Inzell - Traunstein from Bad Reichenhall |
Specialty: long beautiful rides!
This route is a superb loop, the majority of it on quiet, one-lane country roads with superb views and little traffic. It is mostly paved with a couple short stretches of pea-sized gravel/dirt paths, totally fine to ride road tires on. As laid out, the route starts and finishes near downtown Bad Reichenhall. Since it's a loop, it can be started/finished anywhere along the route: there are a couple parking spots noted on the route (near the town of Anger and near Thumsee). This route requires a medium to high level of fitness, as there are some sustained climbs and the distance is pretty long. Summer is a great time to ride this route, as there is a lot of shade and a couple sustained sections along creeks. Spring and particularly fall are also great times to ride here.
This route begins just west of downtown Bad Reichenhall. It passes a very pretty meadow with great mountain views and ascends quickly to the very pretty lake named Thumsee. After Thumsee is the climb out of Bad Reichenhall: it is on a very nice road that shares the road with vehicle traffic: it's not optimal, but it is pretty and drivers give plenty of room to cyclists. There is a short tunnel (100 meters long) that is very well lit and has good shoulder, so isn't a problem to navigate. After the road climb and slight descent into Inzell, the really great part of this route begins: smooth, pretty backroads! From Inzell to the outskirts of Siegsdorf the path roughly follows a creek. From Siegsdorf, the route climbs up to Hochberg, then descends to the outskirts of Traunstein. From there, it climbs and meanders through farms and forests on excellent roads to Teisendorf, then Anger, and then back to Piding. Just across the river it finishes on a beautiful shaded bike path along the Salach River.
The real highlights on this route are the multiple beautiful sections of quiet backroads. If you can't do the entire route, you should incorporate one or more of these sections into a ride: you definitely will not be disappointed.
Sector Highlights:
Viewpoint highlights (not including the outstanding views of fields and mountains throughout the ride):
Parking can be sparse: earlier start is recommended to ensure you have a spot!