stream past the well-known Arzkasten inn through a wooded valley landscape uphill. Soon we reach the Lehnberghaus, beautifully embedded in the landscape, with its enticing sun terrace. But we have not yet earned the obligatory hut stop at this point.

100 metres in altitude separate us from the Lacke viewing platform, which offers a really worthwhile panoramic view over the Mieming Plateau, the Inn Valley, Wetterstein and Karwandel Mountains as well as the Ötztal and Stubai Alps. If you still haven’t had enough at this point, you can add another 500 meters in altitude to the summit of the Wankelspitze. On the other hand, we opt for the leisurely part of the day and, after a stopover at the Lehnberghaus, hike back down to Obsteig.

Third trekking day: via the Feldringalm to Kühtai

Freshly rested, we start the third day of hiking. In your backpack: snowshoes! The spring sun has not yet cleared away all the snow and at altitudes above 1,800 m above sea level, there is still an extraordinary amount of snow at the time of our tour at the beginning of June. The starting point of today’s tour is the Sattele bus stop on the Imst – Kühtai bus line (bus no. 4196). Here we follow the signposted hiking trail over a forest road to the Feldringalm. After a short coffee break, we tackle the remaining meters of altitude up to the plateau of the Feldringer Bodenen. Once at the top, an almost complete blanket of snow awaits us – and that at the beginning of June! And so we trudge on with the snowshoes towards Marlstein. Past the Almhof Mareil (a recommended stop for refreshments), the last section of the trail leads us along the Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Weg to Kühtai.

Today’s destination is the Gasthof Ruetz in the mountain village of St. Sigmund im Sellrain. The room standard is basic – but it has everything you need and the kitchen is great!

Fourth day of trekking: on the path of reflection to St. Quirin

The next morning we can start marching directly from our inn in St. Sigmund. On the fourth hiking stage, it would be worthwhile to tackle the more demanding tour variant over the Sonnberg to St. Quirin. The high-altitude hike is said to be phenomenally beautiful. Unfortunately, it is out of the question for us on this day due to the snow conditions. However, the easier tour variant via the Path of Reflection via Gries is no less appealing. The first section leads us along the Zirmbach through wonderful fir forests to the mountaineering village of Gries. Fifteen Tyrolean villages can currently call themselves “mountaineering villages“. A label that was introduced on the initiative of the Austrian Alpine Club and distinguishes traditional and sustainable alpine tourism.

After Gries, the hiking trail follows the valley flanks and thus offers beautiful views from the Sellrain Valley down to the Inn Valley.

Fifth day of trekking: via the Innsbrucker Almenweg to the Mutterer Alm

From Axams, the fifth day of hiking goes in the direction of Axamer Lizum. The ski resort in the immediate vicinity of Innsbruck was built on the occasion of the 1964 Winter Olympics. While in winter the passionate winter sports enthusiasts let off steam back here, in summer the rugged peaks of the Kalkkögel cast a spell over the hikers. With the fascinating mountain panorama behind us, we ascend to the Birgitzköpfl. The summit, which is not quite 2,000 m high, offers a beautiful panoramic view from the Axamer Lizum over the Kalkkögel to the Nordkette on the opposite side of the Inn Valley. Via Birgitzer Alm it then goes along the Innsbrucker Almenweg via the Götzner Alm and Muttereralm to Mutters near Innsbruck. After the sporty ascent, enjoyment is again in the foreground here. All three alpine pastures along the route are worth a stop. But my favourite is clearly the rustic Götzner Alm. The Linzer cake simply tastes phenomenally fine!

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Sixth day of trekking: Summit happiness on the Patscherkofel

It is only a stone’s throw from Mutters to Innsbruck-Igls. Here above Innsbruck we spend the last two days on the Innsbruck Trek. After the day tours have taken us through the Nordkette, the Mieming Plateau and the Stubai Alps, the local mountain of Innsbruck – the Patscherkofel – is on the hiking program at the end. At the end of 2017, the new Patscherkofelbahn cable car was put into operation, which takes you from the outskirts of Igls up to the panoramic mountain in no time at all. In contrast to the past, however, the cable car is no longer located in the centre of Igls – which is still a source of discussion among the locals two years after its reopening. There are many hiking opportunities up here. Particularly popular are the Zirbenweg in the direction of Tulfes or the Jochleitensteig around the summit.

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At the mountain station of the Patscherkofelbahn, just under 300 metres in altitude separate us from the striking summit peak. The ascent takes just under an hour – including numerous photo stops. From here, the Innsbruck Trek suggests a route, a circular route via Boscheben and Zirbenweg back to the Patscherkofelbahn. Unfortunately, there is still snow on this section of the trail at the beginning of June. An alternative is quickly found. After the obligatory sip of pine schnapps in the summit room, we head for the beautifully situated Hochmahdalm. Here you can get fried dumplings for refreshment. We leave some space for dessert. The way back to the Patscherkofel mountain station includes another culinary stopover: the Patscheralm.

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With three huts on a path length of just under 6 kilometres, a short hike becomes a day-filling pleasure tour. One thing is clear: The Innsbruck Trek not only offers varied hiking routes, but also plenty of opportunities for a leisurely stop at a mountain hut.

Practical tips for the Innsbruck Trek

The Innsbruck Trek appeals to all those who want to gain a multifaceted insight into the region around Innsbruck within a week and at the same time appreciate the convenience of being close to the city, luggage transport and hotel accommodation. The Innsbruck Trek can be booked as a package both as an individual trekking trip and as a guided group tour with ASI Reisen. The cost of the individual trekking trip starts at 755 euros including 6 hotel nights with half board, luggage transport from hotel to hotel and detailed route description. Which of the routes (easy or moderately difficult/challenging) you choose, you can decide flexibly day by day on the individual trekking trip. More information about the Innsbruck Trek can be found here: the Innsbruck Trek

The starting and ending point of the trek is Innsbruck. The capital of the province of Tyrol can be reached directly from Zurich in 3.5 hours by train.

p.s. There is definitely no shortage of great alpine pastures and huts for a stop on the Innsbruck Trek. But check the respective rest days in advance. Most businesses are not open 7 days a week. You can find more inspiration for enjoyable hiking in these two articles: the most beautiful alpine pastures and mountain huts in Tyrol.

Note: My trip on the Innsbruck Trek took place at the invitation of Innsbruck Tourism and ASI Travel. All impressions and opinions are, as always, mine.