Bike Tour: Umhausen Circuit

Umhausen - Platzl - Bodele - Tumpen - Platzl - Umhausen - Am Tauferberg - Umhausen
Length: 17 km; Time: 1.5 hours
Physical exertion: Light

With just under 500 meters of altitude difference, the Umhausen round is also suitable for less trained cyclists and children. Along the foaming Ötztaler Ache, the cyclist passes meadows and fields, reaches imposing rock walls, and reaches the Ötzi village – a cultural and adventurous highlight of the journey – where the life of the "Iceman" is reenacted – educational and entertaining at the same time. And with a lot of fun. The bikes mainly roll over natural ground, especially flat field paths allow for enjoyable progress.

Umhausen is the starting point of this route. Head north on the "Ötztal Mountainbike Trail", which runs through the entire Ötztal. Our section runs along the Ötztaler Ache, one of the most water-rich tributaries of the Inn. Thanks to the foaming river, the climate here is pleasantly temperate with a moist, fresh breeze.

So follow the water and pass the next larger town: Platzl. The next stop is Tumpen – known for its impressive rock wall, the "Engelswand". The legendary rock serves as a climbing garden for adventurers and offers a choice of 70 different routes of varying difficulty levels. The meadow at the foot of the wall is perfect for a rest. Here, you can watch the climbers and maybe even plan your own climbing tour.

After a sufficient rest, head back in the southern direction, where on the outskirts of Umhausen, on the Tauferberg, the open-air museum "Ötzidorf" retells the history of the Ötztal. Naturally, great emphasis is placed on the glacier mummy and what life may have looked like back then. Reconstructed scenes and models bring the daily life of that time into the present – presenting science on a level understandable to all. Children can learn how to make fire, bake flatbread, and handle a bow and arrow. In addition, aurochs, wild horses, woolly pigs, sheep, and goats provide a prehistoric-animal atmosphere, and the cozy restaurant serves not only regional Tyrolean delicacies but also Stone Age food.

After visiting the Ötzidorf, it's worth taking a detour to the nearby "Stuibenfall" in Niederthai. Here, you would need to plan a little more time and distance than originally estimated. With an almost 160 meters of waterfall height, the Stuibenfall earned the title of "Highest Waterfall in Tyrol". The natural monument is surrounded by a suspension bridge and several viewing platforms, and is well developed with hiking trails and dining options. A via ferrata, suitable for children over 10 years old, challenges adrenaline junkies with two rope bridges and wire ropes. The path runs over scree slopes and eventually along the rock wall – even crossing the waterfall. You should plan about three hours for the climbing tour. In the summer months, the waterfall is illuminated with romantic floodlights every Wednesday at dusk.

After conquering the water spirits, you can relax and unwind back in Umhausen. In the bathing lake, in the Kneipp facility, or in one of the charming, artistically painted inns.