Description

Although not technically difficult, the epic scenery makes this trip worth doing regardless of your riding level. The ride begins in Bärenbad and there are 3 ways of getting there - driving from Mayrhofen (via an €8 toll road), taking the bus all the way from Mayrhofen or - for those who are super keen - cycling all the way up to the restaurant from Mayrhofen.

The road biking route up to the restaurant is described in FATMAP so check it out and see if you fancy it! https://www.zillertalbahn.at/page.cfm?vpath=bus/linienverkehr/linienbus-fahrplaene Leave Bärenbad and head south then east then south again on a tarmac road, which soon becomes a rocky jeep track.

The amazing scenery begins as soon as you saddle up and it just keeps coming as you climb ever deeper into the valley.

On your journey you'll pass some working farms, and there are often many cows on the track so be prepared for a bit of shooing! Some of cows are unusually tame and don't seem interested in moving out of the way so be prepared to ride around them if they refuse to give way! Keep riding up the track to an old, abandoned toll booth and then carry on riding for a further 10 minutes to reach a fabulous little river delta.

There are sometimes horses grazing here and the whole scene is impossibly beautiful, with the river trickling by and the mountains looming all around.

Lying down and dozing off in the sun is highly recommended! (It is possible to carry on up the valley and this is described as an "extreme" mountain bike route by the local tourist board, but the trip basically involves pushing your bike up a bumpy, rocky path and then riding/walking back down, which is nobody's idea of fun). Post-nap, get back on your bike and ride back down the ascent route.

The riding is easy, fast and flowy but there are some sections of the track which have large stones on them and if you arrived with a bit too much speed, it would definitely be possible to fall off.

Moderate your speed accordingly. Blast back down to Bärenbad and either drive or ride to Mayrhofen.