Energising trails in Pitztal

When the larch trees glow golden and the air turns crisp, it’s time for tranquil hikes. Here’s our selection of the most beautiful autumn routes.

The frost crunches beneath your hiking boots, and your warm breath mists in the crisp morning air. Along the rocky shoulders of the 3,000-metre peaks, sure-footed ibexes keep watch – silent companions on your hike to the top. This is autumn in Pitztal at its finest: golden slopes, crystal-clear views, and trails where peace walks beside you.

For an easy start to your hiking holiday, take the Rifflseebahn cable car to a lake that shimmers like a turquoise jewel at 2,200 metres above sea level. A loop trail leads you along its shores, while towering peaks frame the scene. For an entirely novel perspective, board Europe’s highest raft and glide across Lake Rifflsee in 45 minutes of pure stillness, mountain stories, and mirror-bright reflections.

If altitude calls, ride the Gletscherexpress cable car to 2,840 metres above sea level, from where you can explore a network of high-Alpine trails or simply settle into the glacier restaurant for panoramic indulgence. You can even board Austria’s highest gondola, the Wildspitzbahn, and soar up to 3,440 metres above sea level.

Families love the ZirbenPark at the Hochzeiger. Start the one-kilometre circular trail at the mid-station and wind your way past 18 play-and-learn stations that build respect for the “Queen of the Alps”, the Swiss stone pine – a fitting match for the ibex, king of the Alps and our emblem of strength. You can meet these regal animals face to face at the Tyrolean Ibex Centre in St. Leonhard, a fully accessible space where the enclosure and exhibits tell a moving story of reintroduction and species protection.

At the Alpine Resort Sportalm, adventures begin on your doorstep. Hike to the Gletscherstube mountain hut for a gentle outing, or push higher to the Braunschweiger Hut, where waterfalls, scree, and rugged peaks line the path to hearty Tyrolean fare. Here in Pitztal, every path has a story to tell. Come and see for yourself!