Road trip through the Kleinwalsertal in Vorarlberg

Road trip through Kleinwalsertal in mid-September

We are lucky! For our road trip through Kleinwalsertal In late summer, the weather plays right after the dream summer: the sun is shining - at least most of the time - and it is still so warm in mid-September that we will soon leave our jackets we have brought with us in the car. The Kleinwalsertal in Austria is not big, as we learned on our first visit last year.

 

It is a kind of dead end in the Alps, although it is in the Austrian state Vorarlberg lies, but which is only accessible via Germany. Shortly after Oberstdorf in Allgäu the road branches off, which leads into this hidden valley. What is all the more surprising for us is that it was populated from the south on the way over the mountains. Because Klein-WALSER-tal means nothing else than the little valley of the Walliser, This refers to a Swiss tribe whose members traveled hundreds of years across the mountains in search of new land. To this day, Kleinwalsertal has its own dialect, which is more reminiscent of the Swiss than of German or Austrian.

 

Blossom of the mountain meadows

Last time we made a road trip through the Kleinwalsertal - but in June. At that time we were enthusiastic about it Blossom of the mountain meadows, which were littered with dense flowers. This time we are in the valley in mid-September and the only flowers we notice in nature are the autumn timeless people announcing the end of summer. We now want to explore the more remote streets of the valley. We're also curious to see how the valley changes in late summer.

 

 

Hiking in the Kleinwalsertal

More people are out and about in the valley than in June last year. Many of them are out and about with backpacks and hiking boots. As soon as we leave the main valley on our road trip through the Kleinwalsertal, however, we meet fewer and fewer people. The valley offers numerous hiking trails of all levels of difficulty, mountains that can be reached by cable car or on foot.

The starting points of many hikes can be reached with the Walserbus, which we can use free of charge with our guest card, which we received from the landlady of our holiday apartment. So everyone will find the right way for them to explore the valley. Our travel blogger colleagues who came with us to Travel blogger WG are invited, even on a guided barefoot hike on the waywhile we cross the valley by car. The use of our car is not cheap, because most of the parking is paid - even in the most remote corners of the valley. However, since only one day is available for our road trip through the Kleinwalsertal, we decide for our own car.

 

 

On a branch line to the end of the valley

After a short detour to Mittelberg at the end of the main road through the valley with its imposing parish church of St. Jodok, we turn onto the side route to the end of the valley that leads us to Baad. There the road ends in a roundabout, from which only side streets lead into the village and hiking trails up the mountains. We take a short walk along the Breitach, the river that flows through the main valley and we meet again and again on our road trip through the Kleinwalsertal.

It's fun to run next to the babbling brook with a view of the surrounding mountains. We observe the interplay of colors on the mountain slopes, which is caused by the sun, which repeatedly disappears behind clouds and thus provides a varied picture of the mountain world that surrounds us.

 

 

In Café Baad we take a break for a cup of coffee and cake. The plum pretzel announced on a blackboard is still in the oven. So I decide for a piece of fruit cake. Petar prefers a Black Forest cake, which obviously tastes good, as the photo shows.

 

 

Trip to the Schwendle

We continue our road trip through the Kleinwalsertal with a detour to the Schwendle, a region that we do not know yet. In Bödmen branches off on the way back to the main road a small side street, which leads past some larger hotels and inns. Behind them it is getting narrower, and it goes uphill. From time to time we have to dodge to give priority to oncoming buses or trucks. There are always rides where this is possible. Some of them we use for short photo stops, because the views of Mittelberg, the Talende and the lower Kleinwalsertal are terrific.

 

 

At Schwendle we particularly like the peace and quiet and seclusion from the hustle and bustle that reigns along the main road through the valley. Those who come here will find great views and beautiful hiking trails. Here you can also see the hay barn, which were typical for the BAuernhöfe in the Kleinwalsertal. A perfect place for connoisseurs!

 

 

Trip to the Schwarzwassertal

The road to Schwendle is a dead end. So we turn around and continue our road trip through the Kleinwalsertal on the main road that takes us to Riezlern. Shortly before the Breitachbrücke, a road branches off to the left to the Ifen, one of the valley's striking mountains. We were here last year and discovered the lush flower meadows in the Wäldele.

This time we choose the path that continues up the mountain to the left. We have to overcome a 17% incline in the first section - for me a “flat country Tyrolean” first of all a reason to cling to the car door. After a few meters I get used to the steep road and this time again I discover wildflowers: the mountain meadows on the slope are littered with thousands of autumn crocus. Further up the road is less steep, and we make a short detour to Café Walserblick, which is closed today, however. Nevertheless, the stop is worthwhile, because from here we have a beautiful view of the Schwarzwassertal and the surrounding mountains.

 

 

The meadow hut

At the end of the road, which ends again in a dead end, is the meadow hut. There are several hiking trails starting here: you have the choice of following the Schwarzwassertal, hiking up the Ifen or choosing the path to the Wäldele. We prefer to look at the cattle, who will enjoy the mountain meadows before they are driven down from the pastures to the valley this coming weekend. Just in time, as we have learned in the meantime. Because only a few days after our visit, the first snow fell in the mountains of the Kleinwalsertal.

 

 

View of Riezlern

We drive back to Riezlern, where we drive down another dead end, which gives us beautiful views of the center of Riezlern with its church, which lies below us in the valley. Our road trip through the Kleinwalsertal has shown us the many facets of the valley and makes us curious about the things that can be discovered there. We will tell you what we came across in another place.

 

 

 

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Travel Arrangements

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

Arrive by plane, car, bus and train for your road trip through Kleinwalsertal

Compare and book flights here*. The nearest airport is Munich. Arrival by train is also possible. The train goes to Oberstdorf. From there, bus #1 will take you to Kleinwalsertal: Timetable and booking*

Rental car for a road trip through Kleinwalsertal:

Cheap car hire - book quickly and easily!

Rent a motorhome for a road trip through Kleinwalsertal:

Book motorhomes in Europe here!   Or would you rather stay in one instead? roof tent on the carinstead? The overnight stay in camping tents is also possible. For example, you can find a campsite at Alpencamping Haller, Köpfleweg 10a, 6991 Riezlern, Austria. With our Motorhome packing list Plus, you'll never forget anything again.

Accommodation in the region for a road trip through Kleinwalsertal:

Accommodation for online booking is also available in Kleinwalsertal* via Booking.com.

If you book through one of the offers marked with *, we will receive a commission with which we can operate this blog.

 

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Do you know this?

• Restaurants in the Kleinwalsertal
• Mountain railways in the Kleinwalsertal
• A permaculture garden in the Kleinwalsertal
• Blooming mountain meadows in the Kleinwalsertal
• Wine regions Austria
• Roadtrip: Canada

 

Source: own research on site. We would like to thank Kleinwalsertal Tourismus and the Berghaus Anna Lisa for inviting us to this trip. However, our opinions remain our own.

Text: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline