Most beautiful hiking routes

Two summit experiences in one go

A wonderful view of the Montafon

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

The ascent to the Zamangspitze is quite a challenge.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

A tour through the Verwall mountains that is as scenic as it is varied leads from the Wormser Hütte via the Kreuzjoch to the Zamangspitze and back through the Seetal valley.

The Verwall is a mountain range that stretches between Vorarlberg and Tyrol. The area is a veritable Eldorado for hikers and mountaineers, with a dense network of well-developed and well-marked high-altitude trails offering tours of varying degrees of difficulty.

There is also a Natura 2000 area on the Vorarlberg side, which covers around 120 square kilometers. It is home to protected species such as the rock ptarmigan, the three-toed woodpecker, the great horned owl and the golden eagle. The name Verwall is derived from the Romanic "Val bel", which means "beautiful valley". In the course of several phonetic transformations, it became the name we know today.

Tips and information

Type: sporty summit hike
Duration: around three and a half hours walking time
Starting point: Sennigrat chairlift mountain station
Requirements: good basic fitness, sure-footedness
Equipment: hiking boots with good tread, daypack with drink and snack, clothing suitable for the weather, sun protection, hiking poles
Refreshment stops on the mountain: Kapellrestaurant, Wormser Hütte, Alpe Vorderkapell
Note: a day ticket is required for the gondola and chairlift ride, which costs 38.50 euros for adults
Public transport: Bus route 650 from Schruns train station to Zamangbahn or bus route 601 from Tschagguns train station

Over hill and dale to the Kreuzjoch
There are a total of ten Alpine Club huts in the mountain region, one of which is the Wormser Hütte at over 2300 meters above sea level. It is the starting point for today's tour, which involves climbing two peaks. First, take the Zamangbahn cable car from Schruns to the mountain station. From there, you can change to the Sennigrat chairlift if you want to save yourself most of the ascent to the hut. Otherwise, follow the hiking trail that leads uphill past the chairlift. If you want to cover this section on foot, you should start as early as possible, as you are on a sunny slope with no shady vegetation.

Otherwise, the hut can be reached in a good 20 minutes after the chairlift ride. Then the tour really gets going. Directly opposite the entrance to the house, a narrow path (blue and white markings) leads over the rock - follow this. Every now and then you have to climb over large boulders, but the path is generally easy to manage. The first summit, the Kreuzjoch (2395 meters), is reached in just under three quarters of an hour. The area around the summit cross is narrow and doesn't offer too much space for a rest, but the view down into the valley is magnificent. From the Kreuzjoch you then descend to the mountain station of the Panorama cable car (winter operation only), from where you follow the signs towards the Zamangspitze (2386 meters), which can already be seen in the distance.

The pink-leaved alpine rose.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

Rusty-leaved alpine rose

The rust-leaved alpine rose is also known as the rust-red alpine rose and rust-red alpine rose and belongs to the rhododendron genus. Just like the crested alpine rose, it is native to the European mountains. The plant grows as an evergreen dwarf shrub or bush, reaching heights of between 30 and 130 centimetres. The sturdy branches and twigs are richly branched. The alpine rose flowers from May to July. During this time, the plant produces pink to red flowers, which are arranged in corymbose inflorescences. The upper side of the leaves is shiny, dark green and bare, while the underside is yellowish when the plant is young, turning rusty brown with age. This is where the name rusty-leaved alpine rose comes from. Its preferred habitat is usually acidic coniferous forests, sparse scrub, dwarf shrub heaths and krummholz scrub at altitudes of 500 to around 2800 m . Like all species of the genus Rhododendron, the alpine rose is also considered "suspected of being poisonous". However, the alpine rose honey made from its nectar is harmless and a local specialty.

Magnificent views as far as Lake Constance
The trail initially leads across a plateau before climbing steeply again in the final section. Surefootedness is now required. The summit can be reached via two different routes, with the one on the left leading around the mountain requiring alpine experience and is therefore not recommended for the average hiker. The route to the right also climbs steeply and requires concentration, but it is still a less strenuous option. From the Zamangspitze, there is an excellent view over the Montafon - and if there are no clouds, you can even see Lake Constance on a fine day.

In the Seetal valley there are several...

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

... idyllic bodies of water.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

After a short breather, you return to the mountain station of the Panorama cable car. From there you have two options to get back to the Wormser Hütte: via the gravel path or alternatively via the Kreuzjoch. Once back at the starting point, you have well earned a refreshment stop after two summit victories. The route then continues through the Seetal valley, past the Herzsee lake, the Kälbersee lake - where there is also a small snack station and wooden loungers - and the Schwarzsee lake. The route then leads through the ski tunnel back to the Zamangbahn mountain station.