Via Alpina Purple A48

The Via Alpina Purple A48 is a 14.3-km point-to-point trail in Bavaria, Germany, gaining 648 m of elevation across the Chiemgau Alps. Rated difficulty Level II, it links the iconic Kampenwand Bergstation cable-car summit station to the traditional Priener Hütte mountain refuge, delivering ridge-top panoramas over Lake Chiemsee and the Bavarian foothills for approximately 3 hours and 10 minutes of pure Alpine hiking.

About the Via Alpina Purple A48

Stage A48 is one of 66 named stages on the Via Alpina Purple Trail, one of five colour-coded long-distance routes that together span the entire Alpine arc from Monaco to Slovenia—a combined network of more than 5,000 km of waymarked mountain paths. The Purple Trail alone covers roughly 2,600 km across Monaco, France, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia. Stage A48 falls within the German section, threading through the quiet highland meadows and limestone ridges of the Chiemgauer Alpen in Upper Bavaria, a region prized by local and international hikers alike for its accessible yet genuinely wild character.

The stage departs the Kampenwand Bergstation, the upper terminal of the Kampenwandbahn cable car, perched at roughly 1,465 m above sea level. The Kampenwand massif is one of Bavaria’s most celebrated natural vantage points: on a clear day, the view stretches north across the glittering expanse of Lake Chiemsee—the “Bavarian Sea”—and south toward the crevassed flanks of the Central Alps. From this dramatic starting point, the trail traverses a series of grassy saddles and exposed limestone ridgelines before descending to the Priener Hütte (1,434 m), a well-maintained refuge operated by the German Alpine Club (DAV), Section Prien, above the lakeside town of Prien am Chiemsee.

The Chiemgau Alps occupy a special place in Bavarian hiking culture. They are gentler and more pastoral than the higher ranges pressing south toward the Austrian border, yet still deliver genuine Alpine terrain: exposed limestone fins, wild-flower meadows that bloom from late May into July, karstic plateaus pocked with wind-carved hollows, and sudden drops into glacially carved valleys. Stage A48 captures all of this variety in a single, satisfying day’s walk of 14.3 km with 648 m of ascent and 678 m of descent.

As part of the Via Alpina network, A48 carries the International Walking Network (IWN) designation, confirming that it meets the highest international standards for waymarking, access, and trail maintenance. For hikers planning a longer through-hike, the preceding stage A47 arrives at Kampenwand Bergstation from Marquartstein, and stage A49 continues onward to Spitzsteinhaus. As of 2026, the route is fully waymarked with the distinctive purple diamond blazes of the Via Alpina network and requires no specialist navigation equipment under good visibility.

Alpine ridge days of this length demand careful calorie planning. For exact calculations before you set off, see How Many Calories Do You Need Hiking a Full Day?—walking at 1,400–1,700 m burns considerably more than a valley route of the same distance.

Route Overview & Stages

Stage A48 covers 14.3 km with 648 m of total ascent and 678 m of total descent, making the elevation profile broadly symmetrical. The official Via Alpina walking time is 3 hours 10 minutes at a standard Alpine pace; most hikers should budget 4–5 hours including rest stops, photography, and any refreshment breaks at working alm pastures along the route. The terrain falls naturally into three sections:

