If you have been to Oberstdorf, it is hard to miss the mighty Nebelhorn looming in the background. One of the best ways to summit Nebelhorn is via the infamous Gleitweg to Seealpsee from Oytal. This trail is widely considered as one of the most picturesque hiking trails in Allgäu. Therefore, if there is one trail you want to discover in Allgäu, this could just be the perfect solution!
In this blogpost, I spill every single detail you need to know to hike this gorgeous trail and enjoy an amazing day in the Allgäu Alps.
Contents
- What is Oytal Gleitweg to Nebelhorn?
- Why choose Gleitweg to Seealpsee and Nebelhorn?
- Getting to Oberstdorf
- Public Transportation
- Car/Motorbike
- Oytal Gleitweg to Nebelhorn via Seealpsee
- Best time to visit Fellhorn
- Best time to hike Nebelhorn via Gleitweg
- Things to know about Gleitweg, Seealpsee, Nebelhorn
- Costs
- Transportation
- Food
- My Gleitweg Ascent to Nebelhorn via Seealpsee
- Ready, Set, Go!
What is Oytal Gleitweg to Seealpsee and Nebelhorn?
Gleitweg is a hiking trail from Oytal to Seealpsee in Oberstorf and is one of the most beautiful trails in the area. The term ‘Gleitweg’ translates to ‘gliding path’. Before hiking this trail, this term sounded a bit ominous to me. Perhaps there was a possibility of ‘gliding’ down the mountain if I didn’t focus on every step? However, I now realise that the exorbitant amount of scree on the narrow paths coupled with all the tiny waterfalls along the way fed by Seealpsee makes this trail a very slippery affair! Therefore, it is likely that the trail is named as Gleitweg simply because slipping on this trail is altogether not a distant possibility.
A lot of sections are also exposed which guarantees gorgeous views towards the valley for a good section of the hike. However, if you have a fear of heights or struggle with sure-footedness, this trail is definitely not for you. In case you would like an introduction to alpine hiking before embarking on this adventure, I would highly recommend glancing through my guide to alpine hiking!
Why choose Oytal Gleitweg to Seealpsee and Nebelhorn?
Nebelhorn is the queen of Oberstdorf. There are so many trails leading to its summit. There is even a cable car that goes directly to the summit! But the gleitweg remains my favorite way to reach Nebelhorn! The sheer versatility that is offered in this trail truly sets it apart. The entire hike also has so many exit points! Here are some of my favorite ways to shorten this hike:
- Looking for a leisurely walk followed by a grandiose feast in a mountain hut surrounding by the mighty Allgäu Alps? Stop your hike at at Oytalhaus! This option is also winter friendly.
- Looking for a gorgeous yet challenging hike with picture – perfect valley views followed by a dip in a glacier lake? Stop your hike in Seealpsee and return with either the cable car or the shorter sign posted route down the mountain!
- Looking for a challenging summit hike with mighty views? Ascend all the way to Nebelhorn and enjoy that summit feeling!
There really is something for everyone here and this little detail makes it one of my favourite hikes in Allgäu. However, this hike is a challenging hike and if you are a beginner, I would suggest Jochberg, Rotwand or Brecherspitz to get a some hiking experience before attempting this one.
Getting to Seealpsee and Nebelhorn via Oytal Gleitweg
This hike could be a little long to be done as a day trip from Munich using public transportation as the full ascend to Nebelhorn via Oytal takes at least six hours. The travel time to Oberstdorf from Munich is just under three hours. Thus, a better alternative would be to start from somewhere like Kempten or even Oberstdorf. When I attempted this hike, I arrived in Oberstdorf the previous evening and started in the early hours of dawn the next day. Irrespective of where you choose to start from, as Munich is the biggest city in the area, this section will feature directions from Munich.
Public Transportation to Oberstdorf
Getting to the trailhead of this hike from Munich takes approximately three hours. Depending on your time of departure from Munich, you could either take a direct train to Oberstdorf or switch at Buchloe, Immenstadt or Kempten and continue in another regional train (RE) to Oberstdorf. More information regarding the train schedules can be found here (The departure and arrival stations must be mentioned as ‘München Hbf’ and ‘Oberstdorf’ respectively).
From the train station, the trailhead is just 10 to 15 minutes on foot!
Car/Motorbike to Oberstdorf from Munich
Driving from Munich to Oberstdorf is far easier than opting for public transportation. If you would prefer to drive, put this GPS co-ordinates in your navigation device! The co-ordinates correspond to the paid parking lot from where you can start the hike. The drive time from Munich to this location is about two hours.
Note: As Oberstdorf is a popular hiking town and this is one of the central parking lots, you may not be able to find a spot during summer weekends if you arrive after 10 am! The parking fee is also on the pricier side at 10 EUR for the whole day.
