Hike the Schafreuter Peak and Capture the Insta Spot Sylvenstein Lake! Reasons to Visit Karwendel Nature Park

On the Karwendel mountain chain, shared by Austria and Germany, there’s a buffet of sights and activities in the Northern Limestone Alps for every hiker, nature lover, and photography enthusiast.

Our tour easily manages the balancing act and connects both places via the Schafreuter. Climbing the Schafreuter is worthwhile: wide ridges of grass and impressive views of the large north faces of the Karwendel create an atmosphere perfect for the camera.

Here on Mountain Moments, we bring you details for one challenging and rewarding 21-kilometer route, and this includes a trail map, useful pointers, expert hiking advice, and professional photo tips and trick as a part of photography and mountain workshops.

What’s so special about this hiking route? This is what awaits you on the location

In the middle of the Karwendel Nature Park, the majestic sycamore trees are hidden like witnesses of time. Some specimens are up to 600 years old!

The natural monuments are in stark contrast to the artificially created starting point of this tour: the Sylvenstein reservoir. At this popular excursion point with its brittle concrete look, care is taken to ensure the drinking water supply and flood protection for southern Bavaria.

The curved bridge over the reservoir, like the sycamore meadows, is an extremely popular photo motif for landscape photographers. The modern and the history of the Alps are particularly popular here in photo motifs on a photo expedition.

Directions! This is how route to Sylvenstein lake looks like on a map

This tour can be walked in both directions. If we come by car, it definitely makes sense to park the car in case (paid parking). The mountaineering bus then takes you to the start and endpoint. If you stay overnight, park at the night parking lot at the Tölzer Hütte.

The hike starts at the Tölzer-Hütte stop. Directly up the Hüttenweg and up to the hut (1825m) for about 2-3 hours. Here we either take a snack break or we spend the whole night here. Freshly strengthened, we continue to the left to the Schafreuter (2102m).

Now we go downhill via Kälbereck (1757m) to the Alm. Straight ahead across the meadow and uphill in the direction of Stuhlbachjoch (1737m) and Pirsch Schneid/Fall.

We hike over a beautiful and somewhat exposed, but at most moderately difficult hiking trail to a ridge. Here you can branch off briefly to the Stuhlbachjoch.

Now we follow the path along the steep meadow slope (danger of falling) in the direction of Grammersberg /Fall. From the alpine meadow, the path becomes much easier.

Now follow the signs on the hiking trail (alternatively via the forest road) and later the road in the direction of Sylvenstein – Stausee/Fall. Shortly along the B307 to the right and back to the starting point at the Fall stop or to the car park/night car park.

Photo tips that will make your Instagram pop! Landscape photography and rugged Karwendel cliffs

On this hike, we combine both highlights of landscape photography. At the Sylvenstein reservoir, the curved bridge over the reservoir just before Fall is a particularly successful perspective on modernity. The lines work best from a viewpoint a little in front of the bridge – or from above.

Mountain Moments Photo Workshops provide Photo Tours for everybody, Alpine Experience for beginners and intermediate-level photographers with 3 to 6-hour routes, as well as Summit Experience for more advanced photographers and hikers. We have private workshops and group classes.

We find the venerable sycamore maples on the Eng-Alm. On a walk, we discovered many impressive motifs for our photos. We particularly recommend capturing the autumn colors in early October, taking the dark north faces of the Karwendel with you as a contrast in the morning and evening hours.

The view of the rugged Karwendel cliffs from the Schafreuter is also a popular panoramic motif.

 

More information about your hiking route – from arrival to the finish line

Arrival: Via Bad Tölz and the B13 to Lenggries. Continue to Sylvenstein / Hinterriss and later via the B307 to Engalm (toll road with parking spaces).

Public transportation: By train to Lenggries, take the 9596 mountaineering bus in the direction of Eng to the Tölzer Hütte stop ( www.rvo-bus.de).

Difficulty: medium – difficult

Duration: 9h

Distance: 21km

Ascent/descent: 1625m/1752m

Highest/lowest point: 2096m/765m

Refreshment stops: Hotel Jäger von Fall, Tölzer-Hütte

Start/finish: Tölzer Hütte stop (coordinates: geogr. 47.570171, 11.530295) / Fall am Sylvenstein reservoir (coordinates: geogr. 47.492965, 11.461444)

Particular dangers: Danger of falling at the Pirsch Schneid. Long tour, little mobile phone reception, good advance planning with public transport necessary.

Tips: Nature reserve, so please do not leave the paths and comply with park regulations.

The most beautiful photo spots and hikes in the German Alps – experience this hiking tour and 29 other exceptional regions now.

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