St. Jodok connects the Schmirntal and Valsertal: both valleys branch off from here. At the same time, the village is a starting point for visits to the Valsertal nature reserve; the Padauner Kogel route starts and ends at the train station. Climbing opportunities at Stafflacher Wand and historic buildings round out the options. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether hiking, climbing, nature, or local history should be the main focus.
Valsertal and Mountaineering Villages
The Valsertal has been a nature reserve since 1942 and a Natura 2000 site since 2001. The nature reserve extends to the Tuxer Hauptkamm; St. Jodok is a starting point for visits. The village is also a notable link between the valleys: both the Schmirntal and the Valsertal branch off from here. Since 2012, St. Jodok, Schmirn, and the Valsertal have been part of the Mountaineering Villages initiative. This combination of protected landscape and named valleys gives nature and hiking plans a specific regional context.
The “Almluft & Ziegenduft” course offers a different nature and cultural experience. It includes a hike to a high alpine pasture at 2,000 m in the Valsertal and a visit to Erich’s “Land-Art-Kunstreich.” In Vals, the course also includes outings with a herd of goats and making fresh cheese. If you would rather focus on several different activities than on a summit destination, this course offers an alternative to a mountain hike.
Padauner Kogel and Stafflacher Wand
The Padauner Kogel route starts and ends at St. Jodok train station. The mountain hike up Padauner Kogel is not technically demanding. From the summit, the panoramic view takes in Olperer, the Brenner, the Stubai Alps, and distant Innsbruck. The train station provides a clear starting and ending point for the route; the summit views offer a different focus from a visit to the valley or climbing area.
Stafflacher Wand offers two different climbing options. The Peter-Kofler via ferrata is in St. Jodok and has a difficulty rating of B–C. Stafflacher Wand Links climbing garden has 40 routes, with difficulty ratings from 1+ to 7+. The climbing area at Stafflacher Wand is a 15-minute walk from St. Jodok train station. For planning, it helps to distinguish between the via ferrata and the climbing garden: the details given specify the type and difficulty of each option.
Church and Railway
The Gothic parish church of St. Jodok in St. Jodok was built in 1425 and remodeled and given a Baroque style in 1784. The two dates show the time between its construction and later alterations. There is also a particularly impressive curved railway tunnel near St. Jodok. The railway gains elevation through the tunnel as it bypasses the village. The Catholic parish church of St. Jodok and the cemetery are in Vals.
Getting There and Choosing Accommodation
In the main valley, the S3 S-Bahn line runs between Innsbruck and Brenner. Regional bus line 571 connects St. Jodok with Schmirn, while line 572 connects St. Jodok with Vals. Check the timetables for your travel dates, as schedules and routes may change. When choosing accommodation, it is worth considering what you plan to focus on: the Padauner Kogel route, Stafflacher Wand, and visits to the Valsertal take you to different destinations. So tailor your plans and connections to the places you want to visit.
Discover more destinations: Wildermieming, Aldrans, Ranggen, Steinach Am Brenner, Seefeld In Tirol, Statz, Neustift Im Stubaital, Birgitz.
Back to the main travel overview: Innsbruck-Land.
