Overview
The Lechweg (Lech River Trail) is a 125 km long-distance hiking path along one of Austria and Germany’s last near-natural alpine river valleys. The trail follows the River Lech’s course from its source at the Formarinsee in Vorarlberg, through the Lechtal Nature Park in Tirol and ends at the Lech Falls by Füssen in the Allgäu, Bavaria. It is the first cross-border long-distance path to be awarded “Leading Quality Trails – Best of Europe” status by the European Ramblers Association.
This relatively easy 8-day walking adventure runs more or less constantly downhill past colonies of alpine ibex, through the unique botanical landscapes of the Lechtal Valley and over a spectacular 200-metre suspension bridge at Holzgau. Walk alongside beautiful turquoise alpine streams and rivers. Enjoy the varied scenery from the Arlberg Alps down to the floodplains around the alpine foothills.
You can also consider the longer version of the tour – The Complete Lechweg Trail (10 days) or our 6-day Lechweg Trail Short Break available here.
- Hike through one of Europe‘s last wild river landscapes
- The traditional mountain villages
- Glistening Lake Formarinsee & the roaring waterfalls
- The Holzgau Suspension Bridge
- The High Castle in Füssen
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Lech am Arlberg
Individual arrival at Lech am Arlberg.
- Accommodation: Hotel Lärchenhof (Lech am Arlberg) or similar
Day 2: Circular walk Lake Formarinsee | 14km
After breakfast, a short bus ride takes you to the idyllic Lake Formarinsee with its majestic views, where the Lechweg trail starts at an altitude of about 1,793m. The path then leads along the Formarinbach river banks, past various vantage points and on to Lech am Arlberg.
- Accommodation: Hotel Lärchenhof (Lech am Arlberg) or similar
- Walking for the day: 4.5h, 14km, ↑50m ↓500m
Day 3: Lech am Arlberg to Steeg/Surroundings | 14km
Start the day by walking through idyllic farmland and across lush mountain meadows. This stage leads from Lech into fascinating wild river landscapes. Between Lech and Warth, the trail takes you just above the Lechschlucht gorge to the Grenztobel gorge, the border between the two villages. Visit the traditional cheese factory for a tasting and then take the local bus to reach the village of Steeg (10-15min; 2-4EUR).
- Accommodation: Kräuterhotel Stern (Steeg) or similar
- Walking for the day: 5.5h, 14km, ↑400m ↓400m
Day 4: Steeg/Surroundings to Elbigenalp | 18km
Reach the village of Holzgau, mainly known for its houses with painted facades. The highlight of today’s walk is crossing the spectacular Holzgauer bridge – Austria’s highest and longest freely accessible pedestrian suspension bridge – 200m in length and 110m above the ground. Cross the dramatic Höhenbach gorge and continue over alpine pastures to Bach, from where it is a leisurely walk along the banks of the river to the Lech valley’s heart – Elbigenalp – which also has a long and proud tradition of woodcarving.
- Accommodation: Hotel Stern (Elbigenalp) or similar
- Walking for the day: 5h, 18km, ↑380m ↓400m
Day 5: Elbigenalp to Stanzach | 20km
Continue walking alongside the Lech river. Before reaching Köglen, you will get to a small pond, where you may want to stop for a short break. The route then leads along forest and woodland paths to a section with stunning views before reaching Häselgehr. Pass the beautiful Doser waterfall. Every year the waterfall dries up on St. Martin’s Day (11 November) and springs back into life on St. George’s Day (23 April). The trail then leads to Vorderhornbach, known for its warm climate. If you have time, make a stop at the “Badino” outdoor adventure pool. Shortly after, you will reach the idyllic village of Stanzach.
- Accommodation: Hotel Föhrenhof (Stanzach) or similar
- Walking for the day: 5.5h, 20km, ↑400m ↓550m
Day 6: Stanzach to Höfen/Surroundings | 19km
Birdwatchers are recommended to stay a little longer on this section of the Lech river. The gravel embankments offer the best conditions for spotting many breeding birds species, including the sandpiper and the little ringed plover. Nature-lovers should not miss the area from Forchach to Weißenbach am Lech as it is a place of special ecological importance with an array of dryland and wetland areas. The wide-open meadows and pastures at the slope’s foot are the perfect habitat for ground-nesting birds, such as the whinchat and skylark. Overnight in the quiet little village of Höfen.
- Accommodation: Hotel Lilie (Höfen) or similar
- Walking for the day: 5h, 19km, ↑50m ↓150m
Day 7: Höfen/Surroundings to Füssen | 16km
Pass the glistening Lake Frauensee and proceed into the Pflacher Au. Enjoy an impressive panoramic view onto the wetlands near the river from the 20m high wooden bird tower. Walkthrough meadows and forests uphill across the border all the way to Bavaria. Soon the impressive Lechfall-waterfall finally marks the end of the Lechweg-path.
- Accommodation: Hotel Hirsch (Füssen) or similar
- Walking for the day: 5.5h, 16km, ↑400m ↓450m
Day 8: Departure
Return home or individual stay extension.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in nice 3/4-star hotels and inns, in private en-suite rooms (single, twin or double). A double bed may consist of twins pushed or joined together. Requests for twin rooms (completely separate single beds) will be accepted, however, they cannot be guaranteed – you will have separate linen however which is a standard practice in Austria. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Lärchenhof (Lech am Arlberg)
- Kräuterhotel Stern (Steeg)
- Hotel Stern (Elbigenalp)
- Hotel Stern (Elbigenalp)
- Hotel Föhrenhof (Stanzach)
- Hotel Lilie (Höfen)
- Hotel Hirsch (Füssen)
Hotels are subject to availability. In case a hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a property of equal standard. We will provide full accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Accommodation is on a bed & breakfast basis. Picnic lunches are optional at an extra charge and can be ordered locally, or you can buy products for picnics in the villages where you’ll be staying. On some days, you have the option of having your lunch in a restaurant along the way. You can have dinner at your hotel or nearby restaurants.
Difficulty and terrain
You walk on easy, well-maintained hiking paths, forest paths and partially also on forest and gravel roads. For all daily tours, a good basic fitness level is required. You always have the option to comfortably cut longer tours short by taking the bus any time. In some places some surefootedness is necessary; if required the otherwise spectacular suspension bridges can be easily bypassed (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
Daily departures from mid-June till late September. The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
- By train to St. Anton am Arlberg form Innsbruck (approx. 2h) and by bus to Lech am Arlberg (approx. 30min) – for more information and tickets, please visit SBB.
- Car parking: limited number of hotel parking spaces is available free of charge, no reservation possible. Public covered car park near the hotel, cost approx. EUR 20 per week, payable on spot.
- Return journey from Füssen to Lech am Arlberg by bus, approx. 3h (one bus change).
Inclusions
Included
- Detailed pre-departure holiday information pack and GPS tracks
- 7 overnight stays with breakfast in nice 3 and 4-star hotels and inns
- Welcome briefing
- Luggage transfer on all walking days (one piece of luggage per person, max 20kg)
- Lech Card (reductions for cable cars, entrance fees etc.)
- Guest cards for all other hiking days of the holiday (reduced entrances, free bus rides etc.)
- Original Lechweg cheese tasting, provided by the organic dairy Sojer in Steeg
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses such as phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights along the route are available upon request
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