A 12 km circular hiking trail, birdwatching from the paths and a village church right by the lake give Riegsee a clear natural and cultural character. The village church of St. Stephen in Riegsee is located right on Lake Riegsee in the Blue Land. Lake Riegsee in the immediate area measures 2.4 km in length and 1 km in width.
Circular Routes of Different Lengths
The circular hiking trail around Lake Riegsee is 12 km long. Nearby, the 2 km Froschsee circular trail leads to the small St. Leonhard Church. Comparing their lengths makes the different route options tangible: a longer loop around Lake Riegsee and a shorter loop with a named destination at Lake Froschsee. The Alpenaussichtsweg trail passes through Guglhör and Perlach on its way to Hagen. Nearby, marked hiking and cycling trails, as well as field and forest paths, lead around Lake Riegsee to surrounding villages and viewpoints. From Aidlinger Höhe, panoramic views extend across the mountains and the Loisach Valley all the way to the Zugspitze.
By the Water in Different Seasons
Birdlife can be observed with the naked eye from the paths around Lake Riegsee. Access to the protected northern bay is restricted in summer. In winter, Lake Riegsee often freezes over completely for weeks, offering good conditions for ice skaters, Bavarian curling players and ice sailors. Summer birdwatching and winter ice sports thus bring different seasonal highlights. The Traumspielplatz playground at Lake Riegsee is also open for play.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Its Own Mountain and Cultural Setting
A separate regional focus lies in the wider travel destination of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The Partnach Gorge was declared a natural monument in 1912 and opened to visitors. There, visitors can experience towering rock walls and the water rushing beneath them. At 1,780 metres, Mount Wank, Partenkirchen’s local mountain, is ideal for leisurely mountain hikes with far-reaching views. The Wank cable car takes visitors directly from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the summit; the ride is subject to operating conditions.
The cultural attractions in Garmisch-Partenkirchen also offer their own highlights. The Richard Strauss Institute is housed in the historic Villa Christina in Partenkirchen’s spa gardens and features a permanent exhibition on Strauss’s life and work. The Werdenfels Museum in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was established in 1895 from a private collection and is now one of the most important museums of its kind in Bavaria. The museum displays the original 150-kilogram summit cross of the Zugspitze in its Zugspitze room. Visitors can also discover the famous Lüftlmalerei murals on house façades while strolling through Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The two institutions have different focuses: the Richard Strauss Institute centres on the composer’s life and work, while the Werdenfels Museum displays a tangible exhibit relating to the Zugspitze—the original summit cross.
Discover more destinations: Mittenwald, Farchant, Oberammergau, Wallgau, Unterammergau, Uffing am Staffelsee, Murnau am Staffelsee, KrĂĽn
Return to the wider travel overview: Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
