The Gleirschklamm round

Technical difficulty: 3/10
Fitness: 3/10
Objective danger: 2/10 (some sketchy sections on the last downhill)
Landscape: 6/10
Busy: 7/10

An easy round starting from the village of Scharnitz (close to the German border). Runs through a beautiful gorge and around the river with a very unique look for Austria.

Starting point: Parking at Infocenter in Scharnitz
Ending point: Parking at Infocenter in Scharnitz
Length: 13km
Vertical: 300m
Speed: Mostly very runnable trails and forest roads

Route:

Today I've got a fantastic trail for you. We're exploring a route that begins and ends at the tourist Infocenter parking lot in Scharnitz, a small village on the way to Garmisch-Partenkirchen close to the german border.

From the parking lot, head east up the valley, moving away from the village. Almost immediately, you'll spot a trail veering off to the right from the main road. This trail is called Isarsteig, and takes you directly onto a narrow singletrack.

Keep going on Isarsteig for about a kilometer. You'll then connect to a forest road that keeps you going in the same direction. Look for signs pointing to Scharnitzer Alm; that's where you're headed next.

Continue on this forest road, which changes its name to Nederweg and you'll eventually come to a bridge over a river. This is the start of the Gleirschklamm gorge! Follow the signs pointing south into the gorge. Don't worry; the trail is narrow but not scary. It's also quite safe, so you can enjoy the stunning views without any stress.

When you reach the end of the gorge, you'll find another bridge over the river. Here, you'll also see another trail that keeps going southwest (ignore this one). If you're in the mood for a quick dip, there's a little swimming spot right there. Feel free to take a break and cool off!

Cross the bridge and keep going. You'll be climbing a bit higher above the river this time. Soon enough, you'll hit a flatter section. You'll then reconnect with a forest road, which gives you two options for your journey back.

For the return trip, you can stay on the forest road if you like. It's a longer path but has a gentle slope, making for a relaxed run back to the parking lot. However, if you're up for a little adventure, I recommend taking a shortcut through Isarsteig again. This path will take you back down to the river and eventually connect you back to the forest road further down (you can follow the attached GPS track).

Whichever way you choose, the final part of the run is pretty straightforward. Just keep going downhill until you find yourself back in the tourist Infocenter parking lot in Scharnitz.

Pro tip: this is an amazing place to go on a hot summer day as it stays nice and cool in the gorge.

Photos by @the.running.nomad