Kolsassberg: Hiking, Bridges and Cultural Heritage

Kolsassberg combines hiking destinations with traces of history. When planning your trip, you can choose between a moderately difficult circular hike, other named routes and cultural themes. The tours differ in their routes and time frames; the historical stops focus on buildings and former connections.

Hiking Trails and Different Time Frames

The Kolsassberg Suspension Bridge Loop is a moderately difficult circular hike covering 5.7 kilometres, with a walking time of about two hours. It starts at Rettenberg Castle Ruins and passes over the front and rear suspension bridges. If you want to focus particularly on the two bridges when choosing a tour, this loop offers a clearly defined highlight.

As a guide to the time required, the suspension bridge loop takes around two hours, compared with a walk of about three and a half hours from Kolsassberg to Weidener Hütte. The first time estimate refers to the circular hike, the second to reaching the hut; both are approximate. Weidener Hütte is also a destination for day visitors, hikers, mountain bikers, skiers and tobogganers, and operates in two seasons.

The third stage of the Tyrolean Silver Trail follows a different route: it leads from Weer/Kolsass via Kolsassberg to Weerberg. The Weertal Loop offers a different focus, leading from Kolsassberg through dense forest and uphill into the Weertal. Alongside the loop over the suspension bridges, you can therefore choose between a stage connecting several places and a forest ascent into the Weertal, each with its own route description.

The Hoferlift Kolsassberg is also clearly geared towards trip planning: it is designed for children’s first attempts on skis. Together with the different visitor groups at Weidener Hütte, this offers a glimpse of a range of activities, from hiking and mountain biking to skiing and tobogganing.

Chapels, Mountain Chapel and Castle Ruins

The chapels on Kolsassberg are particularly worth seeing. Their owners lovingly maintain them and decorate them to suit the season. The mountain chapel on Kolsassberg was built in the early 1970s as a private initiative. The chapels are notable for their upkeep and seasonal decorations, while the mountain chapel is especially notable for when it was built.

Today, only ruins of the defensive wall with its corner towers remain of the once-imposing Rettenberg Castle. In addition, the ruins of Neu Rettenberg are impossible to miss on the drive up to Kolsassberg. The names provide two specific points of reference for the area’s castles, without requiring you to follow a hiking route.

The region’s history also includes the crossing from the far end of Kolsassberg over the Geiseljoch pass into the Tux Valley. In former times, it was the shortest connection from the Tux Valley to the towns in the Inn Valley, including Innsbruck, Hall and Schwaz. While the named hiking trails describe their respective routes, this historical connection between the Tux Valley and the Inn Valley is the focus here.

Getting to Kolsassberg

Kolsassberg can be reached via the local road through Kolsass. This practical information complements the route and cultural topics with a specific note on how to get there.

Discover more destinations: Sellrain, Inzing, Wildermieming, Oberperfuss, Ampass, Völs, Steinach Am Brenner, Gries Am Brenner.

For the broader travel overview: Innsbruck-Land.