Stubaier Höhenweg

A 7-day hut tour with very well-equipped huts and considered one of the most beautiful tours in the Alps. The route is like a round trip through the mountains from Neustift. We have walked the round trip from both sides and prefer starting at the Innsbrucker Hütte. More on that below. From each hut there is an option towards the valley, so the route can very easily be shortened.

Number of days: 7
Starting point: Neustift
End point: Neustift
Difficulty: Medium/heavy
Characteristic: Excellently equipped huts

One of the most beautiful hikes of the Eastern Alps

The Stubaier Höhenweg is one of the most beautiful and challenging hikes in the Eastern Alps. During the trek, you have many beautiful viewpoints and sleep in well-equipped and beautifully located mountain huts.

Glaciers and very great huts!

The highlights are definitely the many glaciers between Dresdner Hütte and Bremer Hütte and the very well equipped huts. In fact, we walked this trek twice because of the beautiful views and very good huts.

Passages with steel cables

The trek is definitely a tough one with mainly black mountain roads. There are many passages secured with steel cables that you have to pay close attention to. Especially in bad weather, this can be a very tough and sometimes somewhat dangerous trek.

Hike with the best huts!

The huts are one of the highlights of this trek and frankly our reason for even walking this trek twice! All huts are well equipped with good beds and extensive menus. In addition, many huts have coverage or wifi and almost everywhere there are options for hot showers.

Book the huts months in advanced

Yes, and months in advance! It is a busy route and the area also sees a lot of climbing and these climbers and 'day trippers' also sleep in the huts. So in high season, all the huts are completely full.
You can make reservations via:

• Innsbrucker Hütte
• Bremer Hütte
• Nürnberger Hütte
• Sulzenauhütte
• Dresdner Hütte
• Neue Regensburger Hütte
• Franz-Senn-Hütte

What is the suitable period?

The huts are open from mid-June to mid-September, but in June and early July there are still a lot of snow fields on the higher sections. It is therefore advisable to hike the trail in late July or August.

Start and finish: Neustift

Neustift is a hour by bus from Innsbruck. You can reach Innsbruck by train or airplane.

Tip: start at the Innsbrucker Hütte

The trail is a loop, so it can be hiked in both directions. Firstly, it will undoubtedly be a beautiful hike in either direction. However, there is a difference in starting at the Innsbrucker Hütte or at the Franz-Senn-Hütte. We hiked it in both directions and have a strong preference for starting at the Innsbrucker Hütte. The most common route is to start at the Franz-Senn-Hütte, making this direction much busier. If you start at the Innsbrucker Hütte, you will encounter many hikers halfway through the route every day, but for the rest of the day, you will walk in peace.

Key tips for the Stubaier Höhenweg:

1. Book the huts in advance! The mountain huts in the area are extremely popular due to their excellent facilities and many activities. During peak season, they are fully booked.
2. Bring clothing for all weather conditions. During our first time, it was a rainy week, making it cold during the day as well as in the evenings and nights in the huts. We were shivering in our beds despite being layered with all our clothes. The second week was completely reversed with only sunshine. We only wore shorts and t-shirts. The weather in the mountains can change at any moment.
3. Hike the trail from the Innsbrucker Hütte to the Franz-Senn-Hütte. Hike directly back to Neustift from the Franz-Senn-Hütte and skip the Starkenburger Hütte. This hut is old, dilapidated, and has poor service.
4. Spend a few extra days in the Stubai valley afterwards. When staying in the Stubai valley, you receive the Stubaicard with your accommodation. With this card, you can use cable cars, public transportation, and other fun activities for free. It's a great way to end the week!

Daily Schedule

Version 1: start at the Innsbrucker Hütte

Day 1: Neustift → Innsbrucker Hütte

Day 2: Innsbrucker Hütte → Bremer Hütte
7 hours; 9.5km; 920m ascent; 880m descent
This is an stage where you need to stay focused due to the many secured sections and deep abysses. Especially in bad weather, this stage can be dangerous, but taking it easy will get you through.

