Pillersee Valley

The Pillersee Valley lies in the Kitzbühel district of Tyrol, where it meets Salzburg state. Two river valleys meet near St Jakob in Haus: one drains north through the Grieselbach and Pillersee into the Saalach, the other runs east–west carrying the Rothache and Fieberbrunner Ache. The valley is framed by the Loferer Steinberge and Leoganger Steinberge ranges, with the Kirchbergstock to the west and the Kitzbühel Alps to the south. Five municipalities share the valley floor: Fieberbrunn, Hochfilzen, St Ulrich am Pillersee, St Jakob in Haus and Waidring. The Hochkönigstraße and Salzburg–Tyrol railway run along the southern side, while the Pillerseestraße links the northern branch to the Loferer Straße. Geologically, the valley marks the boundary between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Slate Alps’ grauwacke grass mountains. Visitors find open meadows beside the Pillersee, a lake that gives the valley its name. The Öfenschlucht gorge, or Teufelsklamm, cuts through the northern hills near Waidring, offering a narrow passage between cliffs. From the Grießen Pass in the east to the parish boundary near St Johann in Tirol, the valley widens into gentle slopes used for walking and cycling. The surrounding peaks of the Loferer and Leoganger Steinberge rise steeply, providing a dramatic backdrop to the quiet villages.