Kaunertal Glacier Road

The Kaunertal Glacier Road is one of Austria’s most rewarding high-altitude motorcycle roads, climbing deep into the Kaunertal towards the Weißsee and the surrounding glaciers. The road rises from the valley through 29 numbered hairpins, passing the vast Gepatsch Reservoir before entering increasingly exposed Alpine terrain. At its highest point, the road reaches around 2,750 metres, making it one of the highest accessible paved roads in the Austrian Alps.

The riding experience builds gradually. The lower section follows the valley with flowing bends before the road becomes more concentrated around the reservoir and the higher mountain slopes. Hairpins begin to appear more frequently as the altitude increases, while the landscape changes from forest and green Alpine meadows to exposed rock, glaciers and high mountain terrain.

For riders, the appeal is the combination of sustained climbing and constant visual change. Unlike a traditional pass where the road eventually crosses a mountain ridge and descends on the other side, the Kaunertal Glacier Road keeps climbing deeper into the mountains. That gives the route a distinctive sense of progression, with the final kilometres feeling increasingly remote and dramatic.

The road is the destination here. Follow it upwards, let the landscape change around you and enjoy the feeling of climbing deeper into the high Alps.

The Kaunertal Glacier Road is a private toll road and is subject to seasonal opening times and weather conditions. The road climbs to around 2,750 metres, so temperatures and weather can change quickly, even in summer. Traffic is generally moderate, but the road is popular with motorcycles, cars and cyclists during good weather. The route is a dead-end road, so riders continuing beyond the featured section must return via the same road.

The Ride Beyond route begins near Feichten in the Kaunertal and follows the Kaunertal Glacier Road deeper into the valley. The initial section is relatively open, with flowing bends leading towards the Gepatsch Reservoir. The mountains gradually close in around the road as the route gains altitude.

Beyond the reservoir, the road becomes increasingly spectacular. A long sequence of numbered hairpins climbs the mountainside, with each section revealing wider views across the valley and the surrounding peaks. The road’s engineering becomes part of the experience as the hairpins stack progressively higher above the valley floor.

The final section continues above the tree line towards the Weißsee and the high mountain terminus. The landscape becomes increasingly barren and exposed, with glaciers and snow-covered peaks dominating the horizon. At around 2,750 metres, the road reaches its highest point and the character of the ride is completely different from where it began.

The Kaunertal Glacier Road is not about crossing a mountain. It is about climbing into one. Take the road all the way up and let every hairpin mark another step into the high Alps.