The villages in the Lech Valley

The villages of the Lech Valley

The Tyrolean Lech Valley stretches from Forchach to Steeg and lies amidst the impressive mountain ranges of the Allgäu and Lech Valley Alps. Characterized by the second largest river in Tyrol, the Lech, wide gravel banks, extensive forest areas and vast valley meadows form the alpine landscape of the Lech Valley.

But it is not only the wild river Lech that makes the valley something very special. It is also precisely because of the many small side valleys that the Lech Valley has preserved its originality. The Lech Valley got its basic shape from mighty glaciers, which formed an imposing trough valley.

We take you on a journey through our beautiful valley.

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Lane

If you follow the Lech from its source down the valley, the community of Steeg with its two small fractions Lechleiten and Gehren welcomes you to the Lech Valley. The two villages are located in the immediate vicinity of Warth am Arlberg and thus directly on the border to Vorarlberg. Characterized by Walser influences, the two small mountain villages form the entrance to the Lech Valley, so to speak.

The village of Steeg is the starting point on the Lechradweg, but also the destination. Either way, there is no getting around Steeg. The Lech is fed in Steeg by the Kaiserbach, which rolls out of a wild gorge and rises in the Kaisertal.

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Kaisers

The Kaisertal valley is also home to the community of the same name, which is the highest in the district of Reutte. Kaisers lives up to its name and is one of the 4 Lechtal time-out villages.

Up here at an altitude of around 1,500 m, you are within reach of the majestic mountains. With only 80 inhabitants, however, the side valley community is also the most sparsely populated community in the Außerfern region. So you have enough space in Kaisers to develop freely during your vacation.

Holzgau

Always along the Lech, the path leads you through the Lech valley to Holzgau. The pretty community is particularly known for its well-kept and time-honored townscape. Numerous houses are decorated with an elaborate Lüftlmalerei, a late baroque facade painting. Not least because of this, Holzgau is also called "The Pearl of the Lech Valley".

The wildly romantic Höhenbach Valley, the spectacular suspension bridge and the imposing Simms Waterfall are just a few impressive highlights that Holzgau has to offer.

Bach

The route then continues to the community of Bach, which offers you an extensive and panoramic range of hiking and leisure activities with the Jöchelspitzbahn, a modern gondola lift.

In the original Madautal the Geierwally once gutted an eagle's nest in the Saxerwand, today this rustic side valley still retains its wild and unspoiled character. The Alperschoner Bach from the Madautal flows, like so many other torrents in the Lech.

Elbigenalp

In the main town of the Lechtal - Elbigenalp, the history and culture of the valley is also omnipresent. Here you can follow in the footsteps of the Geierwally, enjoy culture in the midst of the atmospheric Geierwally open-air stage and let off steam creatively with carving at our carving and sculpture schools.

As a cultural hotspot of the Außerfern region, the Geierwally open-air stage also captivates thousands of spectators every summer in the impressive rocky backdrop of the Bernhardstal gorge.

Häselgehr

The next stop on your journey along the Lech is the community of Häselgehr, which holds a special natural phenomenon at the famous Doser waterfall. Every year, a mystical natural spectacle takes place there that leaves room for speculation. For example, the waterfall in the Luxnach district dries up every year on Saint Martin's Day (November 11) as if by magic. On St. George's Day, April 23, the mysterious waterfall begins to gush again and the cool spray rises up in the forest.

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Grass

From Häselgehr the road leads to Gramais, the smallest community in Austria, with just about 40 inhabitants. The small side valley community is one of the 4 Lechtal time-out villages and no less than 5 crystal-clear mountain lakes are a worthwhile hiking destination from Gramais.

The beautiful mountain village is the perfect retreat for those seeking peace and quiet. A 24/7 self-service farm store, a book cell and a small museum containing Tyrol's largest collection of irons are endearing curiosities that must be seen.

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Pfafflar

Your journey along the Lech and through the Lech Valley will now take you further over the Streimbach in the direction of Elmen and on to the time-out village of Pfafflar with its districts of Bschlabs and Boden, as well as the hilltop settlement of the same name, which is one of the oldest in Tyrol.

Along the original Bschlabertal runs in the summer months the Hahntennjoch pass road with its imposing serpentines and impressive views of majestic mountains and deep valleys, to Imst and the Inn Valley.

Elmen

The secluded community of Elmen is best known as the administrative location of the Tiroler Lech Nature Park. In the middle of the Klimmbrücke, high above the Lech, you will find the architecturally striking Nature Park House and in the immediate vicinity you can visit the informative and newly opened Nature Park exhibition.

The cozy alpine inn Stablalm at 1412 m is considered the "balcony of the Lech Valley" and is a wonderful destination for pleasure hikers, families but also mountain bikers.

Near Martinau, a district of Elmen, you will find between mid-May and mid-June, Central Europe's largest occurrence of lady's slipper - an unmistakably beautiful orchid species that is under protection.

Vorderhornbach

The communities of Vorderhornbach are located directly on the wild and extensive Hornbach, the little brother of the Lech, which flows into the Lech. The small community at the entrance of the Hornbach valley is characterized above all by its sunny and quiet location, which can otherwise only be found in one of the Lechtal side valleys. Extensive meadows and the fabulously beautiful lookout mountain Baichlstein, including the art installation "Porta Alpinae" are worth a visit.

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Hinterhornbach

In the lower Lech Valley, the road from Vorderhornbach leads to the fourth Lech Valley time-out village Hinterhornbach. The village on the wild Hornbach is particularly known for one of the most famous peaks of the Allgäu Alps - the Hochvogel with 2,529 m height.

Those who embark on a long-distance alpine hike on the Grenzgängerweg also stop in Hinterhornbach as a stage stop. Beautiful, cozy and above all relaxing moments are guaranteed here.

Stanzach

Soon you will have reached the last village of the Lech Valley. But before that you should also stop in Stanzach and pay a visit to Tyrol's largest alpine village Fallerschein. 40 rustic log cabins and 2 cozy snack stations provide unforgettable and cozy hours on the alp.

The penultimate municipality in the lower Lechtal also has a family-friendly, small ski area, which is a popular meeting place for locals and guests in winter.

Forchach

Now you have reached the last community of our nature park region on your journey through the Lech Valley. Here you will find the core zone of the Tyrolean Lech Nature Park. The riverbed of the Lech is particularly extensive and impressive near Forchach.

The famous Lechzopf meanders through the riverbed here. Especially from the surrounding peaks you can admire this unique river formation. In the valley, on a 138 m long suspension bridge, you can view the Lech in all its beauty and almost float above it.

Wild & Frei

The Lech

As the namesake of the region in the northwest of Tyrol, the wild river Lech rises at the Formarinsee near Lech am Arlberg. In Lechleiten, a small district of the municipality of Steeg, it first touches Tyrolean territory at an altitude of around 1270 meters above sea level. About 65 kilometers down the valley it leaves Tyrol and continues to flow in the direction of the Danube.

The Lech is 264 kilometers long and the most beautiful section of the river, experts agree, is in the Lech Valley between Steeg and Forchach. Here, the Lech has the character of a wild river, with extensive gravel banks and areas of sedimentation.

Alpine wild river landscape Lech

Tyrolean Lech Nature Park

The unspoiled nature of the Lech was the reason for placing the river under protection. Initially, the Lech Valley was designated a "Natura 2000" area, and later additionally declared a nature park.

The villages of the Lech Valley

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