Start a mountain hike at Garmisch station, then climb the spectacular path to the Alpine lodge of Höllentalangerhütte

The route to the mountain lodge of Höllentalangerhütte takes you through a Bavarian canyon. Visiting the Höllental gorge is a spectacular day out for anyone aged 8 or over. It offers adventure galore in the form of sheer drops, beetling cliffs, countless waterfalls, twisting paths, bridges and tunnels. Stretching for about 1 km, the gorge has wonderfully clean and fresh air, while the rushing waters of the Hammersbach keep visitors cool even in the height of summer. Though the weather might be good, you should still pack rain gear and good, solid shoes if you're planning an outing. Current ticket prices are available here.

The Höllental gorge leads to the Höllentalangerhütte lodge

At the end of gorge, the surrounding rock walls draw back and the path twists and turns upwards until it reaches a mountainside lodge, Höllentalangerhütte (check opening hours before you start). Looking back over a long history, this former shelter is located in a broad valley at the foot of Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain, and is some 1,387 m above sea level. Nicknamed Die Hölle ("Hell") after the surrounding valley, the original building from 1894 was rebuilt to an innovative new design in 2015. Its large terrace offers a panoramic view of the surrounding Zugspitze and Waxenstein peaks, while its extensive menu gives you the chance to try out all kinds of regional dishes.

Getting here from Munich

It takes under 1.5 hours to get to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the station nearest to the mountain hiking trail, which is some 5.5 km from the town. First, leave the station on its eastern side to get to Bahnhofstrasse, then go right and take the path leading through the underpass. It brings you to Olympiastrasse. Go right one more time and then left at St.-Martin-Strasse. After 1.8 km, Hammersbacher Fussweg branches off to the left. It joins Kreuzeckbahnstrasse after 1 km – walk along this road for 350 m until Hammersbacher Fussweg diverges once again on the right. Follow Hammersbacher Fussweg 1.4 km to Hammersbach. This is where the Höllental gorge hike starts. Signs lead visitors along the Höllental valley and to the canyon itself, then on to the mountain lodge, which takes some 2 hours to reach from Hammersbach. If you want to cut out the walk from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, simply take the Zugspitzbahn line to Hammersbach – the journey time is just 12 minutes, and you can use a Bayern-Ticket for travel.

Leaving the station, turn right when you reach Kreuzeckweg, which becomes Höllentalstrasse after some 160 m, and Sagenhafter Bergwald is located on the left 60 m later. After 800 m, you will reach a point where paths meet. Go left here. After another 850 m, the route's name changes to Dr. Heinrich Weg. Continue along Dr. Heinrich Weg for about 700 m and then keep to the left when you get to Stangensteig. This path joins Klammweg after some 300 m, and Klammweg takes you to the Höllental gorge and its path. After 1.2 km, the gorge pathway rejoins Stangensteig. Keep to the right, and from here, it's only another 1.2 km to the mountain shelter, where refreshment in the form of food and drink await you. When you're ready, you can take the same route back to the starting point – simply follow the signs for Garmisch-Partenkirchen station. This outing promises to be a day full of discoveries that you and your family will remember forever.