Marktschellenberg: Hiking at the Untersberg and local history

Marktschellenberg is in the Berchtesgadener Land at the foot of the Untersberg and has a historic town center. If you are considering Marktschellenberg as a travel destination, it helps to think about what you want to focus on: Should your stay mainly include hiking trails at the Untersberg, tours through the Almbachklamm gorge, or local history and buildings? The area’s local highlights provide a concrete guide.

Hiking trails between the gorge and the Untersberg

The local hiking options include several routes through the Almbachklamm gorge. One route passes through the gorge to Ettenberg and returns via a steep section. Another hiking route in the Marktschellenberg area runs through the Almbachklamm to Maria Gern, a destination outside the town. A hike over the Köpplschneid leads to the Barmsteine. The gorge is therefore the focus of two routes described in different ways: one with a return via a steep section, the other with Maria Gern as its destination.

The trails at the Untersberg also offer different experiences. A short, steep hike leads to the Scheibenkaser Alm. The Friedensbergweg offers views over Marktschellenberg, the Untersberg, and the Götschenkopf and is a family-friendly hike. Marktschellenberg also offers a cross-border Nordic walking route at the foot of the Untersberg. When planning, you can therefore compare the specific features mentioned: the steep ascent to the Scheibenkaser Alm, the viewpoints along the Friedensbergweg, or the Nordic walking route.

Local history and buildings

In Ettenberg above Marktschellenberg, the Maria Heimsuchung pilgrimage church and the Mesnerwirt inn form a typical Bavarian ensemble of church and inn. The focus here is on the interplay between these two types of building. The Schellenberger Paßturm offers a different historical connection: it is a remnant of an old border fortification built in 1252. The date places the structure in its historical context, while its classification as a border fortification describes its historical purpose.

The Stöhrhaus is also one of the notable named places at the Untersberg. It is an Alpine Club hut near the Berchtesgadener Hochthron. Taken together, the themes are clearly distinct: Ettenberg is about an ensemble of a church and an inn, the Paßturm about an old fortification, and the Stöhrhaus about a hut in an alpine setting. This allows you to consider your stay not only in terms of hikes, but also through different buildings and their respective historical contexts.

The Berchtesgadener Land as the wider setting

The broader destination of Berchtesgadener Land widens the view beyond Marktschellenberg. It lies in southeastern Upper Bavaria and stretches from the gently rolling Rupertiwinkel in the north to Berchtesgaden National Park on the border with Austria. In the south, it includes high-alpine mountain landscapes and the natural scenery around Königssee. Berchtesgaden National Park has a network of 260 kilometers of hiking trails and alpine paths.

The panoramic trail around the Haus der Berge is another regional example: in the Berchtesgadener Land, it brings visitors into contact with the materials and plants of four habitats—water, forest, alpine pasture, and rock—and offers views of the Watzmann, Hochkalter, and Jenner. The hike through the Almbachklamm passes over 29 bridges and walkways, up 320 steps, and through a tunnel blasted into the rock. Seasonal opening times and weather-related closures may change; check these conditions before planning a hike.

Discover more destinations: Freilassing, Bischofswiesen, Weißbach A.D.Alpenstraße, Schönau Am Königssee, Piding, Ramsau Bei Berchtesgaden, Ainring, Eck.

Back to the main travel overview: Berchtesgadener Land.