Cross Hinteres Hörnle mountain in snowshoes

Winter sports in Bad Kohlgrub: an overview

• Winter hiking (particularly recommended: snowshoe hikes)
• Skiing and snowboarding
• Cross-country skiing
• (Ski) Mountaineering
• Sledding
• Nordic walking

The Ammergau Alps contain scores of wonderful hiking trains, and they are especially enticing in winter. In Bad Kohlgrub, tourists can put on a pair of snowshoes to climb the local slopes and experience the magic of the mountains in winter.

If you don't have the right equipment yourself, no problem: just hire comfortable snowboots and socks at the ski hire station. It is located at the starting point of the snowshoe trekking route, just above the valley station of the Hörnlebahn mountain lift.

When everything is ready, you can start your adventure. The route is 7.9 km long and is very well maintained, making it easy for beginners as well as experienced hikers.

It leads from the valley station and past the pistes, through a small section of forest, and your snowshoes let you virtually glide over the soft powder snow. Then, with the piste to your right, you continue the climb, past the mountain rescue base and the Hörnle chalet, and on to the route's first peak, Vorderes Hörnle. The trail then drops for a short distance before starting to ascend again and soon bringing you to the second peak, Hinteres Hörnle. After a short break and photo-op against the majestic Alpine backdrop, take the same route back down the mountainside until you reach the chalet beside the lift's top station, where you can take a seat on the terrace and enjoy tasty Bavarian treats at great prices. The lift then brings you back down to the valley or, if you prefer, you can continue on the hiking trail.

News, prices and opening hours are all available here.

Bad Kohlgrub offers a whole lot more for winter sports enthusiasts: its skiing area may not be extremely large, but it is very attractive thanks to its facilities for skiers and snowboarders. Ski mountaineering is another popular pursuit, as is sledding – enthusiasts can hire sledges on-site and enjoy the easy ascent on the mountain lift.

After the snow melts and you've put away your snowshoes, you can enjoy Bad Kohlgrub in a different way by going on bike tours, for example to the famous monastery at Ettal, about 12 km away. Its sensational Rococo church and sacristy are internationally famous, and it also has one of the region's oldest and most picturesque monastery gardens. If you want a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle, the fairytale monument built by Ludwig II is a mere 32 km away. Electric bikes are the ideal way to get there and back. Simply go the Bad Kohlgrub tourist information office to hire one a bike for the excursion.

Getting here:

Train to Bad Kohlgrub station. It takes about 23 minutes to walk from the station to the Tannenbankerl lift, the starting point of the snowshoe hiking trail. From the station, go west along Erlestrasse until you reach Steigrainer Strasse. Turn left and walk along Steigrainer Strasse. After 210 m, turn right onto Hauptstrasse and keep going until you reach St.-Martin-Strasse on the left. Go down this street. NB: It changes its name to Gsteig after about 260 m. Stay on Gsteig. Go left at Fallerstrasse. Stay on Fallerstrasse. The third turning on the right opens onto the Hörnlebahn carpark. Cross the carpark to get to your destination.