Herzogstand blog — The field guide for a Herzogstand hike for first-timers

With a truly unique culture and landscape, and modern and picturesque cities, Germany is a realm of history, discovery, and adventure for every traveler. The German outdoors is stunning, there are so many beautiful towns, and villages you’ll come across hiking in Germany that’ll make you feel like you’ve been thrown right into a real-life fairy tale. Particularly, the majestic mountains of this country are the attraction including Herzogstand, a destination that is a great choice for hiking lovers. So, are you finding a field guide for a Herzogstand hike, let’s check out our detailed article below to find out the answer!

On the journey to discover Europe, if you have an opportunity to visit Munich, if you are a hiking lover, remember to stop by Herzogstand, surely the grandeur of this place will not disappoint you.

Herzogstand and Heimgarten is a twin peak hike that is very much a local favorite among Munich residents. The landscapes from both mountain summits are simply top-notch.
Let’s check out more clear information about Herzogstand to plan your perfect journey!

Herzogstand and Heimgarten hiking trails (#herzogstand hike)

Herzogstand is a large and high mountain with an elevation of 1,731 meters above sea level and is northwest of Walchen Lake, forming part of a stunning landscape.

Herzogstand and Heimgarten are located in Kochel, in the vicinity of two gorgeous glacier lakes, Walchen and Kochel. As Kochel is hardly an hour from Munich, this hike can easily be done as a day trip, without staying overnight.

The reason for the fame of Herzogstand is its attraction to both master hikers and everyone. The Herzogstand cable car is for those who like walking or hiking to gaze at the magnificent view. You can easily take the cable car nearby the summit and just a 30-minute walk to take there. If you love hiking, you can continue from the Heimgarten summit to Ohlstadt on the opposite side. This journey will take your time, but the results are worth it.

This is simply a hiking journey, experiencing rich vegetation, European coniferous forests, and experiencing the beauty of the lakes from the top. You will not need to spend too much energy hiking to enjoy the beauty of this place.

How to get from Munich to Herzogstand?

After tourists catch a plane to Munich, you can get to Herzogstand by car, bus, or train. The first way is the easiest way to get to the Herzogstand by driving nearly 85 kilometers south of Munich.

Alternatively, You can take the train to the nearby town of Kochel and take a local bus to Herzogstand. From the Munich main station, take the train and then with the RVO bus line 9608 Kochel–Garmisch–Partenkirchen train station to the Walchen Herzogstand stop about 1.5 hours.

Please be noted that delays in traffic jams or overcrowded buses usually happen due to a popular Herzogstand in Munich. Hence, you should not hurry to enjoy your journey time.

If you travel to Munich with a group of friends, a tip for you is to buy a Bayern ticket. This day pass allows you to travel around Baravia in regional trains. The ticket price is 26 EUR (28.87 USD) per person and 8 EUR (8.88 USD) for each additional person (up to five additional people).

Although it is only 85 km, you sometimes have to spend more than two hours to get to the Herzogstand with its crowd. Therefore, you should prepare in advance a little time to get your perfect schedule.

What to eat in Herzogstand?

For Germans, especially those in Munich, it is a tradition that they dine in mountain huts after reaching the summit. Therefore, the advice is to enjoy a hearty meal at one of these huts for a complete alpine hiking experience. The cost per meal will be around 15–20 EUR (16.66–22.21 VND), and the cost can be slightly increased in the peak seasons.

Although there is a place to rest and local food at the summit, you should prepare some snacks to munch on during the hike. It could be candy bars, snacks, bananas, and more depending on your favorite.

When to visit Herzogstand?

As the ridge is quite narrow and exposed, you should not hike during the winter months or even after heavy rainfall. In winter, snow is also a pretty big barrier. However, for those of you who are an adventurer, even you can go trekking in the winter.

Personally, this hike is best experienced in spring or early autumn, which is the best time to visit Herzogstand as long as there isn’t a lot of snow on the trail.

The vegetation in the spring is still the most beautiful when the trees sprout, the whole forest seems to be new, green, and full of life.

If you visit Herzogstand in winter, an interesting activity that you should try is skiing. Most skiing here depends on the climate. That means enough snow, you can ski, not artificial skiing. In good conditions, participation in skiing is an effective experience. The ski area is preferred by locals for its romance and nature, except for the crowds. This is a pleasure, natural, and quick skiing experience that is Bavarians’ favorite. Moreover, the low price is unchanged throughout five to six years. It is the reason why this is an attractive activity for multi-member families.

Experience the journey

It is up to your health to choose the proper itinerary. If you do not much love trekking or hiking, you should choose to take the cable car to the top and walk for about 30 minutes to reach the destination.

If you are a trekking enthusiast, please enjoy every moment along the way, not just a destination, your path will be a little different. In terms of preparation as same as every hiking journey, shoes are still the most important item. Choose the fit shoes for your hiking; bring some snacks and water on your journey.

You will have to catch the train to Ohlstadt, heading to the trailhead and up Heimgarten. Besides being a great day hike, the trail from Herzogstand to Heimgarten has a royal history.

King Ludwig and Herzog Duke Wilhelm IV once favored the area as a hunting area. Now it is a favorite with German locals and a great way to spend the day on a weekend.

When reaching a certain height of Heimgarten, the lake, and majestic natural landscape begin to raise in front of you. You are surely overwhelmed by this magnificent scenery. In the distance is Herzogstand that beauty makes you excited and leading on your journey.

When you reach the top of Herzogstand, you can stay and enjoy a traditional meal here. When you feel comfortable and healthy again, go down the mountain. You should prepare an insect spray during hiking. Many people do not pay attention to a house-shaped insect bulk in their clothes after climbing. If it is unlucky, insects can cause meningitis in some cases.

Finally, each trekking/hiking journey leaves unforgettable emotions, even if you have gone back home and gradually got used to everyday life. The greatest things can be only done with direct experience, not photos. Please enjoy the Herzogstand journey under this guideline.

Read more Germany guide here.