We respect your
right to privacy!

Cookie settings

By clicking on "Accept" , you consent to use cookies and other technologies (provided by us and other trusted partners). We use such data for anonymous statistical purposes, tailor-made settings and to display personalized content and advertisements. It will help to provide you with an improved website experience. Please find out more about this topic in our Privacy Policy | Imprint

  • These cookies are absolutely necessary for the operation of this site and enable safety related functionalities, for example. Additionally, this type of cookie is as well used to save your personal cookie settings.

  • In order to further improve both our offer and website, we collect anonymized data for statistics and analyzes. By means of these cookies we can, for example, analyze the number of visitors and the effect of certain pages on our website by optimizing our content.

  • We use these cookies to improve usability of the site for you. For example, based on an accommodation search you already made, you can conveniently access the same lodging when you visit our website again.

  • These cookies are used to display personalized content that matches your interests. It enables us to provide you with offers that are particularly relevant to your personally planned trip.

Thematic Trail recommended route

Treasure Hunt Obergurgl Stone Pine Forest

Thematic Trail · Gurgl Open
Logo Ötztal
Responsible for this content
Ötztal Verified partner 
  • Zirbenwald Obergurgl
    Zirbenwald Obergurgl
    Photo: Johannes Brunner, Ötztal
Hint

Explanation

Selected alternatives for you

    This treasure tour takes you through the beautiful stone pine forest in Obergurgl.  Here you will see many old trees and enjoy the view of streams, the via ferrata and the mountains. You might come across a squirrel or a pine cone along the way.

    Open
    moderate
    Distance 3.2 km
    1:30 h
    133 m
    173 m
    2,059 m
    1,892 m

    The themed trail takes you through the "Obergurgl Swiss stone pine forest". The stone pine forest in Obergurgl is a unique natural monument of remarkable beauty and ecological importance.

    Stone pine trees well over 300 years old grow here. These trees can withstand extreme conditions and are adapted to the high altitudes and harsh climate of the Alps. Mosses, lichens and rare alpine flowers thrive among the stone pines, while birds such as alpine choughs and golden eagles roam the air.

    Occasionally, chamois and marmots can also be seen on the steep slopes and rocks of the forest.

     

     

    How does the treasure hunt work?

    Following the marked route (Stone Pine Theme Trail) you will discover small caches (treasure boxes). Each cache contains a riddle. Solve it and write the letters into your treasure map. Everyone who has found all letters can compose a word. Knowing the word, you visit the Information Obergurgl-Hochgurgl. There you search for the item representing the word.

    Author’s recommendation

    There are other caches here - maybe you'd like to extend your hike.

    Profile picture of Nicole Klotz
    Author
    Nicole Klotz
    Update: June 27, 2024
    Difficulty
    moderate
    Overall difficulty
    moderate

    Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

    Experience
    Landscape
    Highest point
    2,059 m
    Lowest point
    1,892 m
    Best time of year
    Jan
    Feb
    Mar
    Apr
    May
    Jun
    Jul
    Aug
    Sep
    Oct
    Nov
    Dec

    Track types

    Asphalt 14.65%Forested/wild trail 25.14%Path 55.59%Road 4.59%Unknown 0%
    Asphalt
    0.5 km
    Forested/wild trail
    0.8 km
    Path
    1.8 km
    Road
    0.1 km
    Unknown
    0 km
    Show elevation profile

    Safety information

    Good footwear is essential in the mountains

    Tips and suggestions

    This tour is not possible in winter as the caches are stuck in the snow.

    Start

    Information Gurgl or Zirben Alm
    Coordinates:
    DD
    46.862002, 11.018295
    DMS
    46°51'43.2"N 11°01'05.9"E
    UTM
    32T 653834 5191806
    w3w 
    ///eventful.disbelieve.involve

    Destination

    Information Gurgl

    Turn-by-turn directions

    You either start directly at the Gurgl information center and walk through the village to the "Zirben Alm" (or start there) and then enter the stone pine forest. There are several paths through the village to get to the Zirben Alm. As there is no cache hidden here, you can choose the path you prefer. Shortly before the Zirben Alm, cross a high bridge that leads over a valley. 

    Walk past the Zirben Alm on the right towards the cable car and via ferrata. After the path to the via ferrata, you will find the first cache hidden on the left.

    Continue along the path and keep going uphill. At a crossroads, turn left onto the path towards Rotmooswasserfall and Schönwieshütte and continue uphill. Sometimes the trees block your view to the other side (right) but at some point you will see two streams on the other side, then you have to look for a cache again. As it is quite narrow here, watch out for oncoming traffic (hikers). Follow the narrow hiking trail upwards, go around a bend here and there and you'll pass a few signs again and it becomes somewhat flat. Here you head back towards Obergurgl and Zirben Alm.  It is now an almost flat path. Here and there you will see small puddles and of course many stone pine trees (pines). You will soon reach your next cache, which is well guarded by a stone pine tree - here you have to leave the path a little to retrieve the cache. 

    Continue downhill along the path. In winter there is a ski slope here. You then have to walk towards the Zirben Alm to find the last cache just above it.  Now there are stones and a few trees. Once you have found the cache, hike down to the Zirben Alm and from there on to the Gurgl information center. There you can look for the solution and collect your treasure.

    Public transport

    By bus to Gurgl - bus stop Obergurgl center

    Directions

    Take the B186 to Obergurgl

    Parking

    Parking garage village center Obergurgl, chargeable

    Coordinates

    DD
    46.862002, 11.018295
    DMS
    46°51'43.2"N 11°01'05.9"E
    UTM
    32T 653834 5191806
    w3w 
    ///eventful.disbelieve.involve
    Get there by train, car, bike, or on foot!

    Equipment

    A treasure map/plan is helpful. Good shoes, something to drink, a camera or cell phone are an advantage.

    Similar routes nearby

    • Obergurgl Stone Pine Forest - Theme Trail
    • Water Walk Rotmoostal Obergurgl
    • Treasure hunt Vent Ramolalm
    • Treasure Hunt Vent - Feldkögele
    • Water Walk Mutsbühel Vent
     These suggestions were generated by our system
    Status
    Open
    Difficulty
    moderate
    Overall difficulty
    moderate

    Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

    Distance
    3.2 km
    Duration
    1:30 h
    Ascent
    133 m
    Descent
    173 m
    Highest point
    2,059 m
    Lowest point
    1,892 m
    Out and back Refreshment stops available Family-friendly

    Statistics

    • Content
    • Show images Hide images
    Features
    Maps and trails
    • 5 Waypoints
    • 5 Waypoints
    Push the arrows to change the view
     km Distance
    : h Duration
     m Ascent
     m Descent
     m Highest point
     m Lowest point