The route follows purple Via Alpina diamond blazes throughout and is well-signed at all key junctions. The highest point on the stage sits between the Bergstation and the central saddle, roughly 100–150 m above the start elevation, before the trail loses height gradually toward the Priener Hütte. The net difference between start (1,465 m) and end (1,434 m) is only 31 m, but the intervening ridgeline terrain gives the stage a distinctly more Alpine character than the small net drop suggests.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Kampenwand Bergstation (1,465 m) — The cable-car upper station commands one of Bavaria’s finest panoramas. On clear mornings, both the Chiemsee shoreline and the glacier-capped peaks of the Berchtesgaden Alps are visible simultaneously. The station has a café and sun terrace — worth a coffee before setting off.
• Kampenwand Summit Spires (1,669 m) — A short 15–20-minute detour from the Bergstation leads to the rocky Kampenwand summits, rewarding hikers with 360-degree views and characteristic Chiemgau karstic scenery: wind-carved limestone potholes, mountain pine (Latschenkiefer) scrub, and in summer months grazing Haflinger horses on the upper slopes.
• Chiemgau Wildflower Meadows — The trail traverses some of Bavaria’s most ecologically protected alpine meadows. From late May through July, orchids, gentians, arnica, and globe flowers carpet the hillsides. Parts of the Chiemgau Alps carry protected-area status under German federal nature conservation law, reflecting their exceptional biodiversity.
• Exposed Central Ridgeline — The saddle and ridge section between Kampenwand and the Geigelstein foothills gives a clear line of sight north to the Chiemsee and south toward the Austrian Alps. The terrain here is open and breezy — excellent birdwatching territory: golden eagles, buzzards, and alpine choughs (Alpendohle) are resident throughout the hiking season.
• Geigelstein Nature Reserve — The route passes near the Geigelstein (1,808 m), the highest peak in the Chiemgau Alps and a designated Naturschutzgebiet. The reserve protects rare subalpine flora and restricts off-trail movement — a reminder that the Chiemgau is among Germany’s most biodiverse mountain areas.
• Active Alm Pastures — Traditional alpine dairy farming (Almwirtschaft) continues on the high pastures crossed by A48. Hikers will pass working alms where Bavarian cattle spend summer months at altitude. Fresh milk, Brotzeit snack platters, and cold Radler are often available at active alms — a quintessential Bavarian mountain experience.
• Priener Hütte (1,434 m) — The DAV-operated Priener Hütte is the stage endpoint and a popular overnight base for Via Alpina through-hikers. The hut sleeps around 80 guests, serves traditional Bavarian mountain cuisine (Kasspätzle, Schweinsbraten, Apfelstrudel), and has a sunny south-facing terrace overlooking the Inn valley foothills.
• Lake Chiemsee Views — At 80 km², Chiemsee is Bavaria’s largest lake and the site of King Ludwig II’s Herrenchiemsee palace island. The lake dominates the northern horizon for much of stage A48, appearing and disappearing as the trail winds along the ridgeline — a visual anchor that connects the Alpine terrain to the softer Bavarian lowlands below.

Best Time to Hike the Via Alpina Purple A48

The Chiemgau Alps sit in a transitional climate zone between the continental Alpine interior and the wetter maritime influence sweeping north from the Inn valley. This makes them reliably snowier in winter and greener in summer than comparable stages further west. For stage A48 specifically, the practical hiking window runs from mid-May through late October.

June is the single best month to hike A48. In most years the trail is fully snow-free above 1,500 m by early June, the wildflower meadows are in peak bloom, and the Kampenwandbahn cable car runs its full summer schedule. Ridge temperatures average 10–14 °C, visibility is typically excellent after weather fronts clear, and the Priener Hütte is open but not yet fully booked weeks in advance. With sunset after 21:00, there is plenty of margin for a relaxed pace and summit detour.

July and August bring the busiest crowds, particularly on weekends when the Kampenwand attracts large numbers of day visitors via cable car. The trail is at its driest and warmest but afternoon convective thunderstorms are common above 1,200 m — an Alpine hazard that should not be underestimated on an exposed ridge route. Start before 07:30 and aim to reach shelter or the hut by 13:00 when storms typically develop.

September and early October offer outstanding conditions: stable high-pressure systems are frequent, deciduous forest below 1,200 m turns gold and amber, and the trails are near-empty on weekdays. Hut nights feel more social and less crowded. The Priener Hütte typically closes for winter in late October — verify the current season dates before booking a late-season trip.

As of 2026, the Kampenwandbahn cable car operates from approximately mid-April to early November. Check the current timetable at kampenwandbahn.de before planning your ascent, as the cable car is the most practical access point for stage A48 and the schedule varies by year. Do not attempt A48 in conditions of fresh snow, dense fog, or high wind — the central ridgeline is exposed, and route-finding between purple blazes requires adequate visibility.

Practical Information

Accommodation

The Priener Hütte (DAV Section Prien, 1,434 m) is the natural overnight option at the end of stage A48 and the standard base for Via Alpina through-hikers tackling consecutive stages. The hut offers dormitory-style Matratzenlager beds at €25–32 per person per night, including bed linen. A small number of private double rooms (Doppelzimmer) are available at €38–48 per person. Half-board (Halbpension, dinner and breakfast) is available for approximately €55–65 per person and is strongly recommended given the limited self-catering options at altitude.

Advance reservations are essential for June–August weekends; the hut operates a digital booking system through the DAV hut portal. Holders of a DAV membership card (Mitgliedsausweis) receive a discount of €5–8 off the standard overnight rate — the card pays for itself within a single multi-night Alpine hut tour.

