Explore the high alpine landscapes of Austria’s Stubai Alps with three classic hut-to-hut treks ranging from demanding mountain walking to serious glacier travel. This guidebook covers the 79km Stubai Rucksack Route, the 60km Stubai Glacier Tour (with an optional South Tyrol extension), and the 67km Gschnitztal Rundtour, offering a choice of unforgettable multi-day challenges in one of the Eastern Alps’ most dramatic regions.

Each route is designed for experienced walkers seeking a true alpine journey. The Stubai Rucksack Route is ideal for fit mountain walkers with good head for heights and navigation skills, while the Stubai Glacier Tour steps things up with high-level terrain and glacier crossings, requiring appropriate equipment and experience. The Gschnitztal Rundtour provides a quieter circuit through remote valleys and rugged peaks, showcasing the variety of landscapes within the Stubai Alps.

The treks are clearly broken down into manageable daily stages. The Stubai Rucksack Route is described in 9 stages, the Stubai Glacier Tour in 7 stages (extended to 11 with the South Tyrol option), and the Gschnitztal Rundtour in 7 stages. Optional ascents of neighbouring summits are included throughout, such as Habicht, Zuckerhütl, and Wilder Freiger, offering rewarding side trips for strong parties, with clear notes where specialist equipment or mountaineering skills may be required.

• Full route descriptions for three classic hut-to-hut treks in the Stubai Alps, each broken down into clear daily stages, allowing walkers to understand distances, terrain, and progression across multi-day alpine routes.
• Clear, easy-to-follow route descriptions illustrated with 1:50,000 mapping, helping you navigate confidently through high mountain terrain, valleys, passes, and remote alpine landscapes.
• Elevation profiles for each trek, enabling you to assess daily ascent and descent in advance and plan stages that match your fitness, experience, and acclimatisation.
• Detailed summaries of each day’s terrain, challenges, and potential hazards, including exposure, snowfields, glacier travel, and route-finding considerations in serious mountain environments.
• A comprehensive directory of mountain huts along all routes, with essential information to help plan overnight stops, resupply points, and daily walking distances.
• Optional summit ascents from the main routes, with clear guidance on technical difficulty, route seriousness, and where specialist equipment or mountaineering skills may be required.

Clear route guidance and practical planning information support confident decision-making in serious mountain terrain, whether tackling a single trek or combining routes for a longer adventure in the Stubai Alps. Choose your challenge and experience some of Austria’s most spectacular high mountain walking with confidence.

Trekking Austria’s Stubai Alps - Quick Facts

Trail name: Stubai Alps Hut-to-Hut Treks
Location: Stubai Alps, Tyrol, Austria
Designation: High-alpine hut-to-hut routes in the Eastern Alps
Distance: ~206 km / ~128 miles (combined across all three treks, including extension)
Typical duration: 7–11 days per trek (routes can be combined for longer itineraries)
Route format: Hut-to-hut alpine routes and high-mountain circuits
Stages: Stubai Rucksack Route: 9; Stubai Glacier Tour: 7 (11 with South Tyrol extension); Gschnitztal Rundtour: 7
Navigation: Waymarked alpine paths supported by detailed mapping and GPX files
Terrain: High-alpine valleys, mountain passes, rocky ridges, glaciers, and remote mountain basins
Difficulty: Moderate to challenging – suitable for fit, experienced mountain walkers; glacier crossings on the Stubai Glacier Tour require specialist skills and equipment
Best season: Mid-June to late September (depending on snow conditions and weather)
Accommodation: Mountain huts (rifugi and alpine huts) along all routes

Author Highlight

“Whatever your aspirations, the Stubai is a splendid area for all mountain enthusiast to explore. Whether you seek high-altitude walking through stunning scenery or relish greater challenges, you will not be disappointed.”

- Alan Hartley, author of Trekking in Austria’s Stubai Alps

Map key

Overview map

Route summary tables

INTRODUCTION

Villages of the Stubai and Stubaital

When to go

Getting there and back

Places to stay

Local services

Professional mountain guides (Bergführer)

Children

Austrian Alpine Club (ÖAV)

Huts

Hut meals and menus

Kit list

Route finding

Maps and guidebooks

Alpine walking skills

Glaciers and glacier travel

Health and safety

Electronic devices

Using this guide

TREK 1: STUBAI RUCKSACK ROUTE

Stage 1 Neder to Innsbrucker Hut

Excursion Ascent of Habicht (3277m)

Excursion Ascent of Kalkwand (2564m)

Stage 2 Innsbrucker Hut to Bremer Hut

Stage 3 Bremer Hut to Nürnberger Hut via Simmingjochl

Excursion Ascent of Östlicher Feuerstein (3267m) from Simmingjochl

Excursion Ascent of Aperer Feuerstein (2968m)

Stage 4 Nürnberger Hut to Sulzenau Hut via Niederl

Stage 4A Nürnberger Hut to Sulzenau Hut via Mairspitze

Stage 4B Nürnberger Hut to Sulzenau Hut via Wilder Freiger

Stage 5 Sulzenau Hut to Dresdner Hut via Peiljoch

Stage 5A Sulzenau Hut to Dresdner Hut via Grosser Trögler

Excursion Ascent of Schaufelspitze (3333m)

