Leutaschklamm Geisterklamm - Opening hours, parking, trails ...

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A lesser-known but all the more fabulous gorge lies on the border of Austria and Germany. It is the Leutasch gorge on the border of Bavaria and Tyrol, originally called Leutaschklamm or Leutascher Geisterklamm. While the Bear Gorge or the Ötschergraben are famous all over Europe, many local families visit the Bavarian Alps and the Tyrolean mountains.

Perhaps you have already seen pictures of the gorge, the most famous of which is the high bridge above. One of the surprising features of the gorge is that it is family-friendly. There are plenty of signs for children along the hiking trail itself.

The mountain river dug the gorge in the Leutasch Valley over millennia. The walls of the gorge are towers up to 100 meters high. While huge rocks surround it from the side, a forest covers the view as far as your eyes can see. Meanwhile, beneath your feet, the white river of Leutasch rushes down.

Here, steel sidewalks and staircases were built on the rocks and connected by bridges. With the help of modern technology, the Austrian gorge can now be conveniently explored.

Overview

The gorge was made walkable in 2006.

Photos

The gorge was named Geisterklamm as part of a PR program, meaning "Soul Gorge." This name refers to a mountain spirit living here and the goblins protecting its treasure. An educational trail for children is built on this theme.

Where is Leutaschklamm located?

Unfortunately, a bit far from Vienna, the gorge is at the German-Austrian border, meaning 6 hours by car. Munich can be reached less than 2 hours from the gorge, while Innsbruck, Austria, is only 45 minutes away.

The gorge lies between Germany and Austria in the Leutasch Valley. One half can be found in Tyrol and the other half in Bavaria. Thus, you can approach Leutaschklamm from two directions – from the Austrian or the German side.

• Leutaschklamm’s address: C6HW+8H Leutasch, Austria
• Distance from Vienna: 5-6 hours / 515 km
• Distance from Innsbruck: 45 minutes / 43 km
• Distance from Munich: 2 hours / 108 km

Parking

On the Austrian side, next to the road between Leutasch and Mittenwald, is the official car park of the gorge. The car park is large enough for you to park comfortably and the buses that bring tourists also have plenty of space. The car park also has a public toilet and a small restaurant.

If you come from Germany, you must get to Isar Bridge next to Mittenwald. Here you can park on Innsbrucker Strasse, along the main road. The west side of the map is the Austrian side; the east is the German side with the Mittenwald car park.

Hiking route

The gorge is an ideal family program but can also be a great weekend getaway for couples. The hiking trail is signposted, and it is not technical. The difficulty of the round trip is easy; it is also recommended for non-routine hikers. It can be completed in about 2-3 hours and contains only a 150 m elevation.

The route of the Leutasch gorge consists of two main parts.

• Panorama road
• Waterfall route

One is the round tour, the most famous part of which is the high-lying aluminium bridges (see the main picture). This part of the tour is free and open every day of the year.

The other half of the hike is a dead-end leading to the Wasserfallsteig waterfall. This is a much shorter section than the round trip; the elevation is insignificant. The biggest attraction of the gorge is the waterfall section and the planks leading there.

You will encounter signs posted along the way. You can learn a lot of useful and interesting information about the gorge formation from these. But there will also be information about the flora and fauna of the gorge and the construction of the panoramic road.

Walk 500 meters from the car park to reach the entrance to the gorge. Here you can already climb the non-slip, restricted aluminium path on which you will take the next 960 meters.

You will soon leave the so-called Spirit Cave while admiring the roaring Leutasch River beneath you as it playfully roars down.

The tour is followed first by a 24 m long bridge and then by the longest 27 m Panorama Bridge (Panoramabrücke). From the height of 75 meters, you can enjoy a fantastic view. This part of the gorge is impassable, so they were forced to "take out" the path out of the gorge.

Shorten the bridge by crossing to the other side and returning to the parking lot on the Kobold Trail through the woods. In this case, you will miss the waterfall.

If you go further towards the waterfall, stay on the north side of the river on the designated road and head up to the mountain in front of you. Soon after, you will reach the Klammkiosk, where you will find a buffet, and you can also buy a ticket to the waterfall. You are now in Germany.

After purchasing the ticket, your journey ends at the 23 m high waterfall. It is easy to get caught up in the proximity and beauty of the waterfall, but you have to be careful because the barrier here is not as high as at the former bridged part.

If you have finished looking around, you must return the way you came in. Your path leads to the right (you came from the left), mainly down a road to the south.

For families

The route is child safe! It is restricted to the full height of the railing, thus protecting children from falling. With children over 6, you can set off with confidence.

The gorge was originally intended as a family attraction. This is also shown by the name Kobold Trail. In the gorge, 40 teacher-drawn wooden boards were placed along the road, all with curiosities for children. The boards are in German, but they also briefly summarize the point in English.

Legend has it that special creatures, including goblins, live in the gorge. The goal for kids is to find and discover them.

Dog-friendly?

Although dogs are not banned, visiting the gorge with them might not be the best idea. If you take your dog with you, give her/him paw protector socks.

Weather

Expect windy weather and a pleasant summer breeze at high bridges in the fall and winter. Since the bottom of the bridge is latticed, it does not slip even in the rain.

Inside the Leutasch gorge, the plank can slide near the waterfall, so the right shoes (ribbed soles, closed shoes) are recommended.

Regardless of the weather, always have a backpack where you can pack your stuff. There will also be stairs along the way where you need to be able to hold on and have nothing in your hands.

Opening hours

Except for the path to the waterfall, the gorge is open to the public all year round. The road to the waterfall on the Wasserfallsteig is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm and from 10 am to 5 pm in autumn, depending on the weather.

Both parts of the gorge are closed in case of heavy rain or extreme weather.

• Leutaschklamm: 0-24, every day
• Wasserfallsteig: 09:00 - 18:00 / 10:00 - 17:00 (closed in winter)

Prices

• There is no entrance fee to the first section, which is not the waterfall.
• At the end of the trip, the tickets to Wasserfallsteig are 3 euros for adults and 1 euro for children.
• You can only pay in cash.
• You can also buy a refreshment at the Leutascher Klammstüber'll stall.

Restaurant

The Ederkanzel hut at 1184 meters is a real specialty. The restaurant's interior is in Germany, while if you go out on the terrace, you can have lunch in Austria.

Toilet

The car park has a public toilet, which is also suitable for disabled visitors. The toilet is only open in summer (officially), from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays.

Attractions nearby

#1 Zugspitze

Germany's highest point is less than 1 hour away. If you are not with children, you can continue in this direction.

#2 Partnachklamm and Höllentall

And if you don't get tired of gorges, you can find Partnach (30 minutes) and Höllental (about 1 hour). You have to drive to Germany for both gorges.

I hope you got in the mood for the trip and that you and your couple, friends, or family are ready for another adventure.

• The official website of the Leutasch gorge can be found here.

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