🏴 Destination: Kreuzeck/Alpspitzbahn station, Garmisch-Partenkirchen
A demanding hike that takes you almost halfway to the Zugspitze #
This is probably one of the most memorable hikes I have done in Germany. It wasn’t the most difficult one, nor was it the most breathtaking, but it stood out as one of the few hikes where I had the entire trail to myself for nearly four hours. To be fair, going to the mountains on a grey Thursday isn’t exactly what most people in Munich would choose to do. Even though I started quite late, I still made it out of the valley before sunset and managed to return to Munich in time for dinner. There was the occasional chamois that I crossed paths with deeper into the Höllental and some other wildlife enjoying the tranquillity of the valley.
The Höllental is one of the valleys around Germany’s highest peak, the Zugspitze. The valley stretches south from the Grainau municipality to the base of the mountain and is a popular trail for adventurers taking on the challenge of climbing to the 2,962-metre peak of the Zugspitze.
This hike is mostly a closed loop—mostly, because it doesn’t return you to the Hammersbach bus station but instead ends at another station, Kreuzeck/Alpspitzbahn, around 1.7 kilometres closer to town.
What’s special about this hike? #
- Höllentalklamm, a beautiful gorge only open from spring to autumn
- Variety of scenery
- Stunning views of the Zugspitze
- Some exposed sections of the trail
How to get there #
From Munich Central Railway Station, you can take a regional train that will take you to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Flixbus also operates routes between Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, but departs from the central bus station in Munich, rather than the central railway station.
From Garmisch-Partenkirchen, you have the option to take the bus or the Bavarian Zugspitze Railway (Bayerische Zugspitzbahn) to get to Hammersbach. Buses and trains depart quite infrequently, so it’s important to plan ahead of your arrival.
A journey from Munich Central Railway Station to Hammersbach should take around 2 hours in total. Once you finish your hike and find yourself at the Kreuzeck/Alpspitzbahn station, you can go back to Garmisch-Partenkirchen Railway Station, again by either taking the bus or the Zugspitze train.
The hike #
The trail starts in a residential area and follows a stream, the Hammersbach, for quite a while before you ascend higher towards the valley. After climbing up the first few hundred metres or so, you will notice that the trail heads in the direction of the Höllentalklamm, a gorge through which the stream runs. It is typically only open in summer and closed in winter, which means you have to take an alternative route to go deeper into the valley instead of taking the more direct trail through the gorge.
After following the steep path to the right of the entrance to the gorge, you will find yourself basically on top of the gorge. Follow the trail, and you will reach the Panoramabrücke, a bridge that spans across the valley and offers a breathtaking opportunity to marvel at the gorge from above. Cross the bridge and follow the trail further into the valley towards the Zugspitze, then take a left turn at the sign pointing towards Hupfleitenjoch, a mountain saddle in the direction of town. Halfway to the saddle, there will be a hut (Knappenhäuser), which was uninhabited at the time I was there. The remaining trail to the saddle is straightforward and offers a nice view of the valley, now from the south side.
Once you have reached Hupfleitenjoch, there will be the opportunity to climb a peak called Schwarzenkopf. I decided against it, as it was marked as hazardous in snowy conditions. Don’t forget to enjoy the view of Zugspitze from here!
Follow the signs in the direction of Kreuzeckhaus and take a left turn onto Jägersteig, a steep trail that will take you back to Kreuzeck/Alpspitzbahn station.
You made it! 👏
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