Arrival by public transport
By train to Steinach am Brenner, from there with bus line 4144 to Vals-Touristenrast. Information on the timetable at vvt.at
Family-friendly hike to the breathtaking, wild and untouched Zeischalm, past waterfalls and the high rock faces of the Vals valley head.
Starting from the car park, the tour leads past the rustic Nockeralm with its wonderfully lined-up caserns into the Zeischtal valley. Coming closer and closer to the mighty "Zeischfol" waterfall, after a while you change from the forest path to a trail that now winds its way up the left side of the valley in the forest. At the end of the ascent, three ditches have to be crossed, each of them itself also flowed through again by small free-falling waters. When you reach the ditches, the previously narrow valley opens up and the wide basin of the Zeischalm becomes visible, which lies in wild beauty below the rough walls of "Hoher Wand" and "Kraxentrager". Now the trail continues relatively level in a curve to the Zeischbach stream and the footbridge leading over it, which is the goal of the hike, so to speak. If you want more, you can either continue a little further up the Geistbeckweg or hike up the left side of the valley to the Wildauboden cairns, both worthwhile destinations.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
From the "Unterm Nock" car park, head south along a forest path into the Zeischtal valley. After about 1 km, mostly in alder forest, you reach an alpine pasture. Follow the forest road until you reach a large bend - marked by a signpost, a narrow path branches off here and winds its way up the left side of the valley in serpentines. Not too steep and well built, it is easy to ascend here. Finally, after a good 400 metres in altitude, you reach the tree line and with it three water ditches that have to be crossed. A few belays and a wide path make it possible to cross them relatively easily. In addition to the wild beauty of the free-falling water in the ditches, the hiker can also expect the so-called "Buttermandel", a water-driven rotating wheel. Once you have reached the three ditches, you have more or less completed the ascent, and now the trail continues relatively level in a curve to the Zeischerbach stream and its footbridge, the final destination of the tour.
AUTHOR'S TIP:
If you have some time, we recommend that you take a detour into the meadows around the Nocker Alm after the tour. In addition to the special ambience of the grazed alder meadows, a multitude of small bodies of water invite you to linger and relax.
By train to Steinach am Brenner, from there with bus line 4144 to Vals-Touristenrast. Information on the timetable at vvt.at
