Großer Ahornboden

The Ahornboden lies high in the Karwendel range, where two alpine meadows—Großer and Kleiner Ahornboden—stand beneath steep limestone walls. The larger meadow fills the valley floor of the Rißtal at 1 080 to 1 300 metres, while the smaller one sits at 1 400 metres in the Johannestal. Both meadows are protected landscapes and form part of the long-standing Tirol–Bavaria nature reserve established in 1928. The old mountain maples here are among the oldest natural monuments in Tirol. In 1927 the trees at the Eng alp were declared protected, and by 1966 a survey counted 2 409 specimens. Their gnarled trunks, some 300 to 600 years old, shelter rare mosses and lichens; one study found 215 species, including the protected Rudolph’s trumpet moss. The trees also provide nest sites for woodpeckers and bats, making the meadows important for wildlife. Visitors walk among the wide-spreading maples on gentle paths that cross the valley floor. The larger meadow is reached by a toll road from Hinterriß between May and October, while the smaller one is a two-and-a-half-hour walk from the same village. Near the northern edge of the smaller meadow stands a memorial to Hermann von Barth, who opened up the Karwendel for climbers.