Perfect tour for getting started with great views of the Kitzbühel Alps
The hike starts in the Hinterkaiser district of St. Johann, at the Rummlerhof parking lot (recognizable by the six oversized cairns).
From here, the trail crosses meadows and first reaches the St. Johann Hermitage. From here, you'll already have a fantastic view of the town of St. Johann in Tirol and the Kitzbüheler Horn. From here, the trail climbs steeply through the forest to the Gmail Chapel on the Niederkaiser ridge, offering repeated views of the valley below. Once you reach the ridge, you'll be standing high above St. Johann with a sweeping view of the valley and the surrounding mountains.
The Gmail Chapel (1782) is a Baroque building with Rococo stucco work inside. It was built halfway into the rock and is considered a place of power by many.
The descent takes you via the Lourdes Grotto, located just below the chapel; it can be reached in 5 minutes. A St. Johann resident once placed a statue of the Virgin Mary on a rocky outcrop as a thank you for his recovery after a pilgrimage to Lourdes.
The path now leads you through the forest, across a clearing, and back into the forest. You then continue through horse paddocks back to the hermitage and along the ascent path back to the parking lot at the Rummlerhof Inn.
Did you know? The first stage of the Koasa Trail also passes the Gmail Chapel.