Partnach Gorge

The Partnachklamm near Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a roughly 700 m long, up to 80 m deep gorge through which the Partnach roars. Paths and tunnels hewn into the rock lead the secured trail through the narrow gorge. In winter, icicles and frozen waterfalls turn the gorge into a special backdrop.

Highlights

• Roughly 700 m long, up to 80 m deep gorge
• Paths and tunnels in the rock along the Partnach
• Winter icicles and ice walls
• Start at the Olympic ski stadium

Good to know

Practical info

Background & History

The Partnachklamm near Garmisch-Partenkirchen ranks among the most impressive gorges of the Bavarian Alps. Over thousands of years the mountain stream Partnach, fed by the meltwater of the Schneeferner on the Zugspitze massif, has milled itself deep into the rock and created a gorge up to eighty metres deep, through which a path hewn into the stone leads. Where the water roars between the narrow walls and in winter mighty icicles hang from the rocks, a natural spectacle arises that fascinated the Romantics from early on.

Its present-day accessibility the gorge owes to a thoroughly practical occasion: originally the wild gorge was used to drive felled timber and hay down into the valley from the rear valley basins, which was dangerous work. In 1912 the Partnachklamm was finally opened up as a natural monument and made accessible to visitors. Above the gorge opens the Reintal, which leads as a long, gentle ascent to the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany. Thus the Partnachklamm forms at the same time the roaring gateway to one of the great mountain tours of the region.