Wimbach Gorge (Wimbachklamm)

The Wimbach Gorge is short but striking: a wooden walkway leads just 200 metres or so through the narrow ravine, with the Wimbach roaring below and dozens of small waterfalls trickling down moss-covered rock on both sides. The gorge sits at the mouth of the Wimbach valley in Ramsau, inside Berchtesgaden National Park between the Watzmann and the Hochkalter. It is a protected geotope and a pleasantly cool way into the mountains on hot days.

History: from log-driving path to day-trip destination

The first walkway through the gorge was built by Ramsau woodcutters under the salt-works forester Reverdys. It served log driving: tree trunks were floated down on the water to the salt works in Berchtesgaden. Log driving through the gorge ended in 1843, and since 1847 visitors have been allowed to walk through on bridges and boardwalks. The rock is mainly Dachstein limestone, laid down in a sea in the Late Triassic, and fossils can be found in the walls.

What to see

Look out for the many fine waterfalls spilling into the gorge from the sides and the thick carpets of moss on the walls. At the far end you do not return through the ravine but on a path above it. Carry on and you reach the Wimbachschloss, a former Wittelsbach hunting lodge that now serves as a mountain inn. About two hours further up the valley lies the Wimbachgrieshütte, in the broad scree river of the Wimbachgries.

Opening times and admission (as of October 2026)

• Season: roughly May to October; in 2026 from 30 April to 31 October, open daily.
• Admission: €4 from age seven; younger children go free.
• Tickets are sold only at the machine by Wimbachs Wollstadl at the Wimbachlehen farm, about 300 m before the gorge entrance.

You can only enter the gorge from below. Coming back from the Wimbachschloss, you bypass it on the upper path.

Getting there and parking

The starting point is Wimbachbrücke in Ramsau near Berchtesgaden. The car park is there (Rotheben 14, 83486 Ramsau), and bus 846 stops at "Wimbachbrücke". From there it is a few minutes' walk to the ticket machine and the gorge entrance.

Tripto tip

The gorge alone takes about half an hour. The walk to the Wimbachschloss and back is more rewarding: allow around two hours for 8.5 km. Bring a light jacket, as it is damp and cool in the gorge, and wear non-slip shoes for the wet boardwalks. If you want to go all the way to the Wimbachgrieshütte, allow a good five and a half hours there and back.