Trekking Austria's Adlerweg

Trek the soaring Tyrolean Alps from St Johann in Tirol to St Anton am Arlberg on Austria’s legendary Adlerweg, or Eagle’s Way. This iconic 326km (201 miles) long-distance path traces the outline of an eagle’s wings across the Austrian Tyrol, linking historic Innsbruck with spectacular alpine landscapes and the region’s famed hospitality. Experience the best of Tyrol as you traverse wildflower meadows, dramatic mountain ridges, and traditional alpine villages.

Perfect for experienced and fit walkers, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook presents the full Adlerweg, described in 24 stages covering a total ascent of over 23,000m, from the rolling east to the rugged western peaks. Each stage ranges from 7–32km (4–20 miles), with easier alternative routes provided to avoid the most technical sections, allowing you to tailor the trek to your abilities and timeframe.

Explore the iconic Wilderkaiser, Brandenberg, Rofan, Karwendelgebirge, and Lechtaler Alpen, with far-reaching views to Austria’s highest summits, including the Grossglockner and Grossvenediger. The Adlerweg route is well served by public transport, enabling flexible day trips or shorter sections.
Stages of the Adlerweg are clearly described, with distance, ascent/descent, and estimated walking time, making it easy to plan your daily adventure, whether you aim for a steady 3-week journey, a more challenging 16-day traverse, or two fortnightly trips, with Innsbruck as a convenient midpoint.
Each stage includes comprehensive information on start and finish points, high points, accommodation, and refreshment options to help you plan every day of your Adlerweg trek.
Includes essential advice on preparation, transport connections, mountain safety, local wildlife and culture, and what to pack, ensuring you are ready for every aspect of your Eagle’s Way adventure.
The Adlerweg is best enjoyed from mid-June to early October, when alpine flowers bloom, wildlife abounds, and mountain huts, inns, and guesthouses welcome walkers with legendary Tyrolean hospitality and cuisine.
Features 1:50,000 mapping and downloadable GPX files for every stage of the Eagle’s Way, ensuring straightforward navigation across mountain paths and through remote valleys.


Plan your journey along Austria’s Adlerweg with the definitive Cicerone guidebook and discover a classic trek, where every stage brings new vistas and the spirit of alpine exploration guides you across the heart of the Austrian Alps.

Seasons

This is a summer walk, with a season from late-June to mid-September. On the highest parts snow can fall at any time of year, though this is unusual in July and August. The best time is August, though popular mountain refuges can be busy then.

Centres

The path mostly keeps to the mountains and avoids population centres. Apart from the start and finish points (St Johann and St Anton), the only towns/villages passed through are Kufstein, Maurach/Pertisau (Achensee), Innsbruck, Leutasch and Ehrwald.

Difficulty

To walk all the stages is a challenging undertaking that requires a good level of fitness, surefootedness and experience of mountain walking. Some of the stages have fixed walking aids in the form of chains, pegs, handholds or ladders, though neither climbing experience nor special equipment are needed to complete the walk. All stages are graded, either white (easy), red (medium) or black (challenging). For all the black stages, alternative less challenging routes are described.

Must See

‘Must sees’ are the various high mountains encountered en-route; the Wilderkaiser, Brandenberg Alpen, Rofangebirge, Karwendelgebirge, Wettersteingebirge (Zugspitze) and the Lechtaler Alpen plus Innsbruck, the historical capital of Tyrol.