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hikers
Roaring water in the Breitachklamm
01:51
5.98km
220m
Hiking
At the border between Germany and Austria, what long ago formed a single entity is united: rushing water and jagged rock. For more than two kilometers, the roaring Breitach River wedges itself into rugged rocky landscapes, leaving behind a breathtaking natural spectacle. Along its course, it encounters limestone that formed the seabed millions of years ago. The deposits of coral and shells were folded up at this special location during the formation of the Alps and have been constantly reshaped ever since. With this natural gem, the Kleine Walsertal invites its guests into the largest rocky gorge in Central Europe.
Immediately after crossing the Austrian border, the approximately two-hour hike through the gorge begins at Walserschanz. The starting point is accessible by car and public transport. The initial descent through a forest leads to the Breitachklamm Association checkpoint. From here, there are various routes for guests to access the gorge.
Particularly rewarding is the long circular hike across colorful alpine meadows toward Alpe Dornach, which sometimes produce flowers such as the lungwort gentian. This provides impressive views over long stretches before reaching the Breitach Chapel, the gateway to the gorge. The special atmosphere of the Breitachklamm is clearly palpable from here. The cool, humid air of the lower gorge presents particular challenges for the flora and fauna living there. Numerous, sometimes rare, mosses benefit from the prevailing climate and suddenly create a completely different landscape, framed by the breathtaking rock formations.
If you keep your eyes open, with a little luck you might spot unique bird species such as the yellow wagtail flying just above the water. In addition to gazing into the riverbed, the gorge's resting places also invite you to look up. This is where the bizarre forms of the Schrattenkalk limestone come into their own. The starting point of the route is reached on the return path via the Zwingsteg bridge. This turns left shortly before the checkpoint and follows a path towards the B19 road. From there, the path leads back towards Austria to the Walserschanz car park.
Important information: Visiting the Breitachklamm and parking are subject to a fee. Opening hours vary depending on the season. Visitors can find current information at https://www.breitachklamm.com/. Those seeking peace and quiet are advised to arrive as early as possible. For family hikes, the association recommends an afternoon visit starting at 3:00 p.m., as the gorge empties somewhat after this time. Guests of Kleinwalsertal can reach the Walserschanz bus stop free of charge with their guest card.
Last updated: June 20, 2025
Waypoints
Start point
Bus stop
Get Directions
34 m
Walserschanz Border Inn
Highlight • Historical Site
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494 m
Lattice footbridges in the Breitachklamm gorge
Highlight • Bridge
The Breitachklamm Gorge is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the winter season. It is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the summer season. It is closed for a few weeks in spring and fall. Admission is €4.50 for adults and €1.50 for children.
You can find more information at breitachklamm.com.
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Tip by
658 m
View of the Breitach Gorge
Highlight • Gorge
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Tip by
4.50 km
Breitachklamm
Highlight • Gorge
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4.65 km
Breitach Gorge Waterfall
Highlight • Waterfall
With vertical and overhanging walls almost 100 meters high, the water thunders over high rocky ledges, swirls through deep pools, and sprays itself into tiny droplets that reflect the light.
Some of the gloomy gorge walls have never seen the sun. Deep green mosses and delicate ferns thrive in the damp, and a few intrepid spruce trees have boldly settled on the smallest rocky outcrops.
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5.07 km
Bridge over the Breitachklamm
Highlight • Bridge
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Tip by
5.98 km
End point
Bus stop
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
3.26 km
1.28 km
898 m
392 m
135 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
1.83 km
1.66 km
1.46 km
649 m
287 m
< 100 m
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Elevation
Highest point (990 m)
Lowest point (830 m)
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Weather
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Tuesday 2 June
16°C
8°C
94 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 12.0 km/h
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This route was planned by komoot.
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Trail Reviews
The GPS and the rocks don't match; it's just under 6 km and 200 meters in elevation. Parking costs €4, and the gorge costs €7.50. The paths are well-maintained, so it's money well spent.
The tour can be called short and sweet. On the day of our return home on our Alpine tour, we wanted to take this highlight with us before leaving. Due to the corona, there is one-way traffic in the gorge, entry is below at parking lot P1. The ticket must also be purchased online. You should be there by 11 a.m., after that it was full. The gorge is refreshing and interesting. Large boulders lie in the water, more than 3 men high. That's when you realize how insignificant you are. It's good if you weren't there at the time of the crash 🤭. You cross the gorge in about 30 minutes, then the path leads up the mountain into the forest. There various hiking trails branch off to various alpine pastures, you are spoiled for choice. 😋 Finally the path led us over the Alpe Dornach down to the parking lot. A nice end to the eventful week! 😎
A great natural spectacle. Deeply impressed by this gorge. Certainly a great spectacle in winter too.
Today, we followed the floodwaters down into the valley of the Breitachklamm. A beautiful natural spectacle, the Breitach River plunges between the rocks into the valley, where it flows into the Danube after many kilometers. @Anna Bolika would have definitely enjoyed the tour, always along the roaring water. 🥰 Of course, we then had to hike the descent, and in the other direction. 🤪
Another great day in the Breitachklamm. We started from P2 at the Walserschanz. At the moment, the gorge can only be accessed in one direction, i.e. you first have to walk around to the lower entrance. You could stop off at Alpe Dornach. Shortly thereafter, the path splits, the shorter one ('steep descent') is currently partly icy, you should have shoes with a good profile or toddle shoes. We then drove to Riezlern to stop at the 'bex' restaurant.
Our warm-up for the next few days in the Oberallgäu ⛰️🎊💯%
Today we went to the gorge. The weather was stable, but the heavy rain of the past few days was clearly noticeable. So much water was pouring into the gorge from all directions. It was truly a spectacle, but unfortunately very crowded :). Overall, it was a great trip, and our son was amazed by the force of nature.
Today, there's snow on the mountain peaks, a beautiful sight. However, our plan is for the Breitachklamm – far below. We start on the Austrian side, at the Walserschanz bus stop/parking lot. It'll be nice and empty, we thought – our plan is working – Sunday is our departure day, so most people are on their way home. Okay – most people were already deep in the gorge and were coming towards us from the German side. 🤣 And so, with so many people on our circular walk through the rushing, impressive gorges, we must have missed the inner circle somewhere and ended up at the Tiefenbach entrance/exit. No matter. We had a good enough impression and continued our ghost hike. It's a good thing it's a circular walk. After a sweet break at Alpe Dornach, a fantastic place to stop for a bite to eat, we returned to the starting point with a very deep view of the gorge path. Beautiful gorge, but simply too crowded – I wonder what happens here in summer!