Parking
Park at Parkplatz Hinterbrand on Scharitzkehlstraße above Schönau am Königssee; the full listed distance starts here.
Overview
About Priesbergalm via Königsweg
Why go
- The Watzmann East Face fills the view across open alpine pasture.
- A working hut and gentian distillery give the turnaround a memorable destination.
Heads up
- Most of the approach follows a wooded path and forestry road.
- A short steep pitch comes near the end.
Priesbergalm via Königsweg is a 7.3-mile out-and-back from Parkplatz Hinterbrand, with about 1,430 feet of climbing and a four-hour round trip. It suits hikers who want a half-day mountain walk and a real alpine pasture at the end. Most of the effort is distance and uphill walking on a wooded path and forestry road; this isn’t a technical summit climb. The best reason to make the trip is the Watzmann East Face across the meadows from Priesbergalm.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this hike for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Berchtesgaden map
Full mapElevation1,126–1,469 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Berchtesgaden alerts
- ClosureKrautkaserbrücke at Jenner closed on three October daysMentions this trailDo not use the Krautkaserbrücke between Parkplatz Hinterbrand and the Jenner-Mittelstation on 15, 16, or 19 October during daytime. - The bridge is closed for maintenance work.Official details
- ClosureKlausbachtal trails closed for bridge and flood-protection workAvoid the closed Klausbachtal trail sections; the Klausbach cannot be crossed at the affected bridges. - Trail No.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Berchtesgaden Tour Guide
Your drive to Priesbergalm via Königsweg, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Berchtesgaden National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Hinterbrand: Pasture Walk or Alpine Circuit0:00 / 0:29
“You're approaching Hinterbrand, a starting point for mountain walks above Königssee.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Berchtesgaden Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- A Schnapps Dug from the Mountain
- The Bone-Eating Vulture
- Jennerbahn: Ride Up for Königsblick
- Hoofprints from an Ancient Sea
- 25 audio storiesacross Berchtesgaden’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bearded Vulture, Golden Eagle, Red Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 71 trails, 57 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Priesbergalm via Königsweg
Follow the routeStart at Parkplatz Hinterbrand and climb on a wooded path to the Jennerbahn middle station.
Start at Parkplatz Hinterbrand and climb on a wooded path to the Jennerbahn middle station. From there, keep right on the forestry road toward Königsbachalm. A short steep pitch at the Priesbergalm junction is the main climb near the end. Continue to the huts, then follow the route about 500 feet beyond the Enzianbrennhütte into flat, marshy Priesbergmoos before turning around. This walk returns the way it came; the longer trails beyond the pasture continue toward Seeleinsee.
The alpine pastureAt the huts, the Watzmann East Face is directly opposite: an immense rock wall beyond green…
At the huts, the Watzmann East Face is directly opposite: an immense rock wall beyond green Hohe Roßfelder meadows below Fagstein. Past the buildings, Priesbergmoos is a flat, marshy pasture. That short extra stretch gives you a quieter look across the high meadow before you retrace the route.
Hut and gentian distillingPriesbergalm is a working mountain pasture.
Priesbergalm is a working mountain pasture. When the hut is operating, it serves traditional alpine snacks, including cheese made from its own milk. The Grassl gentian distillery hut is just beyond the main buildings. Gentian roots are dug by hand and distilled on the Alm, a good reminder that this is a working summer landscape as well as a viewpoint. Hut service and pasture use vary by season, so don’t count on refreshments being available on a particular day.
Access and livestockPark at Parkplatz Hinterbrand on Scharitzkehlstraße above Schönau am Königssee; the full…
Park at Parkplatz Hinterbrand on Scharitzkehlstraße above Schönau am Königssee; the full distance starts here. Riding the Jennerbahn to its middle or summit station shortens the walk, but changes the start and total distance. Cattle use the upper pasture in midsummer; follow posted livestock guidance. Dogs are allowed in the national park but must be kept on a leash.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Berchtesgaden
14 sightingsBearded VultureMost seen around noonSighting map
29 sightingsGolden EagleMost seen around noonSighting map
22 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
131 sightingsAlpine ChamoisMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
65 sightingsAlpine SalamanderMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
63 sightingsAlpine MarmotMost seen around 9 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Berchtesgaden. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
