Long-distance hike Kaiserblüte - Moor Stage

This immersive hike takes you from the delicate moorland ecosystem of Hüttelmoos to the spectacular Schleier Waterfall and on to alpine pastures with panoramic views.

Description

The tour begins at the Hüttling hiking start point and follows the forest road towards the Kaiser Mountains. At the first fork, stay on the forest road and cross the bridge. At the next junction, keep right and continue until the road bends sharply to the right. Just after the bend, opposite a mound of stones, a narrow path branches off to the left into the Hüttelmoos moorland. Along this short circular trail, you'll find informative panels about moorland typology and the area's renaturation.
Afterwards, retrace your steps briefly along the forest road, turn right at the second junction, and immediately right again through the gate to follow the farm track. Passing a wooden barn, continue briefly on the forest road until, at the next left-hand bend, a steeper trail leads straight into the forest. When you rejoin the forest road, follow it until trail no. 818 to the Schleier Waterfall branches off to the left. The trail climbs through root-strewn forest and along a short exposed section to reach this impressive natural spectacle – a popular climbing spot beneath dramatic overhanging cliffs. Pause here to soak in the special atmosphere of this local energy site – and with a bit of luck, you might even spot climbers in action.
The route continues along the rock faces to the Stiegenbach Waterfall. After the waterfall, the trail becomes steeper as you cross the Stiegenbach stream and ascend through alpine meadows, with constant views of the Ackerlspitze and Maukspitze. At the next junction, follow trail no. 827 towards the Obere Regalm. Stay along the slope and you’ll soon catch sight of the hut. In the cellar fridge, you’ll find refreshing drinks – and if the hut is open, you can enjoy homemade specialities made from their own produce.
North of the hut, continue uphill on trail no. 827 across alpine pastures to the Baumgartenköpfl with its mountaineer’s memorial cross. It’s well worth pausing here to take in the magnificent views of the Wilder Kaiser peaks to the north and the main Alpine ridge to the south. From there, trail no. 824 leads downhill towards the Gaudeamushütte. Wooden steps take you past the Freiberghütte and Baumgartenalm, then across the Goinger Bach stream and briefly through a shady beech forest, before the path opens out to reveal the impressive Ellmauer Tor. After the turn-off to the practice via ferrata, the trail emerges onto alpine pastureland – here, take the path down to the left to reach the Gaudeamushütte.
You’ll be rewarded with regional delicacies on the hut’s cosy panoramic terrace. After a well-earned rest, continue south of the hut on trail no. 813 towards Going. At the left-hand bend, turn right onto the small Wilderersteig trail, marked with wooden signs. A gentle forest path leads you to the turn-off for the Wochenbrunner Alm. After a final break on the scenic terrace, you can take the hiking bus back to Ellmau.

Alternative for particularly motivated hikers:
Instead of taking the convenient hiking bus from Wochenbrunner Alm to Ellmau, you can also hike this stretch:
Wochenbrunner Alm – Spatlahner Gorge – Ellmau village/bus stop: approx. 1 hr 45 min