Day 3: Bremer Hütte → Nürnberger Hütte → Sulzenauhütte
8 hours; 10.4km; 900m ascent; 1120m descent
This stage can be divided into two stages by staying overnight at the Nürnberger Hütte. We chose to combine the two stages and only have lunch there. We found this to be quite manageable, despite it being a long day.
The route starts uphill immediately, then steeply upwards to the Simmingjöchl at 2754 meters. From here, you have a magnificent view. Then follows a steep descent with many steel cables. The second part is a beautiful route along green mountains with lakes, after you have climbed the Mairspitze. Just before the Sulzenauhütte, you pass the Grünauer See, where you can take a refreshing swim.

Day 4: Sulzenauhütte → Dresdner Hütte
2.5 hours; 5km; 520 ascent; 420 descent
A rest day after the exhausting day yesterday. The route starts along the Wilde Stubaier Wasser Weg with a glacier lake with ice floes floating in it. Then you climb over the old glacier wall to the Peiljoch. After this, you descend to the Dresdner Hütte via steel cables. At this hut, you can spend the whole day in the sun on the sunbeds with an ice cream or plate of fries.

Day 5: Dresdner Hütte → Neue Regensburger Hütte
7 hours; 13 km; 1000m ascent; 1000m descent
One of the more challenging stages of the trail. The hike starts uphill to Niederl, then goes 'flat' for a while with views of green meadows. Then you climb over the Steinmandl, and from here, it's a cautious descent with steel cables. The last stretch to the hut is over large loose stones, where you need to stay focused.
The Neue Regensburger Hütte is the first vegetarian hut in the Alps and has delicious dishes on the menu.

Day 6: Neue Regensburger Hütte → Franz-Senn-Hütte
4 hours; 9 km; 480m ascent; 630m descent
Day 7: Franz-Senn-Hütte → Neustift
Today you walk back to the valley in about 5 hours.

Version 2: start at the Franz-Senn-Hütte

Day 1: Neustift → Franz-Senn-Hütte
Officially, the route starts from Neustift to the Starkenburger Hütte, but we have never heard a good story about this hut, and it is very easy to bypass, so both times we chose to skip it.

Day 2: Franz-Senn-Hütte → Neue Regensburger Hütte
5.5 hours; 9.2 km; 600m ascent, 480m descent
One of the easiest stages of the trail. It starts relatively flat through green alpine meadows, followed by a climb of 500 meters to the Basslerjoch peak at 2829 meters, where you get an amazing view.

Day 3: Neue Regensburger Hütte → Dresdner Hütte
7.5 hours; 13.5 km; 930m ascent; 910m descent
Today is a hike along impressive glaciers. The overnight stay at the Dresdner Hütte is fully equipped. Because the hut is next to a cable car, many day trippers come, and the menu is very extensive.

Day 4: Dresdner Hütte → Sulzenau Hütte → Nürnberg Hütte
7 hours; 9.6km; 850 ascent; 850 descent
This is a long day but can also be split into two days. We combined these days both times and found it quite manageable. You can enjoy a delicious lunch at the Sulzenau Hütte along the way.
These stages are beautiful and very diverse: from green alpine meadows to large stone fields and huge glaciers with glacier lakes. Occasionally, sections with cables are secured, and it requires careful attention.

Day 5: Nürnberger Hütte → Bremer Hütte

3.5 hours; 5.8km; 540m ascent; 410m descent
Another splendid stage, ending at a cozy mountain hut with a large herd of goats. The stage alternates between rocky landscapes and green meadows.

Day 6: Bremer Hütte → Innsbrücker Hütte
6 hours; 10.4km; 680m ascent; 730m descent
This is a challenging stage with numerous steel cables and significant altitude differences. It's important to stay focused during this stage, especially in bad weather.

Day 7: Innsbrucker Hütte → Elferlifte
5 hours; 8.8km; 410m ascent; 750m descent
The last day and off to the valley. You'll pass through a green valley towards the Elferlifte via the Karalm. From here, you take the lift back down to Neustift and can toast to completing the trail!