The Seebensee is a high-mountain lake located near Ehrwald at 1,657 m in the Mieminger Mountains below the Coburger Hütte in idyllic high-alpine terrain. The lake can be reached from Ehrwald and Biberwier on foot, on a climbing tour or from Ehrwald by mountain bike. The tour is also possible with mountain railway assistance.

Tour profile

Difficulty level: medium
Route length: approx. 25 km (total)
ascents: 850 hm
descents: 850 hm

10:00 o'clock: The sun shines brightly through the larch trees as we drive to Ehrwald. The picturesque Tyrolean village of Ehrwald is only 30 minutes from Grainau and barely 10 minutes from the national border. At the end of the B23, we turn left and then turn left again from the main road as we follow the sign to Ehrwalder Almbahn Remember. After a short drive along the narrow steep mountain road, we park our car at the valley station (1,111 m).

10:15 o'clock: From here, it's time to ride a bicycle: you have to climb approx. 400 m to the mountain station. If you want to save the altitude difference, you can take the mountain railway up: for mountain bikers, the Ehrwalder Almbahn offers an opportunity Bring bikes. But we're doing it sportily today. The paved forest road is well shaded and does not offer mountain views. The first section is equally steep and I have to push partially. Unfortunately I am not an experienced mountain biker. My friend, on the other hand, is doing well on his e-bike. From time to time, I am overtaken by the other e-bikers, who easily master the very steep climb right now. Well, I've done a lot more for my fitness today!

11:15 a.m.: It slowly gets flat and after the last bend we cross the alpine border. The mountain station (1,505 m) is located in the middle of a mountain meadow, where cows usually graze in summer and look at us curiously. Here at the Ehrwalder Alm is located next to the Tirolerhaus Even the old Ehrwalder Alm, which both offer nice places to stop off. On weekends, folk music is played here and Tyrolean specialities are offered. From the Ehrwalder Alm, you can also reach other huts - e.g. Hochfeldernalm and numerous hiking huts in the Gaistal, such as the Feldernalm, the Tillfußalm, the Rotmoosalm and the Hämmermoosalm. This is also the starting point for numerous hikes in the Mieminger chain, in the Gaistal/Leutasch and to the Zugspitze via the so-called Gatterl. We drive past the mountain station and the Sportalm and now reach the starting point of our tour - the mountain road to Seebensee.

11:30 a.m.: The Seebensee and the nearby huts - the Seebenalm And the Coburger Hut - are a very popular cycling and hiking destination in summer. On the one hand, it is a relatively easy hike, especially if you use the mountain railway to climb, and on the other hand, the lake is exceptionally beautiful and is undoubtedly one of the must-sees in Zugspitzland. The 6 km long route from the mountain station to the Seebenalm leads through a bright forest at an altitude of 1,600 m at the foot of the Mieminger chain, and in some places there are viewpoints with views of the valley. The forest road is a wide dirt road along the entire route, where there are many hikers, so you have to drive slowly and take good care of the others.

12:00 o'clock: Mountain bikes are no longer allowed from Seebenalm and we park our bikes at the hut. The sun is high, the tables and benches in the small beer garden have dried from yesterday's rain. Unfortunately, the kitchen is not a particular highlight, so we order pasta Bolognese for two for the lunch break and are already looking forward to the apples we have brought along as dessert. On a wide path, it takes about 20 minutes to walk to Seebensee from here.

1:00 PM: The trail is very picturesque, surrounded by rocks, pine trees, alpine roses and heather - a typical high-alpine landscape that you can never enjoy enough and which alone is the reason why you should go hiking. Arriving at the lakeside, we can already see the Coburger Hütte (1,917 m) in the distance, which can be reached via a narrow path. But today it's time to relax - we just want to go around the lake and take short breaks, maybe we'll even sunbathe. We will soon be looking for a sunny spot on the shore. From here, the unique panorama of Seebensee opens up with the Zugspitze in the background. When the sun is shining, the intense turquoise-blue water, surrounded by pine trees and green mountain meadows, looks like a picture book. Swimming is also possible, especially at the beginning of September, although the water is barely 17 degrees. Here at an altitude of almost 1,700 m, night temperatures are around 0 degrees even in midsummer.

2:00 p.m.: After we've enjoyed the sun's rays and the view enough, we'll continue along the shore with a Zugspitze panorama. We circle the lake via an idyllic narrow path and reach the Seebenalm again. There is still a lot going on here on the main line. At the alpine pasture, we find our mountain bikes again and head towards the valley. At the Ehrwalder Alm, it's worth stopping off at the Tirolerhaus and having a coffee before the rapid descent down the valley. We do this in the café lounge and enjoy our hot chocolate and latte macchiato on the sun terrace. After that, it's time for the final spurt. Although the forest road is steep, it is not so popular with pedestrians, as the footpath below the mountain railway is much more pleasant for tourers. So we'll be at our car in just 20 minutes and are looking forward to a successful trip.

Tips & info:

• Opening times, parking spaces & tickets: Ehrwalder Almbahn
• Bicycle transport for mountain bikers: Mountain bike tours from the Ehrwalder Alm
• How to get there: It is particularly possible to travel to Ehrwald directly from Grainau by e-bike. But if you want to save 250 m, you are welcome to travel by train. Regional trains run once an hour between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Reutte.
• The Seebenalm is usually open from June to October when the weather is nice. More information & opening times here. The cabin does not offer overnight stays.
• Die Coburger Hut It is also open from June to October. Overnight stay possible.
• Winter hiking: The alpine area below Tiroler Sonnenspitz also offers excellent opportunities for ski tours and winter hikes in winter. Read our blog on top of that.
• The Ehrwalder Alm is the starting point for great cycling and hiking tours in the Gaistal valley. A possible day trip would be Ehrwald - Ehrwalder Alm (with or without rail assistance) - Gaistal - Leutasch - Mittenwald - Elmau - Garmisch-Partenkirchen - Grainau. Alternatively, you can take the flat cycle route from Mittenwald via Klais and Gerold.
  

‍