Cycle tour Ötztal Cycle Trail (11)

It's a good thing that the Ötztal doesn't hide its natural treasures very well: countless waterfalls, the wild Ötztaler Ache river and one or two three-thousand-meter peaks can be seen from the saddle on the Ötztal Cycle Trail.

Description

The cycle path starts in the town center of Haiming. Protected by mountain ranges all around, the entrance to the Ötztal valley offers a wonderful climate with little precipitation and lots of sunshine. The mild temperatures make it the heart of Tyrolean apple growing. The cycle path passes the hamlets of Magerbach and Schlierenzau and leads to Ötztal-Bahnhof. Then it continues through a forest for several hundred meters parallel to the railway tracks to AREA 47, Austria’s largest outdoor adventure park. From here, it heads south, away from the federal road, through Brunau and along the Ötztaler Ache to Oetz.

At the end of Oetz, cycle parallel to the Ötztaler Bundesstraße to Habichen. An underpass at Habichen invites a detour to Habicher See, or take on the challenging climb “Tumpener Gstoag”. The path leads through a small forest section (Seestall/Grube) to Tumpen. Here, it goes past the school towards the Ötztaler Bundesstraße, which you cross, as well as the Ötztaler Ache afterwards. Relaxed, continue towards Umhausen, past Engelswand, the hamlet Lehn-Platzl, and the chapel Maria Schnee. A small climb takes you directly into the center of Umhausen. Passing the parish church, follow the ground markings through the hamlet Neudurf until you cross the Ache again at Fundus bridge in the valley floor.

The cycle path continues along the Ache to the turnoff Köfels and on a gravel path to Au. At the end, an asphalted path above the roaring Ötztaler Ache crosses two newly built spectacular cycle bridges. After the second bridge, turn left into a somewhat steeper forest section. At the end of this forest section, an underpass leads to the other side of the road. At the next intersection, turn right to Winklen, then at the next fork turn right along the Ache towards Unterried. At the next intersection, turn right to Winklen again, pass the hamlets Oberried, Lehn, and Unterried west of Längenfeld, and finally reach Längenfeld. From here, cycle past the famous Aqua Dome spa and follow the path through the wide meadows of Astlehn and Runhof to reach Huben. The impressive mountain world in the rear Ötztal draws closer and closer.

At the end of Huben, cross the Ötztaler Ache again and follow a gravel path parallel to the federal road. Through an underpass, you safely reach the other side of the road and cycle on gravel to Bruggen. After another underpass, a cycle bridge crosses the Ache at Aschbach, followed by a short uphill and slight downhill. Soon you come to the next bridge overpass. At the following fork, keep more east and cycle down to the valley floor, where another bridge crosses the Ache. The last part of the Ötztal cycle route leads finally east of Ötztaler Ache into the municipality of Sölden.