Leutaschklamm Gorge

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Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 7.5 miles / 12.1 km
Duration: Half day

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Overview: Mittenwald town is located about 16 kilometers to the south east of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, in the valley of Isar river on the foothills of Wetterstein mountain range. To the south of Mittenwald lies the attractive Leutaschklamm gorge. Isar is a river in Tyrol, Austria and Bavaria, Germany. Porta Claudia is a former fortress at Scharnitz village, Austria.

The moderate round trip from Mittenwald (Germany) to Scharnitz (Austria) is about 12 km, gaining about 290 m in elevation. It combines hikes in a gorge and alongside a romantic river, and visiting ruins of an old fortress.

Are you spending holiday in Scharnitz, Mittenwald or somewhere nearby Innsbruck or Garmisch-Partenkirchen and looking for a beautiful and not difficult hiking trip covering low altitudes? Then, this is a hike just for you.

Basically, the hike can be divided into sections as the following: from Mittenwald (Germany) to Leutaschklamm gorge, from Leutaschklamm gorge to Porta Claudia fortress, from Porta Claudia fortress to Scharnitz (Austria). It generally takes 4.5 hours for average hikers to complete the round trip, allowing a reasonable time for making refreshment stops.

Tips: Alternatives. If you want to visit the Leutaschklamm gorge only, drop POI 4 and 5 and return from POI 3 directly to Mittenwald (round trip is about 10 km). In addition, you may further shorten this hike by driving closer with your car to the Leutaschklamm gorge (POI Car Park) and leaving your car about 15 minutes away from the gorge entrance.

If you like, you may pay a euro or so to go closer to a waterfall in the gorge.

The walkway over the Leutaschklamm gorge is really well secured – with traditional German precision labor. With a little caution, you may visit it even when it is drizzling.

Points of Interest

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Mittenwald

Start your hike at Mittenwald railway station Trailhead.

The next POI is about 2.0 km (or 34 minutes) distant. Walk through Mittenwald in direction of Leutasch till you come to the Leutaschklamm gorge entrance. While walking, admire the beauty of this German town.

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Leutaschklamm Start

You have arrived at the official entrance of the Leutaschklamm gorge. Stop on the bridge for a while. Here the highlight of your trip starts. Study the local table showing alternative routes through the gorge. Admire the gorge as seen from outside.

The next POI is about 640 m (or 24 minutes) distant. Cross the bridge and continue hiking uphill till you come to the turnoff to Scharnitz.

On the Bridge at the Gorge Entrance Photo

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Turnoff Scharnitz

Note this point carefully. You will return here after completing the Leutaschklamm gorge loop. For now, follow the direction toward the metal walkway (Leutaschklamm).

The next POI is about 2.9 km (or 1:23 hour) distant. Follow the boards with inscription 'Geisterklammweg'. Admire the beauty of the gorge and the technical acumen of engineers who constructed a metal walkway that winds its way for over half a kilometer up the gorge. Two bridges provide access to the paths on the other side of the gorge and provide rather dizzying views to the stream below. Hike till you come to the end of the metal walkway to POI 4.

Interactive boards and displays offer interesting information about the geology and plant life in the Leutaschklamm. Photo

Although primarily dedicated to children, the gorge visit is definitely worth for everybody, regardless of the age. Photo

Spectacular bridge high above the rushing water. Photo

One of many local POI, above all, dedicated to the children. Photo

The gorge is the product of the glaciers of the Ice Age. Photo

Much of the walk is on metal gratings, with the water clearly visible some way below, which makes the experience a spectacular one. Photo

Somewhat confusingly, the gorge it is being publicised as the Photo

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Leutaschklamm End

Get ready for leaving the metal walkway and taking a forest trail.

Continue hiking till you come to POI 3 (Turnoff Scharnitz) again which is about 1.6 km (or 24 minutes) distant. Pay attention to the tables containing additional information on the Leutaschklamm path.

The next POI is about 4.1 km (or 1:12 hour) distant. Continue walking in direction Scharnitz through the forest trail, later hike alongside Isar river till you come to Porta Claudia close to Scharnitz.

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Porta Claudia

Admire the ruins of the fortress ‘Porta Claudia’ which have got bleached and partially disintegrated walls. Moreover, admire a nice view of Scharnitz village lying below.

The end of the trip is about 940 m (or 25 minutes) distant. Continue walking till you come to the center of Scharnitz village.

Entering the ruins of the Porta Claudia fortress (POI 5) Photo

Village of Scharnitz, Austria, viewed from the Porta Claudia fortress Photo

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Scharnitz

Scharnitz is an Austrian village that lies on the border with Germany. You have arrived to your final destination. Admire the beauty of the village and Isar river.