Explore Kaunerberg through three distinct themes: historic irrigation, dry grassland landscapes and chapels with their own architectural histories. There are also hiking options ranging from the Water Trail to high-altitude routes. To plan your trip, you can first decide whether hiking, nature or cultural history should be the focus. Kaunerberg is also a suitable starting point for hikes and mountain bike tours into the surrounding mountains.
Water Trail and Irrigation
The Kaunerberg Water Trail runs from the mouth of the Inn near Faggen/Prutz through Kauns and Kaunerberg, and through the hamlets of Unterfalpetan and Oberfalpetan to the Gallruth Tunnel. You can begin the hike in Kaunerberg. A distinctive feature of the trail is an irrigation tunnel about one kilometre long. The route links several named places and also passes through a tangible example of irrigation infrastructure.
The Kaunerberg hillside canal is another feature connected with water management. The 13-kilometre canal brings water from an altitude of around 2,000 metres to the dry slopes of Kaunerberg, Kauns and Faggen. It was built in the late 1940s with funds from the Marshall Plan. Together with the irrigation tunnel on the Water Trail, the canal shows the role water management plays in the landscape; each structure has its own history and description.
Dry Grasslands and Habitats
The Kauns-Kaunerberg-Faggen nature reserve encompasses dry grasslands, rocky ledges, patches of scrub and woodland, and overgrown dry-stone walls. These varied habitats form a diverse natural area rich in species. Together with the FlieĂź sunny slopes, the reserve makes up the largest dry grassland complex in Tyrol. The connection between these two areas is a regional feature that extends beyond municipal boundaries.
Historical surveys also give an indication of the area’s biodiversity: in the 1970s, more than 500 plant species, 1,100 butterfly species and around 150 beetle species were recorded in the nature reserve. These figures refer to the surveys conducted at the time. Kaunerberg is also an important part of the protected habitat for the brown bee, Tyrol’s native wild bee. So, if you are interested in the area’s natural environment, you will find not only hiking trails here, but also a tangible link to protected areas and documented biodiversity.
Pond and Hiking Options
Schnadige Pond is an irrigation pond at the foot of Hohe Aifnerspitze, surrounded by a small patch of woodland. You can park at the pond’s car park; from there, a gravel path suitable for strollers leads to the pond and takes about ten minutes. Fishing in the pond above Falpaus, a district of Kaunerberg, is possible from April to September and requires proof of completion of the fishing instruction course. If you plan to fish, check the local conditions before your trip.
Another hiking option is the Aifner Alm–Falkauns Alm Panorama Trail. This high-altitude hike on the sunny slopes of the Vorderes Kaunertal connects two welcoming alpine huts and has only gentle climbs. The route listed as the “Aifner Alm Wheelchair Hike” begins at the car park on Kaunerberger Straße or at the junction for Aifneralm and ends at Aifner Alm; both points are in Kaunerberg. As trail conditions can change, check them before your visit. These different route names and trail characteristics can help you find your way, without suggesting that they are all one and the same tour.
Chapels and Routes to the Pilgrimage Church
Routes to religious destinations are also part of the local landscape. The pilgrimage routes from Kaunerberg and Kauns meet shortly before Engelsbach. A hiking trail leads from Kaunerberg via Unterfalpetan, Oberfalpetan and Wiesenhof to the Kaltenbrunn pilgrimage church. The hamlet of Unterfalpetan is also home to a chapel of the same name. These routes and buildings offer a distinct way to explore the area’s cultural history.
The chapels differ in form and date of origin. The Prantacher Chapel is a large, single-nave building with a three-sided apse, dating from the 17th century and located in the hamlet of Prantach. Inside is a carved statue of the Virgin Mary; the plinth bears the date 1640. The Chapel of St Martin stands in the district of Obwals, was built in 1866 and is dedicated to St Martin. The Maierhof Chapel is a small octagonal central-plan building in the hamlet of Mairhof, dating from 1677. In the district of Brauneben, a small barrel-vaulted chapel from the 17th century stands in a wood. The Way of the Cross to Nufels Chapel also has a recorded date: it was laid out in 1781.
Discover more destinations: Landeck, FlieĂź, Langesthei, Kappl, Kaunertal, Prutz, St. Anton am Arlberg, Feichten im Kaunertal.
Go to the main travel overview: Landeck.
