Ötztal Nature Park – Unspoilt nature in the upper Ötztal valley

One of the most impressive nature reserves in the Alps

The rear Ötztal valley is home to one of Tyrol’s most valuable natural areas. The Ötztal Nature Park covers an area of around 52,000 hectares and encompasses a landscape that is unrivalled in its diversity and unspoilt character: mighty glaciers, ancient Swiss stone pine forests, high-altitude alpine pastures, crystal-clear mountain lakes and wildlife that can still thrive undisturbed here. Anyone setting off into the nature park from Obergurgl enters a world where time moves at a different pace.

A landscape in figures

Vast, diverse, unspoilt

The Ötztal Nature Park is not just any protected area – it is one of Austria’s largest nature parks and a place that fascinates scientists, nature lovers and walkers alike.

The Ötztal Nature Park at a glance

Area: approx. 52,000 hectares
Altitude range: from approx. 690 m to 3,768 m (Weißkamm)
Habitats: glaciers, Swiss stone pine forests, high-altitude alpine pastures, mountain lakes, rocky steppes
Flora and fauna of international significance
Starting point: accessible directly from Obergurgl

Nature Park Information Point

Great Courage

Experience a natural history exhibition in a class of its own. At the Hohe Mut Alm, situated at an altitude of 2,670 metres and offering stunning views of the mighty glaciers of the Rotmoos and Gaisberg valleys, you’ll learn fascinating facts about life on and around the glacier, the climate change that is evident everywhere, and the decades of high-alpine research in the Ötztal.

Open from 09:00 to 16:00
Admission: Free

A glacier glistening in the morning light. A marmot peering curiously out of its burrow. The wind sweeping across a high alpine pasture where the same herbs have been blooming for centuries. The Ötztal Nature Park reminds us of what truly endures – and why it’s worth coming here.

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