Stage 6 Dresdner Hut to Neue Regensburger Hut via Grawagrubennieder

Stage 7 Neue Regensburger Hut to Franz Senn Hut via Schrimmennieder

Excursion To visit Rinnensee

Excursion Ascent of Vordere Sommerwand (2677m)

Excursion Ascent of Lisenser Fernerkogel (3299m)

Stage 8 Franz Senn Hut to Starkenburger Hut

Excursion Ascent of Hoher Burgstall (2611m)

Stage 9 Starkenburger Hut to Neustift

Stage 9A Starkenburger Hut to Fulpmes

TREK 2: STUBAI GLACIER TOUR

Stage 1 Mieders to Franz Senn Hut

Stage 2 Franz Senn Hut to Amberger Hut via Wildgratscharte

Stage 3 Amberger Hut to Hoch Stubai Hut via Wütenkarsattel

Stage 4 Hoch Stubai Hut to Hildesheimer Hut via Bildstöckljoch

Stage 5 Hildesheimer Hut to Müller Hut via Zuckerhütl

Stage 5A Hildesheimer Hut to Siegerland Hut (alternative bad-weather route)

Stage 5B Siegerland Hut to Müller Hut via Sonklarspitze

Stage 6 Müller Hut to Nürnberger Hut via Wilder Freiger

Stage 7 Nürnberger Hut to Ranalt

Trek 2A: South Tirol extension

Stage 6 Becherhaus or Müller Hut to Teplitzer Hut

Stage 7 Teplitzer Hut to Magdeburger Hut

Stages 8–10 .See Gschnitztaler Rundtour Stages 5B–7

TREK 3: GSCHNITZTALER RUNDTOUR

Stage 1 Trins to Blaser Hut

Stage 2 Blaser Hut to Padasterjochhaus

Stage 1A Mieders to Maria Waldrast Monastery

Excursion Ascent of Serles (2718m)

Excursion Ascent of Lämpermahdspitze (2595m)

Stage 2A Maria Waldrast Monastery to Padasterjochhaus

Excursion Ascent of Kirchdachspitze (2840m)

Stage 3 Padasterjochhaus to Innsbrucker Hut via Trins and Gasthof Feuerstein

Stage 3A Padasterjochhaus to Innsbrucker Hut via Hammerscharte

Stage 3B Padasterjochhaus to Innsbrucker Hut via Padasterjoch, Silbersattel and Kirchdachspitze

Stage 4 Innsbrucker Hut to Bremer Hut

Stage 5 Bremer Hut to Austrian Tribulaunhaus

Stage 5A Bremer Hut to Magdeburger Hut

Stage 5B Magdeburger Hut to Italian Tribulaun Hut or Austrian Tribulaunhaus

Stage 5C Italian Tribulaun Hut to Austrian Tribulaunhaus via Sandesjöchl

Stage 6 Austrian Tribulaunhaus to Truna Hut via Gstreinjöchl

Stage 7 Truna Hut to Trins or Steinach am Brenner

DAY WALKS AND EXCURSIONS

HUT DIRECTORY AND LOCATIONS

Amberger Hut (2135m)

Becherhaus (3195m)

Blaser Hut (2176m)

Bremer Hut (2413m)

Dresdner Hut (2308m)

Elfer Hut (2080m)

Franz Senn Hut (2147m)

Hildesheimer Hut (2900m)

Hoch Stubai Hut (3174m)

Hotel Klostergasthof Maria Waldrast Monastery (1638m)

Innsbrucker Hut (2369m)

Magdeburger Hut (2423m)

Müller Hut (3145m)

Neue Regensburger Hut (2286m)

Nürnberger Hut (2278m)

Padasterjochhaus (2232m)

Seducker Hochalm (2256m)

Siegerland Hut (2710m)

Starkenburger Hut (2237m)

Sulzenau Hut (2191m)

Teplitzer Hut (2586m)

Tribulaunhaus (Austrian) (2064m)

Tribulaun Hut (Italian) (2369m)

Truna Hut (1750m)

Appendix A Useful contacts

Appendix B German–English glossary

Appendix C Further reading

Seasons

The summer alpine season starts when the huts open in mid June through to the end of September. Snow can linger on north facing slopes well into July. Mid July through to mid September is warmer and more settled.

Centres

From the charming village of Neustift in the Stubaital. It's the main village and centre of the Stubai and has the distinction of being the second largest village in the Tirol after Soelden. Easily accessed by regular bus service from Innsbruck. Also accessible from the adjacent villages of Fulpmes, Telfes and Mieders.

Difficulty

All tracks and trails are waymarked and frequently signposted. Unless you intend to venture onto the glaciers no special equipment is needed nor additional climbing skills required.

Must See

The Stubai holds some of the best scenery in the Eastern Alps. The snow capped peaks of the Wilder Freiger and Zuckerhuetl chain stand proud along the Frontier Ridge in an area with over 100 peaks above 3000m.

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