Nature Park. Karwendel
The Karwendel Nature Park, situated between the Inn and Isar rivers, Achensee and the Seefeld Basin, is a protected area with many unique features and boasts scenic beauty of international significance, with the added advantage of being right on the Tyroleans’ doorstep.
In this case, the unassuming lies so close by! The Karwendel boasts an alpine primeval landscape unique in Europe, such as the Kleiner and Großer Ahornboden, the Tortal – featuring the highest cliff faces in the Karwendel Nature Park – and even a “Grand Canyon”, the Vomperloch! In 2020, it was voted Nature Park of the Year!
Area:
The Tyrolean part of the Karwendel covers an area of 727 km², whilst in Bavaria the directly adjacent Bavarian nature reserve “Karwendel and Karwendel Foothills” covers a further 190 km². In total, the Karwendel Nature Park and the Bavarian nature reserve cover an area of approximately 920 km².
The Karwendel Nature Park is therefore:
- with a total area of more than approx. 920 km², one of the largest protected areas in the Eastern Alps
- the largest nature reserve in Austria
- the largest protected area in Tyrol (727 km²)
Due to its climatic and topographical conditions, the Karwendel has an above-average proportion of natural habitats such as primeval forests and wild rivers, and is home to an exceptionally high level of biodiversity.
Many species of flora and fauna typical of the Alps, such as the golden eagle, the common sandpiper and the German tamarisk (a riparian plant), have significant populations here. Owing to this high natural heritage value, the Karwendel is also part of the European ‘Natura 2000’ network of protected areas, which aims to preserve Europe’s natural heritage.
The Karwendel Mountains are among the best-known and finest hiking regions in the entire Alpine region. Visitors are particularly captivated by the imposing mountain landscape, where many Alpine animals such as the ibex, the chamois, the golden eagle and many others still live in the wild.
The Karwendel is also an ideal area for long-distance hikers in the heart of Tyrol: Depending on your holiday preferences and fitness level, the trails in the Karwendel Mountains offer the perfect opportunity to switch off completely for a few days or even longer and leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life behind.
The nature reserve
The Karwendel Nature Reserve forms part of the Karwendel mountain range, which lies mainly in Tyrol but also, to a lesser extent, in Bavaria. The nature reserve itself covers a total area of approximately 543 km² and forms the core area of the Karwendel Nature Park, which also includes the surrounding landscape conservation areas of Bärenkopf, Falzthurntal – Gerntal, Großer Ahornboden, Martinswand – Solstein – Reither Spitze, Nordkette and Vorberg, the quiet zones of Eppzirl and Achental West, and the small nature reserves of Martinswand and Fragenstein.
As an independent mountain range, the Karwendel is bounded to the south by the Inn Valley between Zirl and Jenbach. To the west, the Seefelder Sattel; to the north-west, the River Isar; to the north-east, the Walchenbach; and to the east, the Achenseesenke form the natural boundaries of the Karwendel.
For more information about the nature park, visit: www.karwendel.org
This mountain range is made up of four separate mountain ranges
- The Inn Valley and Solstein Range in the south, with the Kleiner Solstein (2,637 m above sea level) as its highest peak
- The Gleirsch–Halltal range, with the Großer Bettelwurf (2,725 m above sea level) as its highest peak
- The main Karwendel ridge, or Hinterautal–Vomp Range, with the Karwendel’s highest peak, the Birkkarspitze (2,749 m above sea level)
- The Northern Karwendel Range, with the Eastern Karwendelspitze (2,537 m above sea level) as its highest peak. To the east, this mountain range breaks up into the Falken group, the Gamsjoch group, the Sonnjoch group and the Rappenspitz–Stanserjoch group.
Places of spiritual energy in the Karwendel Nature Park
More about the Halltal valley
Location: The Halltal valley is bounded to the south by the Haller Zunterkopf (1,966 m), to the west by the Stempeljoch and the Stempeljochspitze (2,543 m), and to the north by the Großer Lafatscher (2,696 m), the Lafatscherjoch, the Speckkarspitze (2,621 m) and the Kleiner and Großer Bettelwurf (2,650 and 2,726 m respectively).
Landscape: The steep southern flanks of the Bettelwurf, with their Wetterstein limestone slabs inclined at almost 40°, dominate the valley. Rising from these slabs are the bizarre tower-like formations of hanging breccia. This slope is largely devoid of woodland, lending the narrow valley an alpine character.
Accessibility: For several years now, it has been prohibited to drive into the Halltal valley. However, in summer there are shuttle buses to St. Magdalena (for further information, call +43 5223 45544-0). At the entrance to the Halltal there is a large car park with a playground and toilet facilities.
Habitat:
1. Below St. Magdalena, a mixed mountain forest rich in yew trees has developed (the “Eibental”).
2. Between St. Magdalena and the Herrenhäuser lies a rare cold-air hillside moor. This type of moor, known to date only in Austria, is formed by cold-air outlets on the surface of boulder fields, coarse scree and landslide debris slopes. Condensation promotes the growth of various mosses, particularly sphagnum moss. Owing to the specific site conditions, the area remains treeless and is colonised primarily by alpine plants.
3. Immediately after the bridge over the Halltalbach, on the path to the Bettelwurfhütte, there is a small scree slope where the protected lady’s slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) grows in the hollows. The yellow and brown flowers, up to 8 cm long, act as a ‘pitfall trap’ for insects, from which they can only escape via the stigma and the sticky pollen.
4. Of great cultural and historical interest is the salt mining in the Halltal valley, which is impressively documented in the Salt Mining Museum near the Herrenhäuser, complete with exhibition tunnels.
5. Issanger at the head of the Halltal valley:
This area is characterised by its idyllic setting and the diversity of its habitats: Alongside larch meadows and forest islands with alpine roses, there are damp and wet meadows as well as fens. Particularly in summer, the treeless area stands out as a flower-rich and colourful habitat:
Swallowwort - Gentian (Gentiana asclepiadea)
European globeflower (Trollius europaeus)
Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)
Notable representatives of various orchids include several species of marsh orchids (Dactylorhiza maculata, D. majalis, Traunsteinera globosa) and the large-flowered orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea) deserve special mention. In the wetter areas, sedges (Carex davalliana, C. elata and C. panicea) as well as marsh horsetail (Equisetum palustre) and cotton grass (Eriophorum latifolium) dominate. This habitat is also home to numerous amphibians.
At the head of the Isstal valley, larch forests and mountain pine scrub have developed as a result of avalanches; above these, one finds alpine grasslands and exposed rock.
