Hiking
The Kranzberg region offers endless scenic but easy hikes directly from Sonnenbichl.
A thirty-minute walk takes you along various paths from Sonnenbichl to Lautersee at 1013 meters above sea level. A particularly beautiful ascent runs through the Laintal valley past the waterfalls of the Lainbach stream. You continue to follow the stream until you reach the Maria Königin chapel. Then the Lautersee is already in front of you. Circle the approx. 14.6 hectare large and up to 19 meters deep lake or stop in one of the three restaurants, go rowing or pedal boat or just watch the beautiful nature from one of the many benches.
In summer you have access to the lake at almost all shore points to swim or splash around. For a small fee, you can also visit the bathing facility with children’s playground.
In the summer season, a free bus runs to the lake.
In winter, the frozen lake lies as if enchanted under a thick blanket of snow. Only friends of curling could disturb the silence. The hiking trails are cleared and easy to walk on, luring the winter guest out into the clear air.
Just a few meters in altitude behind the Lautersee lies the Ferchensee at 1060 m directly at the foot of the Wetterstein mountains. There are good swimming opportunities around the lake. A restaurant invites hungry and thirsty hikers. Sitting directly on the water, you can watch thick carp and great crested grebes.
Whoever is too tired to hike after swimming, takes the free guest bus back to Mittenwald. Gladly hikers still further to Elmau and the Schachenhaus King Ludwigs or go from here on the Kranzberg.
Many paths lead to the Hohe Kranzberg. Start from Sonnenbichl over the Lautersee or over the Ferchensee or start on the Kalvarienweg towards Wildensee with a wide view of the Isar valley. Each path is uniquely beautiful.
From the summit at 1391 m, you have a magnificent panoramic view of the Isar Valley and the surrounding mountain ranges of the Karwendel Mountains, the Wetterstein Mountains and the Zugspitze Massif. If you want to make the hike easier, you can take the chairlift up to the Berggasthof St. Anton. Many visitors dare to take the barefoot hiking trail, others enjoy the magnificent view from St. Anton or from the Korbinianhütte to the Karwendel and to Mittenwald. Easy descents lead to Ferchensee and Lautersee – water lovers take a refreshing dip here, others prefer to enjoy coffee and cake on the terrace with lake views.
You can reach the barefoot hiking trail either on foot via the ascent directly from the valley station of the chairlift in the direction of Sankt Anton or with a small turn via the Korbinianhütte. Or you can comfortably take the chairlift. At the Sankt Anton inn you then start without shoes over various surfaces – meadow, pebbles, pine cones … At the same time you can enjoy a magnificent view over the Karwendel mountains and the Isar valley. A sensual excursion not only for children.
An eventful, easy hike in summer and winter takes you from Mittenwald via the Lautersee, Ferchensee and Elmau to the Partnachklamm gorge. Cross the gorge on paths, along the rock and through the rock – always next to the Partnach, which has eaten its way deeper and deeper into the rock over thousands of years. Take the train from Garmisch back to Mittenwald (walking time approx. 5 hours).
A short, easy, one-hour hike takes you from Mittenwald to the Ederkanzel with the Ederkanzel inn. Here you have a magnificent view of the Leutasch valley and over the Riedboden towards Scharnitz as well as the Große Arnspitze, the Brunnsteinspitze and the Austrian Alps. If you want to hike even further, the descent to the Leutaschklamm gorge is an option. Cross the gorge on stairs, bridges and footbridges until you have solid ground under your feet again at the Gletscherschliff inn. The entire round trip from Sonnenbichl takes about 3 hours.
You can also reach the Leutaschklamm directly from Mittenwald. Here the entrances to the old and new gorge are next to each other, so you can visit both.
A beautiful walk leads the hiker through the Riedboden, a plain of alpine pastures and forests near the Isar River with magnificent views of the Karwendel Mountains and the Brunnsteinspitze. You can hike to Scharnitz and return by train or walk in a large arc back to Mittenwald (about 2 hours).
A walk on the Buckelwiesen is worthwhile at any time of year. Simply undertake a short or longer walk or take the guest bus to Krün, from where you can walk back to Mittenwald via the Maria Rast chapel and the Buckelwiesen meadows. The wonderful panoramic view of the Estergebirge, the Soiern, the Karwendel and the Zugspitzmassiv you will not forget so quickly!
Quite sure scholars are still not how these fluffy-looking small grassy hills were formed. With large probability they developed at the end of the last ice age by the advancing Isargletscher and thus older than 10,000 years. Today, the hummock meadows are protected as a unique form of landscape. They may only be cultivated traditionally. The interested hiker will find over 200 plant species here, including stemless gentian, white silverroot and yellow black salsify.