Northern Half of the Meraner Höhenweg with Hotel Before and After

Today you will arrive in Merano, where we have arranged a hotel room for you. Spend the afternoon exploring the town’s gardens and views. Enjoy some local Italian food, and make sure to get a good rest before your trek.

This route is a detour set up by the authorities of the Meraner Höhenweg. The Meraner Höhenweg Trail No. 24 between Katharinaberg and the Pfossental is temporarily closed due to the risk of falling rocks. Instead, you must use the local detour from Sellboden via Tumlhof and along the road into the Pfossental until Nassreidhof. This detour adds about 1.5 hours to the hiking time, and signs are in place to guide you through this section.

From Katharinaberg, the route leads towards Sellboden. Here, you will leave the original closed trail and follow the detour via Tumlhof. Continue along the road into the Pfossental valley until you reach Nassreidhof. Trail No. 24 after Nassreidhof is now open, so you can rejoin the usual route through the valley from this point. The route then runs parallel to the Rio Val di Fosse and a series of rapids and waterfalls before reaching the Mitterkaser Alm and Rableidalm mountain huts. The profile shows a steady incline towards the Upper Pfossental.

After a long, steady approach through the Pfossental valley, you will arrive at Eishof. Once you reach the end, the most challenging part of the trek is over, and you can relax after following a clear but demanding route which includes a significant detour through the lower valley.

Alternative 1: From Katharinaberg, take public bus line 261, which departs every hour at :27, to the “Abzweigung Pfossental” stop. From there, walk along the provincial road to the Pfossental valley.

Alternative 2: Shuttle and taxi services are available in the area. Two local operators are Taxi Spechtenhauser, reachable at +39 333 837 9638, and Shuttle Helmuth, reachable at +39 348 498 4756.