Route description
The First Ascent
You start with a steep ascent to Draxlhang all the way to Draxl alp, which takes a lot of stamina. From up there, you get a treat view over Karwendel and Wetterstein mountains.
From Draxl Alp to Kot Alp
From Draxl alp, walk uphill westbound on a cart path along meadows. Turn east into a small forest. This path first leads you to a stream, and then up a steep slope to the meadows of the lift area. This is where Kot alp is located.
Up to Brauneck Peak
Above the alp, turn left and follow the way untill you reach the saddle. After a short way through the forest, walk uphill to a meadow, through which you walk leftwards, but soon turn right towards the top station of Brauneckbahn lift, which you reach over iron stairs.
From the top station, you walk along the Panoramaweg trail for a little, but then turn right towards Brauneck-Gipfelhaus, and hike on to the summit of Brauneck.
From the Summit to Idealhanghütte Hut
From the summit, follow the high route towards Schrödelstein, but turn left onto Panoramaweg trail before you get there. On that trail, you hike to Quenger alp. From there, walk west until you reach the mountain hut Idealhanghütte.
Back to the Car Park
To return to the car park, you first have to walk back to Quenger alp. From there, you can follow a path to the right, which leads past Bayernhütte and Finstermünz alp into a forest. At the clearing near Filz alp, you start walking eastbound. As soon as you reach the sign 'Brauneck-Bahn', take the left path to the car park.
Where to eat
There are three opportunities to grab a bite to eat on this hike - Brauneck-Gipfelhaus, Quenger alp, and Idealhanghütte.
Brauneck-Gipfelhaus is open daily during the winter; in summer it is closed on Tuesdays. You can also spend the night here. Furthermore, you can even host your party, training event, or conference here.
Quenger alp at 1,420m/4,659ft boasts a beautiful view over Karwendel from its sun deck. The alp is open daily, and you can also stay the night.
Idealhanghütte, also known as Stie alp, features guest rooms as well as a mountain hut to sleep in. The alp is the only one with its own cheesery, which you can visit upon request.
Interesting facts
- You're traveling a distance of 11 km on this moderate trail. Average length of all hikes in Bavaria is 43 km.
- Elevated between 728 m and 1,552 m, the hike is among the 15 highest elevated hikes in Germany. You're facing an uphill climb of 833 vertical meters on this hike.
- Don’t hesitate to take your kids along on this moderate hikes. The hike is also perfect if the kid’s wanna bring their dog on the trip. (See all dog friendly hikes in Bavaria.)
- Make sure to bring sturdy footwear on this track. Hiking boots are highly recommended. If you get hungry along the way, there are places to rest and get food. Nevertheless it’s recommended to also have enough water and food in your backpack when hiking or biking.
Highlights of the tour
This hike's highlight is the 360 degree panoramic view from Brauneck peak.
Variations
If the first section of the trail is too steep for you, you can take Draxlhang lift to get up there. During the hike you can always return to the valley on Brauneckbahn lift, if you don't want to do the whole way.
As this is a circular trail, you can also walk it the other way around. However, you should keep in mind that you will have to walk steeply uphill for a longer time then.
Equipment
Hiking boots are not absolutely required, but definitely recommended, as there are some rather slippery spots around the summit.
Getting here
By car
Coming from Munich, you can either take motorway A95 towards Garmisch or A 8 towards Salzburg. On A95, you drive to Wolfratshausen, on A8 you exit at Holzkirchen. From there, follow the signs pointing to Bad Tölz. Follow the road B13 to Lenggries. In Lenggries, turn right to cross Isar bridge, and continue to the roundabout. There, drive towards Wegscheid, and take the second entrance to Draxlhang.
Public transportation
The easiest way to get here on public transport is from Munich, where the Bayerische Oberlandbahn service goes straight from the main railway station to Lenggries.
In Lenggries, you can take bus line 9595 to 'Wegscheid Abzweigung Kotalm'. From there, follow Jachenauer Straße southbound until you can see 'Hölzl Hof' on your right-hand side. This entrance leads you to Draxlhang, which is where the hike starts.
