It's a good thing that the Ötztal doesn't hide its natural treasures very well: countless waterfalls, the wild Ötztaler Ache river and one or two three-thousand-meter peaks can be seen from the saddle on the Ötztal Cycle Trail.
The Ötztal Cycle Trail stretches for almost 50 kilometers, connecting Haiming (663 meters) at the head of the valley with Sölden (1,360 meters), surrounded by the imposing three-thousand-meter peaks of the Ötztal Alps. Highlights along the route: Area 47 adventure park, Habicher See lake, Stuibenfall waterfall, Aqua Dome thermal spa and impressive cycle bridges over the mountain rivers. The cycle path leads far away from the main road through nature, small side roads and villages where delicacies invite you to take a break. It is ideal for families thanks to the good road conditions and moderate gradients. Divided into four short stages, it can also be completed in one day by fit cyclists.
The cycle path starts in the center of Haiming and leads via the hamlets of Magerbach and Schlierenzau to Ötztal Bahnhof where the route runs several hundred meters parallel to the railway tracks and bends southwards at the height of Area 47. Along the rushing Ötztaler Ache brook you cycle to Oetz, where you continue along the Ötztal federal road. Just before Tumpen you conquer a strenuous ascent. The cycle path changes from asphalt to gravel (in the second turn) and takes you through a small forest to Tumpen. Here the cycle path changes to the eastern side of the valley, following a quite easy ascent past Engelswand rock face and towards Umhausen. Here you cross the road again, continuing on the winding route past Umhausen's football field, west of Ötztaler Ache mountain brook. The cycle path continues along the Ache to the Köfels junction and on a gravel path towards Au. At the end of it, an asphalt path leads above the roaring Ötztaler Ache over two newly built and spectacular bike bridges. After the second bridge, turn left into a steep forest. At the end of the forest, an underpass leads to the other side of the street. At the next intersection, turn right to Winklen, from here along the Hamlets Unterried, Lehn and Oberried you finally reach Längenfeld and after that Huben. Leaving behind Huben, the bike trail crosses the federal road again and runs parallel until you reach the hamlet of Bruggen. Here you cross the federal road for the last time. In Aschbach the path leads over a bridge, then uphill and slightly sloping down to the next bridge overpass. Keep to the east at the next fork-off and do NOT ride towards the Dog Pension but downhill to the valley floor where a bridge crosses the river. The last part of the Ötztal Cycle Trail takes you on the eastern shore of Ötztaler Ache to the village of Sölden.
Enjoy a both comfortable and relaxing train ride to the train station in Ötztal Bahnhof. You get off the train in ÖTZTAL Bahnhof where you change to a public bus or local taxi. The current bus schedule can be found at: http://fahrplan.vvt.at
The following parking facilities are available in Haiming:
Ötztal Radweg Gesamtstrecke(11)
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