Büchsenalm

High above Königssee, at an elevation of 1,200 meters, lies Büchsenalm. From Königsbachalm, which is located a little lower down, you can reach this idyllic alpine pasture via a short detour.

The Königssee alpine pastures: A hiking favorite

The alpine pastures around Lake Königssee are among the region’s most popular hiking destinations. Hikers, mountaineers, and mountain bikers alike appreciate these welcoming mountain retreats as perfect places to take a break and enjoy local specialties. Tucked away above Königsbachalm, however, Büchsenalm lies a little off the beaten path. Here, you'll discover an idyllic alpine landscape and the peace and quiet that make this corner of Berchtesgaden so special.

There are three alpine pasture huts, known as “Kaser,” at Büchsenalm. The two lower huts, Ödkaser and Simonkaser, are lower pastures of Gotzenalm, while the higher Grafenkaser is a lower pasture of Königsbergalm. This means that Büchsenalm is only open in early and late summer, as the alpine cattle spend the summer grazing on the high alpine pastures.

A victim of the log drive

A votive plaque at Museum Schloss Adelsheim, Berchtesgaden’s local history museum, commemorates the tragic fate of 14-year-old Maria Kurz, who worked as a Kiahdirndl—a young woman who tended cattle on an alpine pasture—at Büchsenalm in 1860. On July 7, while crossing the Königsbach stream, she was swept away by floodwaters carrying logs and was later found dead on the shore of Lake Königssee.