Obergurgl Swiss pine forest theme path

This extraordinary Swiss pine forest “Gurgler Klamm” is located in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Ötztal Nature Park and steals visitors’ breath away with its rust-red covering of Alpine roses and is undoubtedly the most famous botanical attraction in the region, but certainly not the only one. The Gaißberg Mountain and Rotmoostal Valley with their 6,000-year-old Alpine bog are two other areas of remarkable botanical significance in the Northern Tyrol region. Hikers can look forward to a rich display of flora of east-arctic descent during the blooming season from June to August. Even lusher than the young moraines of the Gaißberg and Rotmoos, is the flora on the steep slopes of the Kirchenkogel, the Grantenwand, and the Liebener Spitze. A small garden of alpine poppies and gentian tempt you to the top of the Granatenkogel. Equally fascinating is the water landscape of the Rotmoos waterfall that roars 30 km through a dark canyon with steep drops and boasts an equally diverse fauna.

Suggested Hike:

The “Obergurgler Zirbenwald” Swiss Pine Forest Themed-hike (Hike time: ca. 1 hr). From Obergurgl take the local road below the University centre up to the last houses and turn right on to the path through the meadows towards Zirbenalm (Hut). From here you can follow the information plaques along the trail until you reach a cross roads and a bench across from the Nasenwand. Go left and uphill through the picturesque 400-year-old pine forest. The return hike is fairly flat as you cross the Gaißberg Bridge and along the trail back to Obergurgl. A brochure about the information stations along the themed-hike is available at the Information Centre in Obergurgl-Hochgurgl for € 3.00.