Gotzenalm

Anyone who crosses the threshold of Gotzenalm by mountain bike or on foot and lets their gaze wander across the vast alpine meadow toward Steinernes Meer feels as if they’ve arrived in paradise. The Gotzenalm mountain restaurant is idyllically situated in front of the mighty Watzmann east face, on the other side of Lake Königssee.

The Gotzenalm mountain restaurant is located in Berchtesgaden National Park on the high alpine pasture of the same name above Lake Königssee. Several alpine cheese dairies and the privately run mountain hut, the Gotzenalm mountain restaurant, define the landscape of the alpine pasture. From here, you can set out on hikes and mountain tours in the mountains of the Hagengebirge or continue on to Steinernes Meer.

Staying overnight at Gotzenalm

The Gotzenalm mountain restaurant treats you to a wide selection of hearty dishes, refreshing and hot beverages, as well as coffee and cake. Two dining rooms can accommodate more than 90 guests and invite you to linger in the warmth even when the weather is bad. The outdoor dining area offers about 120 cozy seats—either sheltered from the wind against the building’s wall or under shady umbrellas.

A total of 101 beds are available for overnight stays in rooms and dormitories—ranging from double rooms to a large dormitory for 16 people. Please note: Reservations are absolutely required.

Hike or mountain bike to Gotzenalm

Gotzenalm is also a worthwhile destination for a day trip. From the exit at the Jennerbahn’s middle station, you hike via Priesbergalm to Gotzenalm. Experienced mountaineers often start in Salet at the southern end of Lake Königssee and reach the “Gotzen” either via the Kaunersteig trail or through the Landtal valley. From Kessel, the on-demand stop for the Königssee boat service, a steep trail leads up to Gotzentalalm.

Another route to Gotzenalm follows the Hirschenlauf trail. The lower section of the trail runs at an elevation of about 1,400 meters between Priesbergalm and Gotzenalm. It is an easy mountain trail with no particular technical challenges and is marked as Alpine Club Trail 495.

For cyclists in top physical condition, the mountain bike tour to the Gotzenalm is both a athletic challenge and one of the true classics among mountain bike tours in the Berchtesgaden Alps.

Tip: Feuerpalven Viewpoint

Once you reach the top at the Gotzenalm, don’t miss the detour to Feuerpalven—sometimes spelled Feuerpalfen.

It’s just a ten-minute walk to the viewpoint. It’s located slightly below the 1,741-meter-high Warteck peak and thus 1,125 meters above Königssee. From the railing of the viewpoint, you’ll be treated to a breathtaking view down toward Königssee and the Sankt Bartholomä pilgrimage church on the opposite shore, below the Watzmann’s east face.