Kenzenhütte and Hiking Trails in Halblech
The Kenzenhütte is situated at an altitude of 1,300 metres in the Ammergebirge Nature Reserve and is a popular destination in Halblech. You can reach the hut by hiking bus, mountain bike or on foot via an easy trail. Regional specialities are served at the Kenzenhütte.
The municipality of Halblech has 200 kilometres of well-marked hiking trails: 80 kilometres run through the valley and 120 kilometres through the mountains. Several long-distance hiking trails also pass through Halblech: the Allgäu Hiking Trilogy, the King Ludwig Way, the Lechhöhenweg, the Maximiliansweg and the Via Alpina. The hiking options therefore include both shorter, specifically described tours and trails covering greater distances.
The first stage of the Himmelsstürmer Route of the Allgäu Hiking Trilogy starts at the Kenzen car park. It leads through the Röthenbach Valley, past Bockstallsee and Wankerfleck, and on to the Kenzenhütte. Bockstallsee lies just before the idyllic high pasture of Wankerfleck, on the hiking trail through the Lobental valley to the hut. Many very old maple trees stand at Wankerfleck; from the high pasture, you can see the striking summit of Geiselstein.
For planning your hikes, two other routes offer different time estimates: The panoramic loop takes four hours. It starts at the Kenzen car park in Halblech, leads via the Mariengrotte to Trauchgau and returns to the starting point via the St. Peter viewpoint. The Bachweg takes about an hour to reach Buchenbergalm on Buchenberg; from there, you can enjoy views across the valley and its many lakes. The approximate one-hour walk along the Bachweg and the four-hour loop give you a concrete comparison when estimating your hiking time.
Lakes, Views and Summer Activities
Bannwaldsee lies at the foot of the Ammergebirge and is almost completely surrounded by reed belts and marsh meadows. Rare bird species nest in the surrounding area; the lake and its surroundings are within a nature reserve. Hegratsrieder See is a small bathing lake near the village of Greith. The two lakes lend different character to the landscape: Bannwaldsee is defined by its wetlands, while Hegratsrieder See is described as a bathing lake.
In summer, swimming and water sports such as sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, pedal boating and kayaking are possible on Forggensee. Within the municipality of Halblech, the lake is near Illasbergsee. Forggensee is generally full again from early June. The Buchenbergbahn is a double chairlift in the village of Buching and takes you up to an altitude of 1,142 metres. From there, you can see across the valley around Forggensee and take in eleven other lakes. This makes watersports on the lake and the viewpoint on Buchenberg two distinct focuses for an outing.
Insights into Local History
The production of whetstones is also part of Halblech’s history: special limestone slabs were quarried here and used to make sharpening stones. Together with the hiking trails, lakes and Kenzenhütte, they offer a range of themes to explore when planning your trip, from nature and outdoor activities to regional craft traditions.
Discover more destinations: Ronsberg, Obergünzburg, Seeg, Marktoberdorf, Eisenberg, Buchloe, Füssen, Oberostendorf.
For the main travel overview: Ostallgäu.
