Listsee -

When there’s still snow on the Hochstaufen, Zwiesel, and Predigtstuhl, a relatively leisurely scenic hike from Bad Reichenhall to the idyllically situated Listsee is a great option early in the year.> From the Karlstein01 parking lot, we head left along the St2101 and, after a few meters, turn left onto Schmalschlägerstraße, pass a small parking lot with a trail sign, and then turn right onto Stauferstraße after the parking lot. We take the first left onto Zwieselstraße02 (via Seppenbauer). Beautiful views of Zwiesel and Hochstaufen. Passing the turnoffs to the Pankraz Church and the Karlstein ruins, we continue straight ahead on the paved road toward Listsee via Listanger, passing farms and hiking over a hilltop in a gentle right-hand curve downhill to a building just before Bruckthalstraße. In front of the house, we turn left off the paved road and follow the sign for “Antonibergkapelle.” A dirt path leads us across meadows to the forest, with a narrow stream running alongside us on the right. Initially flat, the trail climbs through the forest, and we come upon a small, hidden lake03. Walking along the lake and a short distance past its far end, we take a sharp right at a fork and follow the trail markers toward Listsee. The ascending trail initially runs through the forest with little in the way of views, but then, at a wayside shrine near the turnoff to the Jodlbauer04, the view to the right opens up, offering a beautiful vista of the Hochstaufen and across to the Predigtstuhl cable car’s mountain station. The trail then climbs again; at a sharp left-hand bend, we keep to the right and take the marked trail toward Listsee. We cross a hilltop and, at a trail junction, continue straight ahead on the now gently descending path, which leads us to the gravel-surfaced Jochstraße. A spring babbles to our left; we cross the forest road and walk past the Listangerhütte05 (with a signpost) on the left, entering the forest on an unmarked trail. The trail becomes noticeably steeper; in places it’s gravelly, and at a clearing where the trails meet, we turn sharply right (and follow the trail markers to Listsee directly beneath the high-voltage power lines). The trail quickly narrows to a path06 that winds downhill through the forest slope via tight switchbacks and many steps, offering a beautiful view down to Bad Reichenhall and across to Untersberg and Predigtstuhl. Near a small pump house, the terrain flattens out, and shortly thereafter we reach the idyllically situated Listsee07. Following a wide forest road to the left past the lake and slightly downhill, we reach the paved road and the buildings at the Listwirt08 shortly after the forest ends. We hike down the Listseestraße, enjoying the views, past the turnoff to the Gasthof Niederalm09 and the Hotel-Café Neu-Meran10, and shortly after the Buchhof, we take a right-hand bend toward Karlstein. On the sidewalk running alongside the road, we pass houses and a bridge, but turn right just before reaching it (St. Pankraz via Karlstein). Crossing a small bridge, we follow the Schönauer Weg11 between pastures and meadows, with the Seebach stream flowing alongside us on the left. After crossing the next intersection, we continue along Stauferstraße through the houses to Zwieselstraße02 and return to the starting point01 via the same route we took on the way there.