For hikers beginning the stage the following morning, the town of Aschau im Chiemgau (at the foot of the Kampenwandbahn) offers guesthouses and Gasthöfe in the €70–110 B&B range. Prien am Chiemsee, accessible at the Priener Hütte end, provides a wider range from around €60 for hostel beds to €130 and above for hotel rooms, along with restaurants, a supermarket, and easy rail connections.

Getting There & Back

To the trailhead (Kampenwand Bergstation): Travel by regional train from Munich Hauptbahnhof to Aschau im Chiemgau on the BRB Rosenheim–Küfermühle line. Journey time is approximately 1 hour 10 minutes; services run roughly every 30–60 minutes. From Aschau station, walk 10 minutes to the Kampenwandbahn valley station, then take the cable car (8-minute ride) to Bergstation. Total door-to-door time from Munich city centre to the trailhead is under 90 minutes, making this one of the most public-transport-accessible Via Alpina stages in Bavaria.

From the stage end (Priener Hütte): Descend on the waymarked trail to Prien am Chiemsee (approximately 2 hours on foot, signposted). Prien has a mainline railway station on the Munich–Salzburg corridor with hourly IC and regional services. Journey time back to Munich Hauptbahnhof is approximately 55 minutes; onward to Salzburg takes around 30 minutes. A taxi from the valley trailhead to Prien station costs approximately €12–18.

The nearest international airport is Munich Airport (MUC), approximately 80 km northwest of Aschau im Chiemgau. Public transport connections (S-Bahn to Munich Hauptbahnhof, then regional train) take around 2 hours total.

Permits & Fees

No hiking permit is required for stage A48. The route crosses publicly accessible Alpine trails and DAV-managed land — there is no charge to walk. The Kampenwandbahn cable car charges a one-way uphill fare of approximately €14 per adult and a return fare of approximately €22 (2026 summer rates; check the current price at the valley station). Hiking up from Aschau is possible on a separate marked trail but adds roughly 2.5 hours and 1,000 m of ascent to an already substantial day — most hikers sensibly take the cable car.

The adjacent Geigelstein Nature Reserve (Naturschutzgebiet) requires all visitors to remain on designated marked trails. Off-trail movement is prohibited under Bavarian state conservation regulations (BayNatSchG). Violation carries a fine under German law; however, stage A48 stays on waymarked paths throughout and this is not a practical issue for hikers following the route correctly.

Dogs are permitted on the Kampenwandbahn and on the A48 trail but must be kept on a lead when crossing through cattle pastures — a legal requirement under Bavarian livestock protection rules and essential trail etiquette when encountering grazing animals on alpine pastures.

Gear & Packing List

Stage A48 is a technically straightforward Level II Alpine day hike, but the exposed Chiemgau ridgeline and rapidly changing Bavarian mountain weather demand proper mountain kit regardless of the difficulty rating.

Backpack: For a single-stage day hike a 20–35-litre daypack is adequate. Hikers walking multiple consecutive Via Alpina stages will want a 45–65-litre touring pack. Strong options include the Deuter Aircontact Lite 45+10, whose AirContact back system provides excellent ventilation during the sustained climbs on A48, the Osprey Aether 65 for multi-week Purple Trail through-hikers who need maximum carrying capacity, or the ultralight Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 50L for gram-conscious hikers prioritising a fast-and-light approach across the German stages. For a detailed comparison of options, see our Best Ultralight Backpacks of 2026: 7 Packs Tested and Ranked.

Footwear: Mid-cut waterproof hiking boots with a Vibram or equivalent rubber sole are appropriate for A48’s mix of rocky limestone ridgeline, grassy saddle terrain, and mixed forest path. Trail runners work for experienced hikers in dry summer conditions but significantly increase slip risk on wet limestone sections.

Clothing system: Even in July, the Kampenwand ridgeline drops to 8–12 °C in wind. Pack: a moisture-wicking base layer, a softshell or windproof mid-layer, a waterproof hardshell outer (minimum 10,000 mm hydrostatic head / 10,000 g/m² breathability), and a spare insulating layer for the Priener Hütte evening. Sun protection is non-negotiable above 1,400 m: SPF 50+ sunscreen, category-3 sunglasses, and a brimmed sun hat.

Navigation: Purple Via Alpina blazes are reliably placed, but carry either a downloaded offline topographic map (1:25,000 Bayerische Alpen sheet covering the Kampenwand area) or a GPS device. Mobile network coverage is intermittent across the central ridgeline. The calorie guide also covers hydration planning in detail.

