Olpererhütte Hike in Zillertal, Austria

jana meerman olpererhutte hike tyrol austria-28

One of Europe’s most famous hikes is right here in southern Austria and it’s as good in real life as it is on photos. Photos of this bridge have been on the internet for *years* and I’ve always wanted to cross it for myself.

→ Check out all my other Austria hiking guides!

Located in southern Tyrol, near the border with Italy, this hike is not too difficult but is so beautiful. The hike begins from the parking lot of the Schlegeisspeicher, a lake with incredibly blue waters.

→ Check out all my other favourite lakes to visit in Austria!

How to Get to the Olpererhütte Hike

The Olpererhütte is located in the Zillertal Alps of Tyrol. The hike up begins from the parking lot of the Schlegeisspeicher.

By car: The best way to reach the Zillertal Alps is with your own wheels. Driving takes an hour and a half from Innsbruck and just under three hours from Salzburg.

There is free parking at the Schlegeisspeicher where the hike begins, but there is a toll to drive up the Schlegeis Alpine Road (currently €19 per car). You can pay for the toll in advance online or simply buy it when you arrive at the base of the road. The Alpine Road is open daily from 7am to 6pm (opening 6am in July and August).

You might get lucky and meet some of the resident cows in the parking lot before or after you hike.

→ Check out my hilarious reel of the cows in the parking lot!

By public transport: It is possible to reach the Schlegeisspeicher by public transport but the journey can be a long one. From Mayrhofen Bahnhof, to which you can get a train from Innsbruck or Salzburg by transferring in Jenbach, bus 4102 runs straight to the lake.

→ Plan your visit to the Schlegeisspeicher by public transport.

By guided tour: Zillertal Reisen offers a guided day hike up to the Olpererhütte with the option to spend the night in the hut although you will still need to arrange your own transport as the hike begins from the parking lot at 7am.

→ Book a guided day hike to the Olpererhütte.

Where to Eat on the Olpererhütte Hike

Olpererhütte Hike Details

When: June to October

Where: hike begins from the parking lot of the Schlegeisspeicher in the Zillertal Alps of Tyrol

Difficulty: intermediate

Length: from the Schlegeisspeicher parking lot, we did a return hike of 7.5km which took us just under three hours of moving time

Directions: from the Schlegeisspeicher parking lot, find the sign for the Olpererhütte, the mountain hut which is open from June to October. The trail is really clearly marked and has views of the lake the entire way up. Follow the yellow signs or the red-and-white painted markers on the trail. Built in 2006, you can dine in the hut in their delicious restaurant and spend the night if you'd like to spend more time hiking the Zillertal Alps. The famous panorama bridge can be reached by hiking the trail up behind the hut for about ten minutes longer. You hike back the way you came.

→ Check out my exact route on Strava!

Bathrooms: yes, at the parking lot at Schlegeisspeicher and at the Olpererhütte mountain hut

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Jana Meerman

Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.

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