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24. September 2026

Between the harvest and the first snow lie the clearest weeks of the hiking year.

Autumn Hiking: Golden Trails in South Tyrol

In September the air in the Vinschgau Valley turns drier. The view suddenly reaches as far as the Ortler range, the ground dries faster and the trails are emptier than in high summer. Hiking in autumn means getting more out of every tour: no midday heat, no hours to work around, no crowded huts.

Naturns sits at around 500 metres on the valley floor, with the slope rising steeply behind it. In autumn that difference in altitude decides the character of a tour. Down below the apples are still ripening, up above the first snow lies on the peaks of the Texelgruppe. From the Lindenhof in Naturns both levels can be reached in a single day.

The hiking season around Naturns runs from March to November. More than 300 days of sunshine a year keep the trails walkable for a long stretch of the year.

Waalweg paths: level, shaded, walkable all day

The Waalweg paths follow historic irrigation channels along the slope. They run almost level, because the water tolerates only a minimal gradient. That is exactly what makes them so useful in autumn: few vertical metres, plenty of distance, good going even in damp weather.

The Stabener and the Tscharser Waalweg lie in the immediate vicinity of Naturns. The Stabener Waalweg can be combined with a detour to Juval Castle. Further down the valley the Latschander Waalweg runs eight kilometres from Laces to Galsaun. Towards Merano come the Partschinser, the Rablander and the Algunder Waalweg.

The combination with the Vinschgau railway is practical. Anyone walking a route in one direction takes the train back rather than covering the same path twice. It is 700 metres from the hotel to Naturns station.

Meraner Höhenweg and Texelgruppe Nature Park

The Meraner Höhenweg circles the Texelgruppe over around 100 kilometres and some 5,000 vertical metres. It carries waymark 24 and can be walked in five to eight stages, in either direction. One access point lies right by Naturns.

Very few walk the whole route. In autumn a single stage, or a section as a day hike, makes more sense. The southern part above the Vinschgau Valley is the sunnier one and stays walkable into November. The northern part in the Pfossental lies higher and turns wintry earlier.

Anyone counting on the huts along the route should check their opening times first. Many alpine huts close in autumn, after the season of the cattle drive.

Sonnenberg and Nörderberg: two slopes, two characters

Naturns lies between two very different sides of the valley. The Sonnenberg to the south is dry and sparse, with dry grassland, pines and stone walls. It warms up quickly, which makes it a good choice for cool autumn mornings and for tours in late autumn.

The Nörderberg opposite is wooded, damper and cooler. In autumn it shows the stronger colours, because deciduous trees and larches grow there. For the midday hours on a warm October day it is the better choice.

The Lindenhof offers guided hikes with local guides twice a week. Hiking maps, Nordic walking poles and a packed snack for the trail are included. An overview can be found in the Lindenhof hiking programme. Anyone who prefers to walk alone will find more places in the valley among the excursion destinations around Naturns.

After the tour: warmth and recovery

Autumn hikes are rarely more strenuous than summer tours, but they cool the body down more. The muscles work against the cold for longer, especially on the descent. Warmth afterwards is therefore not a luxury but the fastest way back to mobility. Anyone wanting to give tired legs targeted recovery will find several options in the Lindenhof’s spa area of around 5,000 square metres: the sauna world offers, among other things, the Schlosssauna built of Vinschgau natural stone, a bio sauna and a steam bath. For muscles under strain, a targeted treatment is often the more efficient option, for instance a sports massage from the Beauty and Massages section.