Gmünd: Winter Trail, Alpine Pasture Route and Mountain Bike Loop
Accommodation in Gmünd
The route explicitly described as a winter trail is the winter hiking trail into the Schwarzachtal: It starts at the Gasthof Kühle Rast in Gerlos-Gmünd, runs through a narrow belt of woodland and ends at the Jausenstation Schwarzachalm. There is also a mountain bike loop, a trail to the Wimmertalalm and an art trail around the Gmünd Reservoir, offering different options for day plans. When choosing accommodation in Gmünd, these different highlights can help you plan your days here.
File:Beginn des Wimmertals in Gmünd - panoramio.jpg
Photo: sony@100 via Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-3.0
Mountain biking: Loop and pump track
The Waldspielplatz mountain bike practice trail in Gerlos-Gmünd is about 600 metres long and forms a loop ridden counterclockwise. At the start of the descent are two hairpin bends, or steep banked turns. This specifies the length, direction of travel and a particular feature of the route: the bends are at the beginning of the descent, not somewhere else on the loop.
Since summer 2021, a pump track has complemented the MTB practice trail in Abenteuerland Gerlos. It is right next to the Waldspielplatz; the facility is maintained seasonally. The loop and the pump track are separate parts of the mountain biking offer. The approximate 600-metre figure refers to the length of the loop, not the time it takes to ride it.
On foot to the Wimmertal
Hiking trail No. 6 leads from the Wimmertal, which branches off near Gerlos-Gmünd, past the Eggehtenalm to the Jausenstation Wimmertalalm. It takes about 45 minutes to get there. The Wimmertal is suitable for leisurely walkers, and the alpine pasture is a specific destination for this hike. With the Eggehtenalm as an intermediate point, the route offers a different kind of orientation from a loop with a set direction of travel.
The time information is also easy to distinguish: the mountain bike practice trail is described by its approximate length, while the walk to the Wimmertalalm is described by the approximate time to reach the destination. These are different planning considerations.
Winter hiking and art at the reservoir
The winter hiking trail into the Schwarzachtal starts at the Gasthof Kühle Rast in Gerlos-Gmünd. It runs through a narrow belt of woodland to the Jausenstation Schwarzachalm. As a seasonal winter route, it differs from the mountain bike practice trail and the route into the Wimmertal both in its seasonal focus and in the route described. This makes it clear which trail is explicitly designated as a winter hiking trail when planning your trip.
The Lebensfreude circular trail at the Gmünd Reservoir offers a different experience. In 2025, Zillertal artist HAKI created six installations, which form the trail’s stations. The installations invite you to pause at the reservoir and engage with the surrounding natural environment. Here, the focus is on the six art installations and their connection to the natural setting, rather than on route length or walking time.
These activities offer different points of reference for planning your days: a mountain bike loop with a stated length and direction of travel, a trail with an approximate time to reach the alpine pasture, a seasonal winter hike and an art trail with six stations. This makes it easy to match your choice of accommodation to the excursions that best suit your travel dates and interests.
Discover more destinations: Pill, Schwendau, Aschau Im Zillertal, Hochpillberg, Hart Im Zillertal, Bruck Am Ziller, Terfens, Hippach-Schwendberg.
Go to the main travel overview: Schwaz District.
