Kleine Reibn Hike in Berchtesgaden Alps, Bavaria: Jenner, Schneibstein, and Seeleinsee

Kleine Reibn (also spelled Kleine Reib’n) is a long and strenuous day hike in the Berchtesgaden Alps in Bavaria, Southern Germany. 

The circular route begins with an easy and smooth ascent to Carl-von-Stahl Haus mountain hut, followed by a rigorous climb to the Schneibstein summit plateau (2275 m) in the Hagen Mountains. The high trail continues across karst plateaus and high valleys to Lake Seeleinsee. Next, the Kleine Reibn path tumbles down Stiergraben, before eventually easing across  the wide-open mountain pastures surrounding Priesbergalm. 

Traditionally, the hike begins and ends at the Hinterbrand Car Park above Schönau am Königssee. However, it’s also possible to shorten the hike by starting at the Jenner cableway mountain station and ending at the Jenner cableway middle station, which is what we did.

Kati and I arrived in Berchtesgaden National Park in August – the hottest and busiest time of year. We chose this hike specifically, because we wanted to follow a high route (to escape the heat), see the Jenner summit viewpoint, and cool off in a mountain lake mid-hike. 

This is an ambitious day hike with lots of scenic variation and challenging terrain. We particularly loved the summit views from Jenner and Schneibstein. The highlight was swimming in the refreshing waters of Lake Seeleinsee, before starting the descent. 

The trail is well-signed and waymarked with short timber posts, reverse Knafelc blazes, some cairns, and red-white-red lines. 

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Kleine Reibn Hiking Map

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Where to Start the Kleine Reibn Hike

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Jenner Mountain Station 

The Jennerbahn is a 10-person gondola in two sections, located near Lake Königssee. 

There’s a large car park close to the valley station (5-minute walk away). There are also direct bus connections to the valley station. 

Ticket | The Jennerbahn ticket office at the valley station opens at 8 am. Purchase a round-trip ticket to the mountain station. It’s cheaper than purchasing a one-way ticket ascent to the mountain station and a one-way descent from the middle station to the valley station. Discounts are administered to Berchtesgaden Guest Card holders. 

Bergsteigerfahrt | The Jennerbahn operates between 9 am and 5 pm. However, there is a single Bergsteigerfahrt, or  “mountaineering trip” at 8:30 am. You don’t need a special ticket for this early gondola ride. You simply must arrive at the gondola entry point (where you scan your ticket) 5 minutes before 8:30 am, in order to ride up to the Jenner mountain station. There are no “capacity” limits; everyone who arrives on time is allowed to go up. 

Given the length of this hike, we recommend ascending with the Jennerbahn at 8:30 am sharp. 

Check Jennerbahn.de to confirm the time of the Bergsteigerfahrt. 

Valley Station – Middle Station – Mountain Station | The 10-person gondola line runs from the valley to the mountain station. You don’t have to disembark at the middle station and walk to another cableway. 

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Kleine Reibn Hiking Difficulty

Kleine Reibn is a difficult day hike, because of the terrain and length.

There is an abundance of karst along the route, which hikers must skillfully navigate. 

On the ascent of Schneibstein, much of the karst is polished, and thus slippery. We needed to use our hands to stabilize our ascent through the slippery sections. 

Whenever you think the trail eases, it’s wishful thinking. The uneven karst persists throughout most of the hike.

Additionally, the Kleine Reibn hiking trail is fairly long, even with the Jenner cableway ascent and descent. 

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Kleine Reibn Trail Description

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Recommended Detour: Jenner Mountain Station to Jenner Summit Viewpoint  (30 minutes out-and-back)

Upon exiting the mountain station, turn right and follow the well-groomed path up to the Jenner viewpoint platform and further up to the Jenner summit. 

This worthy detour affords sweeping views of Lake Königssee, a blue slither of water, embedded in the Berchtesgaden Alps. Mighty Watzmann, the third highest mountain in Germany, rises to the west of Lake Königssee. 

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Jenner Mountain Station to Carl-von-Stahl Haus (30 – 45 minutes)

Signs indicated 45 minutes to Stahlhaus (aka Carl-von-Stahl Haus) and 3 hours to Schneibstein, along trails 499/416. 

Descend along the wide gravel road until the Stahlhaus-bound trail branches off on the right. A bench and trail signs mark this junction. 

