Berchtesgaden National Park

Maps

Park overview first. Corridor sheets add planning detail where they exist.

Park overview (Map 1)

Full map / print

Königssee corridor (Map 2)

Full map / print

Trail pick list (review): OSM hiking relation catalog

Overview

Berchtesgaden National Park is steep limestone, cold water, and long sightlines. This page covers the Königssee corridor: where to park at the north shore, which short walks open the classic views, and which longer routes leave from mid-lake trailheads.

Use the map as you would a US National Park Service valley sheet. Read peaks, water, parking, and named trails first. Paid rides and town attractions are left off on purpose.

Natural highlights

What is worth seeing on foot. Elevations in meters (and feet on the map).

• Königssee

  lake

  Long, fjord-like lake running north–south through the park core. Clear water and sheer walls; the north shore is the main public access.

• Obersee

  lake

  Smaller high lake beyond the south end of Königssee. Reached on foot from the St. Bartholomä area after lake access.

• Malerwinkel

  viewpoint

  Classic north-shore view down the lake toward the Watzmann massif. Short, signed walk from the Schönau parking area.

• Watzmann · 2713 m

  peak

  Dominant west-side massif above the lake. Approaches are serious mountain hiking; treat as alpine terrain, not a casual stroll.

• Jenner · 1874 m

  peak

  East-side summit above Schönau. Hiking routes exist from the valley; ignore cable-car marketing and plan as a foot ascent if that is your goal.

• Eiskapelle

  glacier

  Ice field / snow remnant below the Watzmann east face, reached on foot from St. Bartholomä. Conditions change; expect rough trail and cold air.

Trailheads & parking

Where to leave the car (or bus) to get close to what you want to see.

• Schönau Seelände / Königssee north shore

  Near: Malerwinkel, Königssee north shore

  Large paid lots at Schönau am Königssee (seek P1–P4 style lots near the lake; arrive early in peak season).

• Malerwinkel path start

  Near: Malerwinkel

  Same Schönau north-shore lots; walk east along the shore signs for Malerwinkel.

• St. Bartholomä (lake access)

  Near: Eiskapelle, Obersee approach

  No drive-up trailhead. Reach by electric boat from Schönau, then hike. Frame the boat as logistics to trail, not as a sightseeing cruise product.

• Jenner / east-side valley approaches

  Near: Jenner

  Valley parking in Schönau / Jenner area; confirm current lot names on site. Start hiking from the valley floor rather than treating the upper station as the trailhead.

Trails

Distances are useful order-of-magnitude figures for planning, not survey-grade GPS tracks.

• Malerwinkel walk

  From Schönau north-shore parking · ~1.2 km · Easy · Graded path, mostly firm

  Along the way: Malerwinkel, Königssee

  Out-and-back lakeshore walk. Best first stop if you want orientation without a long day. Crowded mid-day; early or late is quieter.

• Königssee east-shore paths (north sector)

  From Schönau Seelände · ~3 km · Easy · Mixed shore path and forest trail

  Along the way: Königssee

  Use for shoreline walking near the north end. Distances vary by turnaround; the map marks the usable public shore corridor, not every social path.

• Eiskapelle from St. Bartholomä

  From St. Bartholomä boat landing · ~3.5 km · Moderate · Rocky alpine trail, roots and scree sections

  Along the way: Eiskapelle, Watzmann east face

  Round-trip order of magnitude ~3–4 km depending on snow line. Boat schedule controls your day. Not a valley stroll—bring layers and footwear for wet rock.

• Obersee from St. Bartholomä

  From St. Bartholomä · ~6 km · Moderate · Trail with climbing sections toward the south basin

  Along the way: Obersee, Königssee south end

  Combine only if boat timing and weather allow. Steeper and longer than Malerwinkel; treat as a half-day from the landing.

• Jenner by trail (valley start)

  From Schönau / Jenner valley parking · ~8 km · Strenuous · Mountain trail, sustained climb

  Along the way: Jenner

  Approximate round-trip distance if you hike both ways from the valley. Elevation gain is the story—plan time and weather. Cable car is omitted as an attraction; use only if you treat it as optional transport, not the point of the visit.

Getting there

Most visitors base from Schönau am Königssee at the north end of the lake. Park once, walk for viewpoints, and use the boat only when a trailhead sits mid-lake.

By car

Drive to Schönau am Königssee (south of Berchtesgaden town). Follow signs for Königssee parking. Do not expect free roadside parking at the shore in season.

By transit

Train to Berchtesgaden, then local bus toward Königssee / Schönau. Schedules change seasonally—check Deutsche Bahn / local bus boards the morning of your hike.

Parking

North-shore lots fill on fair-weather weekends. Have a backup plan (later start, Malerwinkel only, or a different trail day). Overnight parking rules vary by lot—read posted signs.

Intentionally left off

European tourism sites push these hard. This map does not, so the nature signal stays readable.

• Jennerbahn / gondolas marketed as the experience
• Toboggan runs, mountain carts, and adventure parks
• Alm dining “experiences” and souvenir shopping clusters
• Foto-point marketing markers and themed attraction stops
• Salt mine and other paid indoor attractions near town
• Eagle’s Nest / Kehlsteinhaus as a nature destination