Großer Ahornboden, Almdorf Eng and the Eng bus

Known as the heart of the Nature Park Karwendel, the Große Ahornboden is famous beyond its borders. No wonder: The gentle expanse of this natural treasure stands in impressive contrast to the surrounding rugged and steep mountains. Its incredible scenery makes the Ahornboden a popular excursion for nature lovers and beckons (hobby) painters to set up their easels.

At the end of the Rißtal valley, where one of the most beautiful landscapes of the Alps opens up, the Große Ahornboden boasts one of nature’s most stunning spectacles. Over 2,200 sycamore maple trees, some of which are over 600 years old and producing a blaze of colour in autumn, grow here. Already in 1927, the trees were declared a natural monument. It is unclear how this extensive tree population developed in the area. For centuries, the valley floor has been used as pastureland, maybe there was an interruption over long periods of time because of cattle epidemics or the Thirty Years’ War.

Many cows graze in summer on the Große Ahornboden. At the Eng Alm, Tirol’s oldest mountain hut with a thousand-year history, the milk is processed into butter and cheese. For many years, the cheesemaker has made excellent cheeses, and you can watch the expert at work. Or you can just enjoy the delicacies on the sun terrace which is gorgeously backdropped by the mighty mountains. The products are also available to buy at the dairy farm shop.