Lechtal: Wild River, Trails and Tradition

At Forchach, the Lech reveals its character as a wild river: extensive gravel banks and shifting river channels define this stretch. Between the Allgäu Alps and the Lechtal Alps, this alpine wild river landscape is considered internationally significant for its size and formation. The Lech and its floodplain forests provide a refuge for many plant and animal species associated with wild river landscapes.

Experience the wild river landscape and nature

At Lechleiten, a district of the municipality of Steeg, the Lech first reaches Tyrol at an altitude of around 1,270 metres. About 65 kilometres downstream, it leaves Tyrol again on its way towards the Danube. Mitteleuropa’s largest lady’s slipper orchid habitat is near Elmen; this rare orchid species is strictly protected.

The Klimmbrücke Nature Park House stands on a bridge over the Lech near Elmen and houses the “Wild River Adventure” exhibition. The “The Last Wild One” Nature Park Centre presents the river through its dry gravel banks, floodplain forests and side valleys, as well as the animals and plants found there. This allows you to get to know the Lech both as a landscape and through its habitats and species.

Hiking, cycling and water sports

The 125-kilometre Lechweg trail runs from Steeg in Lechtal to Füssen in the Allgäu. From mid-May, you can already hike a shortened spring route; check the latest route information and seasonal conditions before setting out. The approximately eight-kilometre Path of the Senses through the Hölltal Gorge offers a different focus: Along the hiking trail, local artists display their own texts and sculptures, Bible verses and depictions of local traditions. Near Gramais, a circular trail leads through forests and meadows and along a mountain stream; carved wooden figures line the route.

For cyclists, the Lech Cycle Path runs in five stages from Marxheim to Steeg, including 52 kilometres through the Tyrolean Lechtal. If you’re hiking the Lechweg, you can use luggage transfer to your next accommodation. The Lechweg shuttle’s operating details may vary, so arrange transport in advance when planning your stages.

The Lech is navigable for water sports between Steeg and Weißenbach. Commercial rafting can be booked from 1 May to 30 September; before setting out, check the current official rules for protected areas and the operators and dates available for rafting trips. The FUN RAFTING white-water sports school is located in the Lech floodplains near Häselgehr, right on the Lech Cycle Path. Experienced guides set off from there on rafting trips down the wild Lech.

Crafts, local history and seasonal experiences

Elbigenalp offers an insight into traditional woodcarving: It has two carving schools, including a specialist school for arts and crafts, as well as several carving workshops that keep the craft alive. In the Bernhardstal Gorge in Elbigenalp, the open-air theatre attracts thousands of visitors every year. Pfafflar is considered one of Tyrol’s oldest high-altitude settlements; the village’s old wooden houses date back to the 13th century.

The Doser Waterfall in the hamlet of Luxnach is a remarkable recurring sight: It dries up every year on St Martin’s Day, 11 November, and flows again on St George’s Day, 23 April. The Holzgau suspension bridge links the Simms Waterfall, the via ferrata of the same name, the Lechweg, Gföllberg and Schiggenberg.

The time of year also shapes the activities available. In winter, Holzgau has its own ski lift and ski school, as well as access to the extensive Lechtal cross-country ski trail network; operating conditions vary by season. From Stockach in Lechtal, the modern Jöchelspitzbahn cable car ascends to an altitude of 1,800 metres. The cable car provides access to leisurely family walks and more challenging mountain tours of varying difficulty, depending on operating hours and weather. Check current operating hours and weather conditions before setting out. For a meal, more than 50 alpine pastures and huts in the Allgäu and Lechtal Alps serve traditional Tyrolean cuisine; opening hours vary from hut to hut.

Discover more destinations: Ischgl, Kitzbühel, Lienz, Reutte, Schwaz, Paznauntal, Landeck, Brixental.

Return to the main travel overview: Tyrol.