The Seeberg Circuit – one of my favorite hikes

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View from the Seebergkopf over Bayrischzell and the Leitzach Valley

The Seeberg loop - one of my favorite hikes

The Seeberg. The mountain that rises on the other side of the valley, opposite the Tannerhof. The reason for only four to five hours of sunshine in winter. The mountain whose name has puzzled me since childhood—because where, pray tell, is the lake? The mountain whose reputation was not exactly helped by the fact that we had to climb it in elementary school.

That has changed now. When I return to Bayrischzell after a long absence, the Seeberg is often one of the first mountains I climb. To say hello, to get an overview, to take stock: what’s new, what’s the same, are all the mountains where they belong?

Pfad auf der Nordseite der Seebergrunde — The path on the north side

The trail begins at the mini-golf course,

Follow the signs for Seeberg. You can reach it on foot from the Tannerhof front door in fifteen minutes, or if you’re meeting someone and running late, you can also go by bike or car. A hiking parking lot is available (5 EUR/day, free with a guest card).

I climb the first part of the hike directly up from Bayrischzell. When the view is clear, I catch glimpses of the valley through the trees as I gain altitude on the path. After about half an hour, I leave the shady north flank behind me, heading east, and Bayrischzell disappears from view. Now, with the Kleiner and Großer Traithen coming into view on my left, I follow the path through patches of relatively young forest, where a severe storm flattened entire sections decades ago; past the spot where our elementary school teacher showed us the herb-paris and drilled its toxicity into us, past the sparsely trickling St. Joseph Delicius spring, I finally reach the gate to the pasture and know the Neuhütte is not far off.

I could look out from here forever

Once at the hut, I sit down for a moment by the monolith known as "Auf der Wacht" and the bench in front of it. A plaque on the stone commemorates the mountain riflemen during the conflict between Tyrol and Bavaria from 1805-1809. It’s easy to imagine them stationed here as a lookout. The Ursprung Valley stretches out before me: with the bright winding road, the lush green meadows, and the soothingly dark forest climbing the slopes, the mountain foothills interlocking until they reach the vanishing point. I could look out from here forever. And yet, I must move on. The Seeberg is calling.

From the Neuhütte, I follow the blue-marked path that runs along the south side of the mountain with a gentle incline. In the distance, I catch a brief glimpse of the plateau with the Niederhofer and Klarer Alm, which my hike will take me across later. Surrounded by clouds, sometimes clear, sometimes just silhouettes, the Ruchenköpfe, Rotwand, and Hochmiesing put on a show for me as I make my way briskly to the Seebergalmen.

There, I keep right after the small stone wall. Gradually, the path becomes steeper, woodier, and rootier. Through the trees, I can see the sky like a promise about to be fulfilled. After two hours of walking and 800 meters of altitude, it lies before me: the bare crown of the Seebergkopf. Just a few more meters to the summit cross, where I breathe in the view.

Here in the valley, the view is clear, with wisps of clouds clinging to a few slopes.

Directly opposite rises the Wendelstein. To the east, you catch a glimpse of the mountains behind the mountains. And of the mountains behind the mountains behind the mountains. A bird’s-eye view of Bayrischzell. There’s the Tannerhof. The roof of the Alte Tann gleams, along with the towers, and, as a new addition, the Badeharpfe nestles against the hillside. My eyes follow the streets, the familiar paths through the village, which look laughably short from up here. Follow the Alpine road toward Osterhofen and Geitau, until it disappears in the direction of Schliersee and Fischbachau. Cars, tiny and bustling like ants. Clouds gather over the lowlands. I nod in contentment: everything is just as it should be.

Moving on.

The descent initially follows the same path back to the Seebergalmen. Coming from the mountain, I keep right and walk past the front of the alpine huts. Because the path isn't immediately obvious here, blue dots are generously scattered like breadcrumbs. The trail leads downward. Down through sparse spruce and larch trees until it ends on a forest road. I continue downhill on this road, while to the left, a view opens up of the plateau I had already seen on the way up to the Seebergalmen.

The road makes a wide curve, and passing the Klarer Alm, I reach a crossroads. Turning right would lead down to Geitau; I turn left and go through the gate. I look along the Wackbach Valley. In the distance, two old acquaintances greet me: the Kleiner and Großer Traithen. I linger on the forest road for a few hundred meters, but before I reach the Niederhoferalm, I cross to the right over the meadow, where a narrower path leads me further. Soon I leave the plateau behind, winding through the damp forest until I cross the Wackbach stream via a small metal bridge.

The path narrows to a trail. The valley grows tighter too; to the left, it rises steeply toward where the Neuhütte watches over the Ursprungtal. To the right, it drops sharply down to where the stream and time have carved basins into the rock. Its rushing water will keep me company all the way down. I relish the wilder mood of the valley, glancing up, then down, as the mountains grow taller with every step. And just as the Wackbach eventually meets the Sillbach to become the Aubach, which then turns into the Leitzach, my trail eventually peters out and joins the wider hiking path, which I follow toward Bayrischzell. The final stretch is a bit of a slog, true to the unwritten law of hiking: no matter how grueling the ascent, it’s always the last leg that drags on the most. It’s like the morning-after hangover—it’s always that very last beer.

But even the long slog comes to an end, and I reach the Kneipp pool, marking the Melkstatt. Now I can decide whether to take the direct path to the Tannerhof or continue along the foot of the Seeberg to the parking lot, following the Aubach—which only really carries water after heavy rain or the spring thaw. The sight makes my legs feel lighter.

I’m happy. That was a beautiful day.

Tour Overview

Length – approx. 15–16 km
Elevation gain – approx. 740 m
Starting altitude – approx. 800 m above sea level
Seebergkopf – 1538 m above sea level
Time – approx. 4.5–5.5 hours

Good physical fitness, sturdy footwear, sure-footedness, and a head for heights are required.

The mountain huts mentioned are not consistently open, so please check with the Bayrischzell municipal office beforehand or bring your own provisions.

The loop can be hiked in either direction.