Lagaun Valley, Taschenjöchl & Berglalm Mountain Hut

The untouched Lagauntal Valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in South Tyrol. The trail up to the former Heilbronn hut and the Tascheljöchl provide a breathtaking long-distance view of numerous 3000m-peaks. On the way to Berglalm Mountain Hut, we pass through idyllic high mountain terrain with expansive larch forests.

Leaving the car park in Maso Corto/Kurzras (2,011 m), first of all we go over to the Lazaun cable car station and travel up to Wieshof farm with its small chapel. This is the start of trail no. 4 / A4 (archaeological trail) that goes up through beautiful larch and Swiss pine forests. After about 1.5 hours, we arrive in the Lagauntal Valley, an untouched high mountain valley with a small lake, high mountain moors and rare flora. We follow the ancient water channel for a while into this valley until we reach a signpost indicating archaeological discoveries from the Mesolithic Period, which proves that hunters were already active in this region 8000 years ago. The trail now drops down to Lagaunbach stream which we cross on the wooden bridge. At the next fork, we take a right and continue along trail no. 4. Passing over a moraine slope, the trail continues upwards to a small plateau and on in hairpin fashion, at times very steep, but on solid ground, to the summit cross at Tascheljöchl with the ruins of the Heilbronn hut (2,772 m). The hut belonged to the Heilbronn branch of the German Alpine Association and was burnt to the ground in 1932. In the place of the old hut, the Schlanders Alpine Association built a small shelter in 1999 with a bench and table, inviting people to linger a while. The large Tascheljöchl plateau is the crossing into the Schlandrauntal Valley that leads to Silandro/Schlanders. The view from up here is magnificent, the Weißkugel with its 3,738 m glows from a distance, in the middle is the Grawandspitze, to the right the Similaun and below, the vibrant green of Vernagt reservoir. Descending, we pass by the fork on trail no. 5, always heading towards the reservoir. Going down the hairpin pathway, we come to the quaint Berglalm Mountain Hut (2,214 m) situated on a small lake and open for business. After a short respite and some refreshments, we continue first of all on trail no. 13 and later on trail no. 5, crossing over the Gerstgras lands towards the Lagauntal Valley. On the way into the Lagauntal Valley, there is a striking hole on the left with the distinctive name “bear trap”. You should take a little time for this section of the trail to properly appreciate the wonderful tree population that has been growing here for centuries and that has defied weather and lightning, because these are probably the oldest Swiss pines in South Tyrol. After the bridge over the Lagaunbach stream, we take the trail upwards for a short stretch, passing over the rising trail no. 4, back to the starting point in Maso Corto.

Naturno/Naturns - Schnalstal Valley - Maso Corto/Kurzras

parking place in front of the village Maso Corto/Kurzras in summer to pay, unguarded; in winter free, unguarded

with the bus line no. 261 to Maso Corto/Kurzras