Bike and hike to the Padauner Kogel

23.05.2025

Daniela Achmüller

Bike & Hike in the Woadl Valley - Padauner Kogel (2066m)

Take your bike and hike - For me, the Wipptal is the ideal region to enjoy easy to challenging bike tours away from the crowds and combine them with a hike. Breathtaking views are the final reward for your efforts. Bike & hike tours also offer a great advantage: if your legs are already a little tired on the way home, your bike is already ready for a significant part of the way back.

A Wipptal without borders at a glance

The Padauner Kogel is perhaps still one of the little insider tips, as the mountain hike is not very demanding, the mountain is not overcrowded and the view is impressive. Starting at the Nordkette mountain range, the Wipptal valley stretches south beyond the Brenner border. Not only can you marvel at some of the natural side valleys, you can also enjoy views of some of the peaks of the Stubai and Tux Alps during a well-earned snack.

The starting point is easily accessible and can be covered by gravel bike, road bike or mountain bike thanks to the asphalt road. Personally, I have ridden this route with slick tires and also with tread tires, but would ultimately recommend tires without studs.

Route

Starting from the north (e.g. Matrei or Steinach am Brenner), follow the signposted cycle path no. 33 towards Brenner until the beginning of the Padastertal valley in the Steinach district of Siegreith. This is where a forest path with gentle gradients begins as far as St. Jodok/Vals. This is the only non-asphalted part of the route. If you want to avoid it, cycle along the B182 main road and turn off in the direction of the mountaineering villages of Schmirntal/Valsertal/Valsertal.

Alternative starting point: a climate-friendly journey by train to St. Jodok/Vals station.

The cycle path to Brenner branches off in Steinach (Siegreith district) onto a wide forest path to St. Jodok

The route now leads through St. Jodok and continues along the Valserland road (approx. 1.5 km with a gradient of around 8%), where a fantastic view into the valley rewards the first efforts. The route continues along the Valsertal valley on the little-used road to the Padaun/Berg-Gasthof Steckholer junction. After the turn-off, serpentines lead to Padaun over a distance of around 2.8 km and an average gradient of 10%. Once at the top, I recommend staying on the road heading southwest until you reach the Larcherhof (farm) and parking your bike on the right at the signs for Padaunerkogel. Then follow trail no. 83 on small serpentines to the edge of the forest, then continue north over a wide ridge (Padauner Mähder). Up to the summit cross at an altitude of 2,066m, the impressive view to the Olperer (3,476m) always accompanies you on the east side.

Mountain panorama of the Vals Valley along the serpentines to the hamlet of Padaun

Path through the forest (left) and along the Padauner Madher to the Gifpel (right)

Once at the top, you are rewarded with a breathtaking 360° panorama. The mountain peaks of the Nordkette, the view of the famous Serles (2,717m) and the Blaser (2,241m), the view of the Nösslachjoch (2,231m) or the Bendelstein (2,436m) already have me planning the next tour in my head.