Oytal Gleitweg to Nebelhorn via Seealpsee
Trailhead: Link
Nebelhorn is 2224m tall and definitely a beast of a mountain to summit! This hiking trail via Oytal is one of the longer ascends to Nebelhorn. The trail can be divided into four sections:
- Oberstdorf (813m) – Oytalhaus (1010m)
- Oytalhaus (1010m) – Seealpsee (1628m)
- Seealpsee (1628m) – Bergstation Höfatsblick (1932m)
- Bergstation Höfatsblick (1932m) – Nebelhorn (2224m)
Oberstdorf to Oytalhaus
With a very minimal altitude variation of 200 metres, this is by far the easiest part of the hike and the perfect warm up stretch for the grueling ascend. My preferred path to Oytalhaus is via Trettachtal and Oybach. There is also an alternate way via Oytalstraße. Having hiked both of these paths, I found the way through Trettachtal way more picturesque! Irrespective of the path, the hike to Oytalhaus takes about ninety minutes from Oberstdorf.
Before reaching Oytalhouse, there is a canopied path leading to it. While on this path, if you look to the left, you will spot rocky mountains and tiny waterfalls. Seealpsee is at the very top of these mountains!
Gleitweg: Oytalhaus to Seealpsee
Upon reaching Oytalhaus, continue straight ahead and you will spot the first marked signs to Seealpsee via Gleitweg. This was my favourite part of the hike! Although the initial few miles had a lot of scree, it goes by quite quickly. Once, a decent altitude is reached, the trail opens up and the view of the valley slowly unfolds. There was also a tiny waterfall crossing, a few sections supported by cables and some exposed sections where sure-footedness is absolutely necessary.
With an altitude difference of approximately 700m, this section took me about two and a half hours at a leisurely pace. Depending on the number of photo stops and breaks you wish to take, you could factor in an extra half an hour. This trail is also a black trail i.e., only meant for experienced hikers. The path is exposed, has steep drops and lots and lots of scree. Therefore, if you are a beginner, this trail will be very challenging and thus, highly not recommended!
Seealpsee to Bergstation Höfatsblick
This section offers the best views of Seealpsee. The path is paved and the difficulty of the hike drops a couple of levels as this section is made suitable for beginner hikers ascending via the cable car. The hike also suddenly gets very busy if you plan to visit on a sunny weekend as this is a very popular tourist destination in the Allgäu Alps! This stretch took me about ninety minutes with an altitude variation of 300m.
Bergstation Höfatsblick to Nebelhorn
The summit of Nebelhorm becomes clearly visible from Höfatsblick. Although it is the perfect spot to take a quick break and recharge your legs a bit, the fact that the summit is right there makes the adrenaline flow through you! I barely stopped before continuing further ahead. From this spot, there are two ways to the peak, an unpaved path and a paved path. Although the unpaved path is clearly marked as something for experienced hikers, it is more of intermediate trail than an advanced trail as per the alpine grading in Germany. Either way, the summit is approximately an hour away with an altitude difference of 300m.
Descent to Oberstdorf
There are three options to reach Oberstdorf after summitting Nebelhorn:
- Cable Car from Nebelhorn summit
If the thought of a four hour descent is daunting, then the cable car is your best friend! It takes about twenty minutes to the base of Nebelhorn with this option. However, the ticket to the base station costs about 40 EUR. So, although it is quick, it is also expensive 😉 - Descent via Oytal Gleitweg
This is a long trail for a descent. It takes about four hours to get to Oytalhaus. However, there is an option to rent a roller bike from Oytalhaus for 7 EUR that can save you the long walk back to Oberstdorf from Oytalhaus - Descent via Seealpe to Oberstdorf
This takes about three to four hours. However, there is a clear view of the cable car most of the times and that can take some of the beauty away! This is the fastest way down if you do not want to take the cable car.
Best time to hike to Seealpsee and Nebelhorn via Gleitweg
I hiked this exact trail in the middle of June on a bright sunny day and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I only recommend hiking up Nebelhorn in the summer months (June to September). During the winter, Oytal Gleitweg is completely blocked off due to threat of avalanches. Therefore, this trail is a complete no go during the autumn, winter and spring months. However, the path until Oytalhaus is also accessible during winter and is perfect for a nice winter walk!
Moreover, as this area is very popular with tourists, weekends can get really crowded in the areas accessible to cable cars (i.e., from Seealpsee to Nebelhorn). Therefore, if it is possible to hike over a week, I would highly recommend that instead of the weekend.
Lastly, if skiing is on your agenda, Oberstdorf is definitely a great addition to your winter itinerary. This area is a perfect destination for winter sports. It is also possible (and a LOT of fun) to hike upto Seealpe and rent a rodelbahn from there to Oberstdorf in winter.
Things to know about Gleitweg, Seealpsee, Nebelhorn
- Most of the trail belongs to ‘Naturschutzgebiet Allgäuer Hochalpen’ (Allgaeu High Alps Nature Reserve). Free camping, campfires, paragliding, and drones are strictly prohibited within the national park!
- Although I encountered very few people on Oytal Gleitweg itself, due to the easy accessibility of the summit and Seealpsee with Nebelhornbahn, the region after Gleitweg i.e., from Seealpsee to Nebelhorn is perennially crowded. Therefore, in order to truly appreciate the beauty of the region, I would highly recommend hiking during the week.
