Bavarian Bike Trails through the Allgau Alps (von Uwe - Adobe Stock)
Bavaria, with its many hilly forests, extensive mountain range and large lakes is a wonderful place to bike. Below are three trails ranging from easy to difficult that feature great views of and surrounding the Allgäu Alps. A quick search on alltrails.com will show you a map of the route.
Castle Ruins Eisenberg and Hohenfreyburg
Level: Easy
Distance: 4.5 km out and back | Elevation gain: 173m
Time to complete: Approximately 1.24 hours
Best months to ride: Year-round
Castle Ruins of Burgruine Eisenberg (von Alexander - Adobe Stock)
This is a great route for beginner cyclists, and you don’t need an expensive bike to complete it. You can even take the whole family to view the castle ruins as this is an easy half-day ride. And if you get tired of cycling, it’s quite walkable. While it’s always good to pack water and snacks, there are refreshments at the Schlossbergalm. The twin ruins of the medieval castles are fascinating on their own, but also offer great views of the snow-capped Allgäu Alps. Dogs can tag along as well!
Highlights
Family-friendly
Ruins of Eisenberg Castle
Ruins of Hohenfreyberg Castle
Panoramic views of Pfrontener Valley and the Allgäu Alps
Forggensee and Banwaldsee
Level: Moderately Challenging
Distance: 33.5 km loop | Elevation gain: 582m
Time to complete: 7h 55 mins
Best months to ride: March-Oct.
Forggensee in the Allgäu with mountains in summer (by nikonmike - Adobe Stock)
This bike trail features Germany’s fifth-largest lake, Forggensee just north of Füssen. You can complete the trail in a day or make stops along the way and take it at a leisurely pace. The route has many campsites. However, if that’s not your style, it takes you through the picturesque towns of Roßhaupten and Rieden am Forggensee. Both offer refreshment stops where you can try regional specialties and overnight accommodations. At Rieden am Forggensee, you can enjoy bathing areas and the Roman rest area, “Mansio Via Claudia Augusta” along the ancient Roman road built nearly 2,000 years ago. Another option is to hop on and off boats with your bike to see more of the area. There are eight stops along the route through the Forggensee boat service.
Highlights
Forggensee
Rieden am Forggensee
Bannwaldsee
Views over the Allgäu Alps
Dienersberg Zur Speicherhütte
Level: Hard
Distance: 32.8 km round-trip | Elevation gain: 978m
Time to complete: Approximately 3.5-4 hours
Best months to ride: April-Oct.
mountain biking on an e-mountain bike in early spring, in the Allgaeu Area, a part of the Bavarian Alps, Germany (by Uwe - Adobe Stock)
A beautiful yet difficult trail, this route requires riders who are well-trained and who have a good mountain bike. With a steep incline and constant ascent, it leads through the southwestern part of the Allgäu High Alps nature reserve. Along the way are charming water features like the Rappenalpenbach. Look for grazing cows, colorful wildflowers and wildlife when passing through the Valley of Stillach. When you need a rest or get hungry, there are plenty of Speicherhütte (storage huts) along the trail where you can admire the views or get a refreshment through donation. Sennalpe Eschbach is a dairy farm stop that serves freshly made cheese products, hearty snacks and made-daily cottage cakes.
Highlights
Views over the Allgäu Alps
Valley of the Stillach
Rappenalpenbach
Sennalpe Eschbach
Speicherhütte
