At just under 90 kilometers and less than 1,000 meters in altitude, the legendary Wetterstein circuit is also feasible for less experienced mountain bikers. From Grainau via Ehrwald and the Ehrwalder Alm to the Geistal, then on via Leutasch to Mittenwald and Klais back to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. On the picturesque route, you will discover some of the most beautiful places in Zugspitzland. Except for the first stretch, it's almost always downhill.

You can even save most of the 950 meters in altitude by traveling from Grainau to Ehrwald by train. It is also possible to take the Ehrwalder Almbahn to the Ehrwalder Alm (1,500 m above sea level) — bicycles are allowed here. You can also change to the train in Mittenwald or Klais on the rest of the route if you run out of energy slowly. And if you want to make things even easier, you can of course opt for an e-bike. If, on the other hand, you want more meters in altitude, you are also welcome to bring along the Eibsee and the Hochthörlehütte (approx. 800 m).

Tour profile

Difficulty level: medium to difficult
Route length: approx. 88 km
ascents: 950 hm
descents: 950 hm

From Grainau to Ehrwald

8:00 a.m.: Well equipped for the long day, we start in Grainau with our e-bikes. Our first destination is the Ehrwalder Almbahn, which is 24 kilometers away from the Hotel am Badersee. For now, we're taking the Loisachstraße towards the B23 federal road. At the border of the village, we cross the road and reach the foot and cycle path on the left bank via the Loisach Bridge at Herrgottschrofen. Here you turn left towards Griesen. The beautiful trail runs through the forest, far away from road traffic, is also well shaded and less frequented. We have the bike route to Ehrwald in our blog about the trip to Häselgehr Waterfall already described. Once in Ehrwald, we turn left right at the railway bridge and follow the signs in the center of the village to the Ehrwalder Almbahn, which is located just above the village center. The total distance between Grainau and Ehrwald has 350 meters in altitude.

9:30 a.m.: From the valley station, the partly very steep asphalted forest road leads up to Ehrwalder Alm. The sun shines through the thick spruce forest and we are happy that we are well protected from the heat here. With our e-bikes, it takes just under 45 minutes for the 4 kilometers and approx. 400 meters of altitude difference. After the last steep bend, the mountain road comes out onto a picturesque meadow, where many alpine animals graze in summer. By the way, the Tyrolean house and the rustic Ehrwalder Alm are known for their good alpine cuisine. From here, we are only 100 meters away from the plague chapel (built in 1639), which will be the highest point of our tour. The mountain road is not as steep here anymore, but it gets quite warm in the sun. So I am happy when we reach the plague chapel and take a drinking break at 1,620 m above sea level.

From the plague chapel to Leutasch

9:50 a.m.: From here, it goes downhill through the mountain forest into the Gaistal. For the long, fast-paced 500 m high descent, the bicycle brake must be in perfect condition. Cyclists must be very careful of pedestrians and oncoming traffic on the winding road. After just a few minutes, we drive past the Gaistalalm and soon reach the large car park, where most visitors park in the Gaistal. So that we don't have to drive in traffic, we turn right right before the bridge that connects the car park with the hiking trails and stay on a natural lakeside path. From here on, the landscape becomes flatter and the brake no longer overheats. There are about 15 km between the plague chapel and the town center of Leutasch, but it takes us less than half an hour to get there. We'll take a long break to check the brakes and enjoy nature on the shore. The turquoise-blue stream radiates cool air and the funny swing next to it gives us wonderful moments of relaxation.

11:00 a.m.: We will soon reach Leutasch via the small town of Klamm. From Leutasch, we can't find a bike path and have to use the main road, but the traffic is manageable. In Ahrn, we rediscover the signs for the cycle path and reach the town of Schanz shortly before noon, where we take a break for lunch in a restaurant. The Leutasch Valley is very popular in summer, so the service is not as fast. On the other hand, the beer garden is well shaded under the tall trees and the food tastes pretty good. After lunch, we're ready for the next stage of our tour: it's off to Mittenwald on a steep descent.

From Leutasch to Klais

1:00 p.m.: Unfortunately, there is no cycle path between Leutasch and Mittenwald, so cyclists have to use the main road again, which is extremely narrow and winding here. Cars have to stop again and again on the steep slope to let oncoming traffic pass by, so cyclists must stay behind and be very careful about their own safety and others.

In the last bend before Mittenwald, there is a turnoff that you can alternatively drive to Garmisch via the Ferchental: we already have the route in our blog about Bicycle tour to Elmau described. But today we drive via Mittenwald to Klais. At around 1:30 p.m., we'll be in Mittenwald town center — for guests in the region, it's a good opportunity to visit the alpine violin-making town with its historic city center. We will soon leave the city on Partenkirchner Straße and immediately turn left onto the St2542 road. The road curve is steeply uphill, then before the railway bridge we follow the signs to the cycle path. After a few meters in altitude, we drive on a flat dirt road through the famous Buckelwiesen with a wonderful mountain panorama. After we pass Mittenwald Youth Hostel, turn left. Further signs bring us back to St2542 and we arrive in Klais after a short time. The total distance from Schanz to Klais is approx. 13 km.

From Klais to Grainau

2:00 p.m.: In Klais, we stay left of the train track on Bahnhofstraße. Past the chapel, we follow the signs for cyclists to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Parallel to federal road B2, we go through the meadows to Gerold, where we cross the road via an underpass. By the way, in Gerold, you can take a swimming break in the summer heat and go swimming in the small Geroldsee with a view of the Karwendel. The lake is private and sometimes you have to pay a fee.

We drive through the small town and then continue through the second tunnel towards Garmisch. It goes downhill to Kaltenbrunn, where we have to cross the main road again via a tunnel. After the town border, the cycle path goes briefly into the forest and comes out again to follow the B2 along the entire length of the route to Partenkirchen. The breath-taking, fast-paced descent is over 5 km long and you lose over 150 meters of altitude difference. Here you have to control your speed once again and watch out for oncoming traffic.

2:30 p.m.: Once in Partenkirchen, we immediately turn left at the first traffic light. The cycle route to Grainau starts here at the ski stadium. Passing the Hausberg and Kreuzeck, we reach Hammersbach. From here, the hotel am Badersee is only a few minutes away. Shortly after 15:00 we enjoy our drinks on the terrace and look forward to a successful summer day.

Tips & info

• State borders: The route runs through Austria: just after Grießen and before Mittenwald, you cross the state border. Take your ID and insurance card with you.
• Check the brake: Your bike must be in top condition for the 90 km long route. You can rent mountain bikes and e-bikes directly at the hotel or at several bicycle shops in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
• Arriving by train: Tickets & information at bahn.de
• Ehrwalder Almbahn: Information about taking a bike & tickets
• rations: There are several restaurants on the long route. In the Ehrwalder Alm ski area, in the Gaistal, in Leutasch and Mittenwald and of course in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, you will find a wide range of mountain huts, inns and restaurants.
• Alternative route about Ferchental: The Badersee blog: Take the MTB to Elmau

‍