- The trail from Oytalhaus to Seealpsee is only recommended for hikers with some hiking experience. This is because the trail is partially exposed in some areas. If you have a fear of heights, this trail is an absolute no-go! Hiking poles are not exactly a necessity for this hike but having hiking shoes with a sturdy sole is non negotiable. A general overview of the hiking difficulties and all the other necessary equipment required to hike in the Alps is listed in this blog post. Although not all of them are required for this hike, it is very helpful to be aware as to why hikers opt to carry certain equipment.
Costs
Transportation
If you are traveling from Munich with a group of friends, I would highly recommend purchasing the Bayern ticket! Bayern Ticket is a day ticket that lets you travel all around Bavaria in regional trains. This Ticket costs 26 EUR for one person and 8 EUR for every additional person (upto 5 people). i.e.,
- If you are traveling alone, you would pay 26 EUR
- If you are traveling with a friend, you would pay 26 + 8 = 34 EUR (for 2 people, 17 EUR per person)
More details regarding Bayern ticket is linked here.
If you are planning to take the cable car, Nebelhornbahn is priced at 48,50 EUR for a round trip and 36,50 EUR for a one way trip to the valley. More details regarding the cable cars (opening hours etc.) can be found here. Parkplatz in Oberstdorf typically charge a parking fee of 10 EUR for the entire day.
Food
It is a hiking tradition in Germany to dine at mountain huts after summiting. Therefore, for a complete alpine hiking expereince, I would usually suggest indulging in a hearty meal at one of the huts (Oytalhaus, Höfatsblick, Gipfelhaus)! In any mountain hut, a meal with a drink of choice would cost you between 15 to 20 EUR. As Nebelhorn is a bit touristy, it could be that the rates here are a tad bit higher here!
It is also always a good idea to carry some snacks to munch on during the hike. I typically get trail mixes, snickers and banana. If you need some insight regarding the kind of snacks to buy, the ‘smart snacks’ section of this blogpost should give you a fair idea! The snack costs for two people from a decent supermarket would be around 15 to 20 EUR.
My Gleitweg Experience to Seealpsee and Nebelhorn
A few moons ago in the peak of quarantine days, my hiking buddies attempted this very hike when I was in isolation. The number of nature thirst traps that they posted on Instagram from this gorgeous hike convinced me immediately that I MUST experience the ‘Oytal Gleitweg’ some day. Several failed attempts followed and two years later, I headed to Oberstdorf on a Friday evening, pulled an overnighter in a hostel and started this hike on a lovely Saturday morning in my brand new hiking shoes! I will never know if it was the joy of getting new hiking shoes or the frustration at having put off this hike for two years that finally made me cave but all I can say is this hike was every bit as amazing as I had expected it to be!
Ascent to Seealpsee and Nebelhorn via Oytal Gleitweg
Since I started at the crack of dawn, I had this super busy trail all to myself! I not only beat the crowds heading to Oytalhaus from Oberstdorf but also the cable car crowd descending from Seealpsee all the way down to Oytalhaus. As this trail is quite narrow in many parts, it was indeed a blessing to be all alone, surrounded by the mighty alps.
My initial plan was to hike till Seealpsee and return via Seealpe to complete a perfect round trip. However, the beautiful Nebelhorn looming mighty and tall had other plans. By now, we have established that plans are non-existent in my world and common sense is a scarce commodity in my brain. Upon reaching Seealpsee, despite knowing that I had not entirely broken into my new hiking shoes, I decided to head to Nebelhorn.
Although at that point, I had about four years of hiking experience, this sport ALWAYS teaches me something new. On this particular day, it was not the mere existence of huge mountains that humbled me but rather the sheer stupidity of hiking over 2000 m in a brand new pair of hiking shoes.
The adrenaline kept me going but little did I know that my ankles were embellished with blisters and scratches of all shapes and sizes! I found out about them at the summit restaurant while gorging into my favourite dessert and to this day, I have no idea how I didn’t feel any discomfort on the way up. But once I found out, it was a definite RIP descent a.k.a., shortly after, I was on a cable car heading home only to be disappointed by the horrendous crowds in the train back home thanks to the 9 EUR ticket 😉
Well…
I can’t win it all, I suppose!
Ready, Set, Go!
Although Nebelhorn is hardly a secret, the hike through Oytal Gleitweg most defintely is! This trail is a very rewarding experience and make you fall more in love with the outdoors. Therefore, I highly recommend adding this hike to your summer hiking itinerary!
Before you embark on your hiking adventure, I also recommend skimming through my mountain hiking guide for an unparalleled overview on alpine hiking. Further, all the equipment required to conquer an alpine hike is also discussed in this blog post.
If you are looking for another hiking experience in Germany, I cannot recommend the following hikes enough:
- Schrecksee – The highest mountain lake in the German Alps
- Archenkanzel – Hidden viewpoint over lake Königssee
- Rubihorn – A complete Allgäu Experience with postcard views
- Rotwand – An easy beginner appropriate summit hike
- Kramerspitz – The perfect day hike from Munich
- Jochberg – Quick Beginner Mountain Hike in Kochel
- Brauneck – Day Hike easily accessible from Munich
Have any other questions? Leave them in the comments below!
