Arrival by public transport
Take the S-Bahn to the Brennero/Brenner station, then walk to Lake Brenner and Venntal.
Public transportation in the Wipptal valley is included with the guest card. For more information on the schedule, visit www.vvt.at.
Traveling to particularly remote places is often a boundary-pushing experience. For the Europahütte in Landshut (closed in 2025), this is true not only figuratively but also literally: The mountain hut is also called Rifugio Venna alla Gerla, and the border with Südtirol runs right through the dining room.
A scenic hut loop with two picturesque access routes through secluded valleys not far from the Brenner Pass. In between lies a fantastic ridge traverse featuring two peaks with stunning views: Wolfendorn and Wildseespitze. Between Wildseespitze and the Landshuter Mountain hut, the difficulty level increases slightly; one section of the trail is secured with steel cables. If you’re spending the night at the Landshuter Mountain hut, a detour to the Kraxentrager—which is just shy of 3,000 meters—is well worth it before heading back down.
From Brennersee, the trail leads over Griesberg, past a quarry, to the Griesbergalm, which lies secluded and untouched below the Wolfendorn and the Wildseespitze. The trail then continues in a curve through sparse pine forests and alpine meadows to the Mäuerlscharte and, with it, the border between Austria and Italy. After walking for a while along a ridge—essentially circling the mountain massif—you finally reach the ascent to the summit of the Wolfendorn, which you’ll reach after just a few switchbacks. You’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Wipptal valley and the border region. After a short descent, the trail continues along the old, well-maintained Zöllnerweg along the border ridge to the Wildseespitz, which towers directly above its namesake, the Wildsee. Upon reaching the Wildseespitz, the Landshuterhütte also comes into view, perched on the exposed Friedrichshöhe. Once again, the trail follows the border ridge, always offering views across the Pfitsch Valley and toward the mighty peaks of the Zillertal Alps, until you finally reach the alpine restaurant and can look forward to some refreshments. The descent first takes you across the alpine meadows of the Hochleger at the Venntalalm and later through the secluded Venntal back to the Brennersee.
TRAIL DESCRIPTION
From the Brennersee parking lot, take the road that turns right after the underpass and walk uphill above the highway to the Griesberghof and then on to the quarry. At an elevation gain of about 1,600 altitudes, immediately after the first hairpin turn before the quarry area begins—marked by a small bridge—the somewhat hidden Trail No. 5A branches off toward the Alpine Pasture. The trail now winds its way up the left side of the valley, first through a spruce forest, then through old, abandoned mountain meadows. Eventually, you reach the rustic Griesbergalm mountain hut, beautifully situated at the entrance to the opening alpine basin. The Wolfendorn also beckons to the mountaineer. The trail now winds in a wide arc through the last groups of pine trees and alpine meadows, making its way through the alpine basin toward the Mäuerlscharte, which lies exactly on the state border. Now there are still a few narrow switchbacks up a ridge to navigate before you reach the old customs road and, with it, the direct approach trail (Tirolean Höhenweg) from the Brenner Pass. The trail then continues on relatively flat ground without gaining much more elevation, circling around the Wolfendorn massif until it reaches nearly the ridge leading to the Pfitschtal; here, on the south side of the massif, the ascent to the 2,776-meter-high summit begins. After spending some time enjoying the fantastic panorama and having a snack or two, there’s a short descent before the trail turns east and follows the border ridge through impressive rock formations. The trail now winds easily up and down toward the Wildseespitz, which you’ll reach after about 1.5 hours. As an alternative to the route via the Wildspitze, there is also a shortcut along the Pfitscher side of the valley; however, this is not recommended, as the loose rock makes it difficult to follow at times. From the Wildseespitz, the route then descends a bit more exposed, first down the right side of the valley and later along the ridge to the Landshuter Mountain hut, with one or two secured passages. After a good hour or so, this section of the hike is also complete, and you’ll reach the Mountain hut. After a well-deserved break, the descent follows the well-maintained Trail No. 531 first to the Hochleger of the Venner Alpine Pasture and from there, on the left side, down through the spruce forest in switchbacks to the valley floor. Now all that remains is the return trip along the Venntal forest road to the parking lot at Brennersee; a stop at the Venntal snack bar is also a good idea.
SAFETY NOTICE
Below the Wildseespitz, the trail is quite difficult to find due to the unstable terrain. Extra concentration is required here. Additionally, there is a short secured section between the summit of the Wildseespitz and the Landhuterhütte, though it is easily manageable.
AUTHOR’S TIP
A beautiful Loop Tour along the national border between Austria and Italy, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the Wipptal valley as well as the main ridges of the Tux and Zillertal Alps.
Take the S-Bahn to the Brennero/Brenner station, then walk to Lake Brenner and Venntal.
Public transportation in the Wipptal valley is included with the guest card. For more information on the schedule, visit www.vvt.at.
Take the Brenner Highway (A13) from the north or south and continue to the Brennersee exit. After exiting, turn right onto the federal highway toward Brenner and drive uphill for about 300 meters, then turn left into the Venntal valley. Parking is available immediately after the underpass.
Take the S-Bahn to the Brennero/Brenner station, then walk from there to the Starting Point of the hike.
Brennersee or Venntal parking lot
