The 17.5 kilometre-long final section of the Eagle Walk, the Tirol’s best-known long-distance hike, offers a taste of its beautiful alpine scenery, taking in the jagged peaks of the Arlberg from Kaiserjochhaus to St Christoph.
The Eagle Walk is the Tirol’s best-known long-distance hike, spanning 413 kilometres all the way from the Kaiser Mountains in the east of Tirol to the border with Vorarlberg in the west. But if you’re short on time, the final section offers a taste of its beautiful alpine scenery, taking in the jagged peaks of the Arlberg region. It starts at Kaiserjochhaus in the rugged Lechtal Alps and ends 17.5 kilometres later in St Christoph am Arlberg.
Featuring scrambles, singletrack paths and roped walkways high above the Arlberg valley, the hike is challenging but not technical, with a total ascent of 950 metres. It takes around four hours to complete, so there’s no need to rush it. Instead take in the lush green basins, wide open meadows and dwarf pine fields that it passes through, and keep an eye out for the abundance of wild flowers found along the path. Even the highest points of the path come with a reward: non-stop views over the Arlberg towards the Rätikon Range in Switzerland.
There are two mountain huts along the way, Leutkircher Hut and Ulmer Hut, both serving home-cooked, traditional alpine food guaranteed to replenish your energy supplies. The hike finishes in the historic Arlberg Hospiz Hotel in St Christoph, built on the spot of a refuge which once saved the lives of thousands of travellers attempting to cross the Arlberg pass. Today, it’s a luxury hotel and gourmet restaurant – and the perfect ending to an iconic hike.
The Eagle Walk is the Tirol’s best-known long-distance hike, spanning 413 kilometres all the way from the Kaiser Mountains in the east of Tirol to the…