The well-groomed path descends amid grassy slopes to another junction, where the Hinterbrand trail joins up. Continue following signs to Stahlhaus (signed 30 minutes) and Schneibstein (2:45 hours). 

The dwarf-pine-lined path curves around a high valley to a picturesque scene. Beneath Schneibstein Peak, Schneibsteinhaus stands in a clearing, ringed by forest. The meadows around the hut are grazed in summer. 

Our path follows the left upper track, bypassing Schneibsteinhaus. The ascent continues easily to Carl-von-Stahl Haus, located on the Torrener Joch saddle, on the Salzburg-side of the border. 

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Carl-von-Stahl Haus to Schneibstein Peak (1:30 – 2:15 hours)

The path swings right in a southeasterly direction and follows the wide Salzburg-Bavaria border ridge to Schneibstein Peak, signed 2:15 hours (trails 498/416). 

Throughout the ascent, hikers must carefully navigate rugged, often steep karst terrain. A great deal of the karst is polished, which makes it slippery. Take extra care. There’s no serious scrambling, but you may need your hands at times.

The steep, dwarf pine alleys give way to a wide-open grassy slope, yielding a grand panorama of Hohes Brett (2340 m), Hoher Göll (2522 m), Grosser Archenkopf (2391 m), and Hinteres Freieck (2309 m). 

The ascent continues up the northwest ridge of Schneibstein. After a stretch of karst, the path gets increasingly easier as you near the vast summit plateau of Schneibstein (2275 m).

The summit, marked with a modest Gipfelkreuz, affords an impressive bird’s eye view of Bluntau Valley, which runs between the Göllstock massif and the Haggen mountains. 

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Schneibstein Peak – Windscharte – Lake Seeleinsee (1:40 – 2 hours)

The nearby trail sign indicates 2 hours to Lake Seeleinsee (trail 416). 

The Kleine Reibn high trail continues in a southwesterly direction, gently descending across a karst-strewn plateau. 

The way is marked with cairns and red-white-red waymarks. 

The high-alpine landscape is dominated by karst formations, cone-shaped peaks, and the distant Watzmann mountains.  

A smooth traverse across grassy slopes brings you to the Windscharte saddle (2101 m). The path continues along the same trajectory across the northern and northwestern flank of Windschartenkopf. 

After overcoming a narrow, uneven, steep karst section, you will descend into a depression, or high valley between Windschartenkopf and Fagstein.

This challenging stretch of trail alternates between karst and gravel paths.

Pay close attention to the waymarks. When the path seems to divide, follow the freshly-painted waymarks to the left.

Soon, you’ll see the emerald waters of Lake Seeleinsee.

Hike around the lake to reach the southern shore, which offers the best view of the lake. 

Fortunately, swimming is allowed in all lakes in Berchtesgaden National Park. When it’s blistering hot, a swim in Lake Seeleinsee will restore your body and soul. This was our favorite part of the Kleine Reibn hike. 

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Lake Seeleinsee – Stiergraben –  Priesbergalm  (1:15 – 1:30 hours)

After emerging from the lake basin, the trail divides. Turn right in the direction of Priesbergalm (1:30 hours / trail 497). 

The narrow path leads down Stiergraben, rocky at first, and then increasingly verdant. The restorative properties of the mountain lake swim quickly wear off as you carefully navigate this tedious descent. 

Larch gives way to Maple and a beautiful forest floor of meter-high plants and flowers. 

After crossing a stream, the path ascends to a vast meadow, signaling that you’re done with all the challenging sections of the Kleine Reibn.

Traverse the mountain pasture, grazed in summer, to reach the managed Priesbergalm. 

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Priesbergalm to Jenner Middle Station (1 – 1:15 hours)

Just beyond the Priesbergalm alpine pasture hut, the trail widens considerably. 

Descend along the gravel track, following the sign to Jenner Mittelstation (1:15 hours / trail 497). 

You’ll soon pass another hut selling refreshments on their terrace. 

Later on, you’ll pass by a historic Schnapsbrennhütte (Schnapps distillery). 

At the junction, the left path descends to Königsbachalm. Continue right to reach the Jenner Middle Station

Eventually, you’ll come to a junction. The left lower trail leads to Königsbachalm. Continue right, following the upper track to Jenner Middle Station. 

This stretch of trail is busier as it overlaps with the Königsweg. 

