Karwendel Nature Park
Covering an area of 727 square kilometres, the Karwendel Nature Park is home to steep, rocky mountains and vast areas of forest and meadows. Designated a protected nature reserve in 1928, it fascinates all who visit it with its pristine nature and unique mountain scenery.
The Karwendel Nature Reserve is full of natural wonders and contains a unique treasure of flora and fauna that merits both admiration and protection. In the valley you can explore beautiful flowering meadows rich in species that, in turn, attract an abundance of insects. Alongside common species such as wood scabious and small scabious, the superb pink also grows here, a species which certainly lives up to its name and which is very rarely seen in North Tyrol. In some areas here, the plants have to survive on extremely barren gravel bars. The pine forest in the Karwendel range is a typical feature of dry areas. The nature protection area is also home to several native orchid species, such as red helleborine and spotted orchids.
From the new visitor centre and museum Holzerhütte in Scharnitz, nature lovers can make excursions into three valleys.
The Karwendeltal valley, through which the legendary Karwendel March also leads, is a very unspoilt valley whose steep climbs demand good fitness from hikers and bikers. The Karwendelhaus does not only offer fantastic views and a well-earned snack, but is also the starting point for many summit ascents.
The route through the Hinterautal valley is less demaning, always leading along the crystal clear, blue water of the river Isar to its source "near the rivers". A short distance further on, the Kastenalm invites you to stop for a tasty snack, surrounded by magnificent maple trees. The source of the Isar is particularly easy to reach by e-bike and is also a popular destination for families.
The path through the Gleirschtal valley leads via the Möslalm to the Pfeishütte. The trail through the wild and romantic Gleirschklamm gorge is an impressive experience for sure-footed hikers. The narrow path leads through a varied fauna and flora, always along the clear stream.
