Reith bei Seefeld: Moor, Trails and History

Reith bei Seefeld combines natural and cultural attractions with trails of various character. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, one specific question can help you decide: should your day focus more on the moor, an easy circular walk or historic sites? The trails also differ in terms of starting point and requirements.

Moorland and trails

The Reither Moor is a mountain pine bog formed as Lake Seefeld silted up. From the car park on Scharnitzer Straße, a gravel walking trail leads through the Reither Moor nature reserve. Local conditions can vary; take this into account when planning.

Reith lies right at the foot of the distinctive Reither Spitze. Trails from the village centre lead into Karwendel Nature Park. The Schlossbach Gorge offers another kind of landscape, with typical gorge scenery and small waterfalls. This means there are several different natural attractions to explore: moorland, mountain scenery, nature park trails and a gorge.

Hikes with different levels of difficulty

The Reith Cultural Trail is an easy circular walk that starts and ends at Reith train station. A hike to Schlossbach Gorge can also start at Reith train station and follow part of the old Roman road as well as the Leithen forest trail. This route is accessible in summer and requires sure-footedness. The routes therefore differ in one practical respect: one is described as an easy circular walk, while summer access and sure-footedness are important requirements for the other.

The Bee Educational Trail is designed as a themed trail for families and children. When planning, you can therefore choose between a themed trail aimed at families and children and the differently described hikes.

Chapels and historic landmarks

The parish church of St. Nicholas in Reith was first mentioned in a document in 1391. Two other dates are important for St. Magnus Chapel: it was built as a Baroque chapel in 1780 and demolished in 1980, then rebuilt in its original form 50 metres to the north on higher ground. The construction date and the later relocation therefore mark two different stages in its history.

The Rosary Trail in Reith leads to the Frau Häusl Chapel. In Leithen, the plague column commemorates the hardships of the Thirty Years' War, when passing troops brought the plague to the region. A distinctive wayside shrine on the outskirts of Leithen, in the direction of Reith, is known locally as the “Dicker Turm” (“Fat Tower”).

The year 1611 is carved into the weathered column of the wayside shrine at “Gstoag”. Another specific date in local history is 1576: that was the year Abraham Schnitzer first produced a medicinal, thick liquid oil.

Connections and nearby destinations

The Karwendel Railway connects Reith with Seefeld, Scharnitz and the provincial capital, Innsbruck. Auland is nearby; the wildlife park there is also easily accessible by wheelchair. This is a separate tip for a nearby excursion and does not mean that the trails in Reither Moor or the hikes to Schlossbach Gorge are accessible.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Auland, Thaur, Neustift im Stubaital, Rum, Fritzens, Oberperfuss, Wattens, Aldrans.

View the higher-level travel overview: Innsbruck-Land.