We arrived at the middle station at 3:50 pm. With an hour to spare, we decided to eat lunch at the Halbzeit restaurant, which was a perfect ending to a splendid day in the Berchtesgaden mountains. 

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Where to Stay

When you stay overnight in the Berchtesgaden region, you will receive a free Berchtesgaden Guest Card. This gives you free rides on regional transit. It also gives you a slight discount on specific attractions and museums including the Jennerbahn, Salzbergwerk Berchtesgaden, and Dokumentation Obersalzberg.

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Schönau am Königssee

If you’re traveling without a car, we recommend staying at Explorer Hotel Berchtesgaden, or Hotel Bergheimat. 

If you’re traveling with a car, Alm- & Wellnesshotel Alpenhof (luxury) is an excellent choice. 

Where we stayed – Budget-Midrange | Explorer Hotel Berchtesgaden is designed for active travelers and athletes. A breakfast buffet is laid out at 6:30 am, which is ideal for getting an early start in the mountains. Rooms are comfortable and soundproofed. Use of the wellness area with steam sauna and Finnish sauna is complimentary. The casual hotel bar is open from 4 pm. We enjoyed relaxing on the terrace with a drink to the sound of Königsseer Ache. There is ample on-site outdoor parking (1 EUR/day) and garage parking (8 EUR/day). And, perhaps the most compelling reason to stay here is that Explorer Hotel Berchtesgaden is walking distance to Lake Königssee (20-minutes). It’s also a 4-minute walk to the Unterstein Schornbad bus stop, which has direct connections to Königssee, Jennerbahn, and Berchtesgaden. 

Midrange | Hotel Bergheimat is a traditional Bavarian hotel, located a stone’s throw away from the Jennerbahn valley station and a 10-minute walk to Lake Königssee. Breakfast is included in the rate and dinner is available on-site. 

Midrange | Stoll´s Hotel Alpina is a family-run, 3-star superior hotel with a restaurant, indoor and outdoor pool, and wellness area. 

Luxury | Set in the hills above Schönau am Königssee, the 4-star Alm- & Wellnesshotel Alpenhof offers wonderful views, a rich breakfast, extensive wellness facilities, an indoor and outdoor pool, and on-site dining.

Look for accommodation in Schönau am Königssee. 

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Berchtesgaden 

The Old Town of Berchtesgaden is a charming and lively destination filled with shops, restaurants, and beer gardens. There are two notable accommodations directly in the town center including Hotel EDELWEISS Berchtesgaden Superior (luxury) and Hotel AlpinaRos (midrange). 

Just outside the town center, you’ll find Die schlafende Goass – Pub und Gästehaus (budget) and the alpine-modern Kulturhof Stanggass with an outdoor swimming pool (luxury).

Those seeking adults-only accommodations ought to check out Alpenhotel Fischer 4 Sterne (luxury). 

If you’re craving a quiet mountain retreat with excellent facilities, check out Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden (luxury). 

Look for accommodation in Berchtesgaden.

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Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden 

Ramsau bei Berchtegsaden is a Bergsteigerdorf (mountaineering village) and the entryway to Lake Hintersee and the Zauberwald (magic forest), Wimbachklamm gorge, and the Wimbachtal Valley. 

The finest accommodation in the region is Berghotel Rehlegg, located in the heart of Ramsau near St. Sebastian’s Church. This alpine hotel offers sumptuous rooms, two swimming pools, saunas, spa treatments, and a delicious half board offering (breakfast and dinner are included in the room rate). 

For a budget-friendly stay, take a look at Gästehaus Hinterponholz, situated between Ramsau and Lake Hintersee. Offering a playground and a petting zoo, this accommodation is ideal for families with children. 

Look for accommodation in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden.

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More Bavaria Travel Guides

Travel Itinerary:

• Bavarian Alps & Austrian Alps itinerary

Bavaria:

• Our Favorite Hikes in Bavaria

Berchtesgaden National Park:

• Hiking in Berchtesgaden National Park
• Wimbachklamm Gorge
• Lake Königssee

Garmisch-Partenkirchen:

• Best Things to Do in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Winter
• Best Hikes around Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Lake Eibsee
• Partnach Gorge
• Kreuzeck to Höllentalklamm Gorge Hike
• Alspitz Ferrata

Ammergau Alps:

• Hochplatte Hike

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