A loop trail around Rifflsee, an easy valley walk and the history of a pilgrimage church reveal different sides of Sankt Leonhard in the Pitztal. When planning, it is worth considering the character of the trails alongside what interests you each day: in addition to the mountain lake and glacier, the focus is on trails along the Pitze and local culture. This lets you choose excursions based on scenery, activities and history.
Rifflsee, Mountain Trails and the Glacier
The Rifflsee circular hiking trail starts and ends at the Sunna Alm mountain restaurant. It follows a leisurely path around the clear mountain lake. Tickets for the raft ride on Rifflsee are available at the Rifflsee ticket office, at the Sunna Alm restaurant ticket office, or directly at the raft before departure. As ticket outlets may change, check where tickets are currently available before your trip.
Café 3440 offers a different mountain experience: it can be reached from the valley in about 20 minutes by the Glacier Express and Wildspitzbahn. From there, you can see thousands of mountain peaks in the Ötztal Alps and the Wildspitze. The café serves coffee specialities, homemade cakes, breakfast and regional delicacies. This excursion destination therefore combines expansive mountain views with a specific place to take a break.
The trails also differ in character. The St. Leonhard high-altitude trail runs from Sankt Leonhard in the Pitztal along old hunters’ trails to the Luibisböden, or as far as Piösmes. The easy valley walk from Stillebach to Wiese follows the Pitze and passes waterfalls originating in the mountain ridges of the Kaunergrat and Geigenkamm. The Mittelberg Trail starts at the bus turning area in Mittelberg and follows a gravel road that is very easy in technical terms and suitable for beginners. This lets you choose between old hunters’ trails, a valley walk along the river and an easy gravel road.
At Klockelefall near Stillebach, the icefall has a gentle incline and is not too steep, making it well suited to beginners. For the adventure trail in the Pitztal Glacier climbing park, the age recommendation is an important guide: it is suitable for children aged 10 and over. At the top of the trail, you can enjoy a view of Tyrol’s highest glacier. The Pitztal Glacier-Rifflsee ski area is Austria’s highest ski area and reaches an altitude of 3,440 metres.
Church, Traditions and Local History
The “Maria Hilf” pilgrimage church at Bichele in Sankt Leonhard in the Pitztal dates back to 1610. Local traditions include the “Verlobte Feiertage” (“promised feast days”): days of worship observed by the community to protect the population from dangers such as natural disasters, contagious diseases, the threat of war and livestock epidemics. The church and these feast days thus represent two different aspects of local religious history: a specific pilgrimage site and a custom with an explicitly stated aim of protection.
The Tyrolean Ibex Centre in Sankt Leonhard in the Pitztal houses a photography exhibition and includes an ibex enclosure that visitors can walk through. Another piece of local history is the restored Schrofenhof. It is considered the oldest farm in the Pitztal mentioned in historical records. These destinations have different focuses: an exhibition and enclosure on the one hand, and the history of a farm on the other.
Getting There by Public Transport
The nearest railway station is Imst in the Inn Valley. From there, bus route 310 runs through the Pitztal to the base stations of the Rifflsee cable car and the Glacier Express. If you are travelling by train, check the latest bus times before departure. This lets you coordinate your arrival with your planned mountain destinations without relying on a fixed timetable.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Zaunhof, Boden, Plangeross, Mandarfen, Wiese, Umhausen, Sölden, Karrösten.
Back to the main travel overview: Imst.
