Ötztal and the Timmelsjoch
Up Tyrol’s longest side valley past its highest waterfall to Sölden’s glacier road and the high pass on the Italian border.
- Distance
- 115 km (71 mi)
- Driving
- 1 h 35 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 8
- Countries
- Austria
- Updated
- July 29, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 115 km (71 mi) with 8 stops, from Innsbruck to Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road. About 1 h 35 min of driving in total.
Route description
From Innsbruck, head west along the Inn valley and stop at Stams Abbey, whose twin towers are visible from the road. Turn south at Ötztal station onto the B186, which climbs through the valley for about 65 km to its end.
At Umhausen, walk up beside the Stuibenfall, Tyrol’s highest waterfall, on steel stairways and a suspension bridge. Längenfeld further up has a large thermal spa, a welcome stop after a day of walking.
Sölden is the main resort of the valley. The Ötztal Glacier Road, a toll road, climbs to the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers at about 2,800 m, among the highest roads in the Alps. Obergurgl, near the head of the valley, is one of Austria’s highest villages.
From Untergurgl the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road climbs to the 2,474 m pass on the Italian border, where a museum pavilion explains its history; from here you can continue down to Merano. The pass is usually open from late May or June to October, closed at night, and not open to trailers.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Innsbruck
Austria - 240 km
Stams Abbey
HistoryStams, AustriaA Cistercian abbey with twin onion-domed towers on the floor of the Inn valley, founded in 1273. The Baroque church with its Tree of Life altar is open to visitors.
- 321 km
Stuibenfall
NatureUmhausen, AustriaTyrol’s highest waterfall drops 159 m in the Ötztal, with steel stairways and a suspension bridge in the spray. Allow two hours from the car park in Umhausen.
- 49 km
Längenfeld
Austria - 515 km
Sölden
Austria - 69 km
Ötztal Glacier Road
ViewsSölden, AustriaA toll road climbing to about 2,800 m beside the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers, among the highest points in the Alps you can reach by car. Snow is possible even in summer.
- 713 km
Obergurgl
Austria - 88 km
Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road
ViewsObergurgl, AustriaA 2,474 m pass on the Austrian-Italian border, with small open-air museum pavilions along the way. The toll road closes in winter and at night, and trailers are banned.
