Tuxbach

The Tuxbach is a mountain stream in the Austrian Alps. It flows through the Tux valley in the Tyrol region, joining the Zemmbach near Finkenberg and Mayrhofen. The valley separates the Tux Alps to the north from the Zillertal Alps to the south. The Tuxbach begins where three tributaries—the Great Kunerbach, the Little Kunerbach and the Schwarzbrunnerbach—meet below the Tux pass. These streams are fed by the Tuxer Ferner and Schwarzbrunnerkees glaciers. Near Hintertux the river passes through the Schraubenfallhöhle, a 105-metre cave carved by the river after the last Ice Age. Along its course it is joined by the Junsbach and Nigglasbach, and by waterfalls such as the Schleierfall and the Schraubenwasserfall. The Teufelsbrücke, a protected stone bridge, spans the stream at Persal. Walkers can follow the Tuxbach’s banks through the valley, where the river alternates between wild cascades and calmer stretches. The surrounding peaks include the Olperer at 3,476 metres. The stream’s flow peaks in June when snowmelt swells it to 8.48 cubic metres per second, far above the February low of 1.13 cubic metres per second. Parts of the river remain in a natural state, supporting clean water life and offering quiet spots beside its banks.