Let's go

Autumn hike around the Auerklamm gorge

The little church in Ötzerau towers around 250 meters above the front Ötztal valley. The northern peaks of the Geigenkamm tower to the west.

(Bild: Peter Freiberger)

This wonderful circular tour in the front Ötztal valley takes you south of the Auerklamm gorge up to Ötzerau and north of it back down. There are always deep insights into the spectacular gorge.

Just outside the valley from the parking lot, we hike on the road opposite (east) of the main road into the valley to the chapel in the Oetz hamlet of Ebene. We ignore the turn-off to the left to the "Auerklamm circular hiking trail" at the very beginning.

With a view of the Tschirgant, head out of the valley through the meadows.

(Bild: Peter Freiberger)

At the chapel, head uphill towards Auerklamm and Ötzerau. A footpath or old road winds its way up through the forest, the route then takes us into the meadows above the Ötztal valley. In front of us lies the hamlet of Ötzerau with its charming little church. The views sweep between the Ötztal, the Tschirgant and the Lechtal Alps.

Facts and figures

• Valley location: hamlet of Ambach (762 m, municipality of Haiming) in the front Oetztal valley
• Starting point: free parking lot at the Ötztal Tourismus info point in Ambach (762 m, use permitted for this hike in November)
• Route: wide footpath, road, path
• Equipment: sturdy shoes, poles, warm clothing
• Requirements: basic fitness level, sure-footedness
• Children: from baby age
• Mountain buggy: no
• Refreshments: Ambachhof at the starting point (open on Saturdays and Sundays); none along the route
• Arrival by public transport: public bus from Ötztal-Bahnhof to Ambach directly to the starting point (bus stop "Ambach, Ambachhof")
• Difference in altitude: around 250 meters (ascent/descent, entire loop)
• Length: around 4 kilometers (entire loop)
• Walking time: around one and a half hours (entire loop)

In Ötzerau at "Haus Bergfriede", keep left ("Auerklamm") and walk out of the valley through the settlement and again through meadows up to a chapel at the edge of the forest. Behind it is a wooden bridge over the deeply incised Auerklamm gorge.

The bridge and gorge are crossed and from here the path descends towards the "plain". Before the route then descends as a path in the forest, don't miss the view of a waterfall in the gorge on the left. The trail descends quickly, at an unmarked fork in the route we keep left and briefly ascend.

In Ötzerau, all that remains of a house is this one ornate or decorated wall.

(Bild: Peter Freiberger)

Just before the valley floor, it is worth stopping on the left at a marked viewpoint. Here, another impressive waterfall shoots down into the depths. The trail ends at the well-known access road - back to the starting point