Water: Fill bottles at Kampenwand Bergstation before departure. Springs exist on the route but are unreliable in late summer. Carry a minimum of 1.5 litres; 2 litres is prudent for July and August.

Similar Trails You Might Like

The Via Alpina Purple A48 sits within a rich network of long-distance European waymarked routes. If the combination of IWN-designated trails, reliable hut infrastructure, and mountain terrain appeals to you, these routes offer comparable or complementary experiences across Germany:

• Europäischer Fernwanderweg E8, Rheinland-Pfalz — Part of the 4,390-km E8 route spanning the Irish Sea to the Black Sea, the Rhineland-Palatinate section crosses wine-country ridges and Moselle river valleys in a lower-altitude but culturally rich register.
• Europäischer Fernwanderweg E8, Nordrhein-Westfalen — The North Rhine-Westphalia section of the E8 traverses the Eifel volcanic uplands and Bergisches Land, offering well-maintained IWN-standard waymarking and hut infrastructure comparable in quality to the Via Alpina network.
• Europäischer Fernwanderweg E11, Sachsen-Anhalt (W) — The 2,070-km E11 (Amsterdam–Warsaw corridor) crosses the Harz mountains and Saxony-Anhalt lowlands, offering a strong contrast in scale and terrain to the compact Chiemgau Alps stages.
• Europäischer Fernwanderweg E11, Sachsen-Anhalt (O) — The eastern Saxony-Anhalt section of the E11 extends through former industrial landscapes now rewilded into mixed forest and wetland corridors — a quieter, flatter alternative for hikers who prefer sustained distance over elevation.
• Europäischer Fernwanderweg E11, Brandenburg (O) — Brandenburg’s E11 segment follows lake-studded glacial terrain through the heart of eastern Germany, ideal for hikers seeking long-distance walking without the technical demands of Alpine ridgeline terrain.

For hut-to-hut hiking with a wilder, more remote character than the well-serviced Chiemgau, the Theth to Valbona trail in Albania offers comparable distance and elevation gain to an A48-sized day but in near-pristine mountain wilderness.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time of year to hike the Via Alpina Purple A48?
June is the optimal month. The trail is snow-free above 1,500 m by early June in most years, the Chiemgau wildflower meadows are in full bloom, and the Kampenwandbahn cable car runs its full summer schedule. Visibility is typically excellent after passing weather systems, days are long, and the Priener Hütte is open but not yet fully booked. July and August are also viable but bring afternoon thunderstorms and weekend crowds; September offers stable weather and autumn colours.

How difficult is the Via Alpina Purple A48?
The route is rated Level II on the Via Alpina difficulty scale, equivalent to “moderate-challenging” by international Alpine standards. The stage requires basic trail navigation skills, sure-footedness on exposed limestone terrain, and fitness for 648 m of cumulative ascent over 14.3 km. No technical climbing or specialist equipment is required. Hikers without Alpine experience should avoid the exposed ridgeline sections in fog, high wind, or after fresh snowfall.

How long does Stage A48 take to complete?
The official Via Alpina route database gives 3 hours and 10 minutes at a standard Alpine walking pace, excluding rest stops. Most hikers should budget 4–5 hours in practice, accounting for photography, refreshments at working alm pastures, and the optional Kampenwand summit detour (add 30–40 minutes). Starting from Bergstation at 09:00 typically means reaching the Priener Hütte by 13:30–14:00, leaving the afternoon free before dinner.

Where do hikers sleep on Stage A48?
The primary overnight option is the Priener Hütte (1,434 m), operated by DAV Section Prien. Matratzenlager dormitory beds cost €25–32 per person; half-board is approximately €55–65 per person and covers dinner and a substantial Alpine breakfast. Book well in advance for June–August weekends. Alternatively, descend on foot (~2 hours) to Prien am Chiemsee, where hotels and guesthouses are available from around €60 per night.

Are permits required for the Via Alpina Purple A48?
No hiking permit is required. The trail crosses public Alpine paths and DAV-managed land, so access is free. The Kampenwandbahn cable car charges a one-way uphill fare of approximately €14 per adult (2026 rates). Hikers must stay on waymarked trails when passing near the adjacent Geigelstein Nature Reserve; off-trail movement is prohibited under Bavarian conservation law. No fee is charged for passing through the reserve on the designated route.