Wild ridges, quiet moors, ibex – and Sonnblick is right in the middle.
Kaunergrat Nature Park was founded more than 20 years ago. It is named after the Kaunergrat, a rugged, wild mountain range between the Pitztal and Kaunertal valleys.
Even more impressive than the figures is the landscape: hardly any other north–south mountain range in Tyrol shows such a wild character over such a short distance. Rocky cirques, steep peaks, icy glaciers and centuries-old cultural landscapes lie along the 28 kilometres between the Inn floodplains (750 m) in the north and the Wildspitze (3,768 m) in the south.
Hotel Sonnblick in Plangeross lies right in the nature park – the ideal starting point for discovering it right outside the hotel door, in summer and in winter.
Opened in 2007, the nature park house is considered the gateway to the nature park – because of its scenic location at Gachenblick, where people have left their traces for thousands of years, but also because of its architecture.
The exhibition “3000 m VERTIKAL” and the restaurant’s sun terrace make it a rewarding excursion destination.
Kaunergrat Nature Park
At 2,288 m, the Rifflsee is considered the largest cirque lake in the Ötztal Alps. On easy circular trails you enjoy the view of the mountain lake, which is easy to reach thanks to the Rifflsee lift – just 2 km from Sonnblick.
The Kaunergrat hut is the highest mountain hut in the Pitztal. With an ascent of around four hours, it is a demanding day trip for mountain hikers.
Climbers and alpinists head over the well-known east ridge to the Wazespitze (3,532 m), the highest peak of the Kaunergrat.
The nature park has collected the most beautiful places of the Pitztal–Kaunertal–Fliess nature park region in its top 10 – from moor to glacier.
To the top 10
The ibex adorns the coat of arms of the municipality of St. Leonhard. Following its reintroduction in the 1950s, a colony of around 1,200 animals lives here today and is considered the largest in the Eastern Alps.
Opened in 2020, the Tyrolean Ibex Centre is dedicated to the eventful relationship between people, nature and culture in the Pitztal: with a photo exhibition, information point and restaurant. Its centrepiece is the walk-in enclosure, where you can watch ibex and marmots up close.
In summer you explore the nature park on marked trails, in winter on snowshoes – for example with a hiking guide through the snowy nature park. You will find more ideas for your tours on our Pitztal summer and winter pages.
Photos Kaunergrat Nature Park: TVB Pitztal, Thomas Schrott, Beate Rubatscher-Larcher, Wolfgang Schranz, Daniel Zangerl
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