Over a seven-kilometre stretch of the valley, the Valsertal is home to 15 private chapels, regarded as landmarks of the valley. The area also offers high-alpine landscapes, mountain trails with different starting points, and traces of historic work. When planning your stay in Vals, you can decide whether nature, outdoor activities or culture should take centre stage.
The High-Alpine Valsertal
The Valsertal is nestled among the mountains of the Tux Alps. The Valsertal Natura 2000 site is designated under code AT3303000 and covers 3,519.4 hectares. It has a distinctly high-alpine character, with large areas of rocky terrain and alpine and subalpine grassland. At the end of the valley, the grey alder forest has been protected since 1942.
Hiking Trails and Climbing
Vals can be a possible starting point for the Peter Habeler Circuit. The circuit is about 56.5 kilometres long, covers around 4,990 metres of elevation gain and passes six mountain huts. Conditions can vary on this longer mountain tour; these figures describe the entire circuit, not a single day’s stage.
Two different starting points are named for individual climbs. The hut hike starts in the upper Valsertal at the Touristenrast and follows long-distance trail 02 to a hut, taking about three hours and gaining 1,000 metres in elevation. Another climb, also taking about three hours, starts in the centre of St. Jodok and follows the Valser Bach stream. The times are comparable, but the 1,000-metre elevation gain and a hut as the destination apply to the route from the Touristenrast. Seasonal conditions can affect walking times.
Sport climbers will find an area with more than 100 routes at the end of the Valsertal. The Peter Kofler via ferrata is a separate attraction: its starting point can be reached by public transport from St. Jodok railway station. Check local connections before travelling.
Winter Activities and Alpine Pastures
The Padaun high plateau has a natural toboggan run and several snowshoe hikes. The Vennspitze is considered a popular ski touring area. These winter activities can be distinguished by type: tobogganing and snowshoeing are located on Padaun, while ski touring takes place on the Vennspitze.
The School of the Alpine Pasture offers a different focus. In the mountaineering village of Vals, it offers a five-day stay featuring practical crafts and instruction in helping out on the alpine pasture and with mountain haymaking. This is a clearly defined way to focus your stay on practical work related to alpine pastures and mountain haymaking.
Chapels and Historic Traces
The 15 private chapels are spread over a seven-kilometre stretch of the valley. They are privately owned, maintained and regarded as landmarks of the valley. Their number, location along the valley and private ownership make them a cultural attraction in their own right, alongside the trails and natural areas.
At the Bloaderalm, the once-important marble quarry, now disused, and the stone saw recall the area’s former marble extraction. The marble provided material for floor slabs in the parish church of St. Jodok, St. James’s Cathedral and the Hofburg Palace in Innsbruck. This history extends beyond the valley, linking a local craft to three named buildings.
Mining is also part of the landscape’s past: remains of the molybdenum mine are visible below the Alpeiner Scharte, at an altitude of 2,800 metres. Together with the disused marble quarry, these remains are part of Vals’s history and should be distinguished from the present-day hiking and winter activities described above.
Plan Your Journey and Stay
In the Wipptal region, the guest card serves as a ticket for all regional buses and the S-Bahn between Innsbruck and Brenner. Ask your accommodation provider about the applicable conditions before travelling. You can also take the different trail starting points into account when planning: Touristenrast in the upper Valsertal, the centre of St. Jodok, or St. Jodok railway station for the Peter Kofler via ferrata.
Discover more destinations: Wattenberg, Wattens, Mieders, Navis, Hall In Tirol, Völs, Mils Bei Hall, Grinzens
Return to the regional travel overview: Innsbruck-Land.
