Opening hours:
closed
Difficulty:
easy
Length:
3.3 km
Elevation uphill:
36 m
:
Style: Skating, Classic
You'll be lucky if you can still understand your own words here. What Sturm und Drang was to the poets, Gischt und Gebraus' is to the Isel. You will witness the wild youth of a glacial river.
A stage characterized by waterfalls like no other. The Iseltrail initially leads directly along the banks of the river, then swings into the cool mountain forest on the shady side of the valley in sections. The valley becomes much narrower and the gradient increases. At Ströden you reach the first waterfalls in the Glo Gorge. It is clearly visible from a rocky pulpit. This is followed by the Ströden waterfall and, after the Islitzeralm, the mighty Upper and Lower Umbal Falls. The latter are accessible via platforms that form part of the water show trail. After this, the forest line is crossed and the path through the treeless, narrow high valley is now just a narrow path. Stop for refreshments at the Islitzeralm or at the end at the Clarahütte.
A good two kilometres after Hinterbichl, the Isel shows its wild face again: here, with an enormous roar, it plunges over several steps through the deeply cut Gloschlucht. Spray mist rises from the huge crevice. A rock pulpit offers a view of the massive cataracts.
A new spur trail and a viewing platform provide even deeper insights into this natural jewel
At Ströden (view from the bridge to the somewhat higher Ströden cataract), the Iseltrail joins the road that takes you to the famous waterfalls Umbalfälle and the hut Islitzeralm (refreshments). The waterfalls are the gateway to the high alpine wilderness of the Hohe Tauern National Park. The award-winning "Wasserschaupfad" (water show path) with several viewing platforms lets you get up close to the dramatic force of the water. The equally impressive upper falls can currently only be glimpsed from the path.
Above the cataracts, the traces of civilisation are visibly disappearing: wide, treeless high valleys and glaciers shining down from the heights dominate the scenery on the way to the hut Clarahütte. Here you can spend the night. The hut is built spectacularly into the slope because of the danger of avalanches and falling rocks. If you want to spend the night here, you should definitely reserve a place to sleep in good time.
