Kleinwalsertal
An Austrian valley reachable only from Germany, with no road to the rest of Austria and a long-shared economy.
Updated 18 October 2026
The Kleinwalsertal is Austrian territory that cannot be reached by road from Austria: the valley opens north into Bavaria and is walled at its head by mountains with no through road, so everything arrives via Oberstdorf. That geography produced a genuinely unusual arrangement - from 1891 until Austria joined the European Union in 1995 the valley was in a customs union with Germany rather than Austria and used the German mark, has German postcodes alongside Austrian, and its economy has been integrated with Bavaria for more than a century. Like the Grosses Walsertal it was settled by Walser migrants from the Valais in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It is a walking and skiing valley - Ifen, Walmendingerhorn and Fellhorn lifts, and the Breitachklamm gorge just over the German line.
History
Arrowheads and stone tools show people here in the Stone Age, around 7000 BC, and a small radiolarite mine on the Bärenkopf supplied the stone for them. The Walsers, Alemannic migrants from the Valais in today's Switzerland, settled the valley in 1270 and gave it its name, and their dialect still sets its people apart from their neighbours. From 1891 to 1995 the valley was in a customs union with Germany, with a free border and the German mark as its currency; the special status ended when Austria joined the European Union in 1995, followed by Schengen in 1997 and the euro in 2002. In 1954 the valley got a public water supply from the Kaltes Bächle spring in Mittelberg (Wikipedia, Kleinwalsertal).
The landscape
- A road-locked exclave - Austrian land reachable only through Bavaria.
- A shared economy - German postcodes, currency history and customs union from 1891 to 1995.
- Walser settlement - founded by migrants from the Valais in the Middle Ages.
- Lift-served walking and skiing - Ifen, Walmendingerhorn and Fellhorn.
When to go
June to September for walking; December to April for skiing. Two days.
Before you go
There is no way in from Austria - route via Oberstdorf. The single road in and out congests in season. Prices are resort-level. Mobile networks can roam onto German operators.
Nearby
Oberstdorf and the Breitachklamm are just over the German line.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q689769, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Kleinwalsertal
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Broken-in walking shoes or boots - Grip and ankle support matter more than looks; never hike in brand-new boots. Find on Amazon
- Layers + a waterproof shell - Mountain weather turns fast; a packable rain jacket saves the day. Find on Amazon
- Daypack with rain cover - 20-30 litres holds water, snacks, layers and a first-aid kit. Find on Amazon
- Offline maps + a power bank - Download the trail before you lose signal; carry backup charge. Find on Amazon
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