Enzian Hut

The Enzianhütte is a private alpine hut (Privathütte) situated at 1,804 metres above sea level in the Allgäu Alps near Oberstdorf in Bavaria, Germany. It lies in hillside meadows (Hangwiesen) on the ascent to the neighbouring Rappenseehütte (2,091 m) and onward to the Heilbronner Weg. Unlike the many mountain huts operated by the German Alpine Club (DAV), it is explicitly a private hut, owned by the Schwegler family since 1937 and run as a hospitality business rather than a club refuge. The hut offers accommodation, dining and wellness. It provides 106 mattress-camp places plus comfortable double and multi-bed rooms, with a total capacity of 136 overnight guests, and requires advance reservation and check-in. Its kitchen serves regional à la carte dishes and house-brewed beers, and it hosts a Saturday kitchen party. A wellness area includes whirlpools, a panorama and infrared sauna, a hay rest room and a natural swimming pond. The hut also markets itself as a venue for seminars and meetings, and as a base for hut hikes and popular day tours. The Enzianhütte is open only in summer; the official site lists a 2026 season from 4 June to 10 October. It sits at the foot of the Linkerskopf (2,455 m), the highest vegetated summit of the German Alps, and offers panoramic views toward the Mindelheimer Klettersteig, the Lechtal and Oberstdorf. The hut is reached on foot from Birgsau (bus from Oberstdorf) via Einödsbach in about 2½ hours, or from the Fellhorn car park via the Petersalp in about 3.5 hours, the final section from the Petersalp being steep with roughly 700 metres of ascent. Since 1993 the hut has been managed by Daniel Schwegler with his hut team, under the motto "Das Schöne suchen, das Besondere finden" (seek the beautiful, find the special). The business combines traditional alpine hospitality with unusual features for a mountain hut, notably a house microbrewery installed in 2012 that produces a dark wheat beer called "Der Gipfelstürmer" alongside an alcohol-free wheat beer and a naturally cloudy beer. Its history includes wartime damage, a complete rebuild in 1980, a material cable car built in 1968 and later replaced, and successive expansions and modernisations.

The Enzianhütte's history begins with Max Schwegler, who in 1935 leased the 100-hectare alp on which the hut stands, farmed it from 1936 and bought it in 1937. In that same year he began building the Enzianhütte, which was completed in 1938 with 80 sleeping places. Even then, dishes of regional game were on the menu, establishing a culinary tradition that continues today. During the Second World War the hut was occupied by Moroccan troops and left in a desolate state. After renovation work, operations resumed in 1948. In 1968 a material cable car was built to improve supplies to the hut. In 1980 the hut was rebuilt, a project that required around 6,000 helicopter flights to fly in the necessary material; to keep the business running during construction, the new hut was simply built around the old one. In 2000, as part of further renovation work, an 80 m² wellness area was created with a whirlpool, sauna and natural swimming pond. In 2004 the material cable car was dismantled and supply switched to helicopters. In 2009 the hut was extended by an additional 160 m² and a combined heat and power unit was installed. In 2012 the house microbrewery was built, producing a dark wheat beer named "Der Gipfelstürmer" as well as an alcohol-free wheat beer and a naturally cloudy beer, and a feel-good terrace was added. In 2015 a BOS radio antenna was mounted on the roof and a new material cable car was erected, which has since handled supplies. The hut has been in the private ownership of the Schwegler family since 1937, and since 1993 it has been managed by Daniel Schwegler. It is explicitly not a DAV (German Alpine Club) hut. It is open only in summer; the official website lists a 2026 season from 4 June to 10 October. The hut accommodates up to 136 overnight guests, with 106 mattress-camp places and double and multi-bed rooms, and requires advance reservation and check-in. Its kitchen serves regional à la carte dishes and house-brewed beers, and it hosts a Saturday kitchen party. The wellness area includes whirlpools, a panorama and infrared sauna, a hay rest room and a natural swimming pond. The hut also offers a setting for seminars and meetings and serves as a base for hut hikes and day tours. Access is on foot: from Birgsau (bus from Oberstdorf) via Einödsbach in about 2½ hours, or from the Fellhorn car park via the Petersalp in about 3.5 hours, with the final section from the Petersalp being steep and climbing roughly 700 metres. The hut lies at the foot of the Linkerskopf (2,455 m), the highest vegetated summit of the German Alps, with panoramic views toward the Mindelheimer Klettersteig, the Lechtal and Oberstdorf. Popular tours from the hut include the Heilbronner Weg, the Linkerskopf (4 hours), the Hohes Licht (2,651 m, 6 hours), the Biberkopf (2,599 m, 6 hours), the Hochrappenkopf (2,425 m, 5 hours) and the Rappenseekopf (2,469 m, 5 hours). Direct neighbouring huts include the Rappenseehütte (2,091 m, about 1½ hours), the Fiderepasshütte (2,067 m), the Kemptner Hütte and the Waltenbergerhaus. The relevant map is the Alpenvereinskarte 2/1 Allgäuer-Lechtaler Alpen West (1:25,000).

• 2015

  A BOS radio antenna was mounted on the roof and a new material cable car was erected.

• 2012

  A house microbrewery was built, producing the dark wheat beer 'Der Gipfelstürmer', and a feel-good terrace was added.

• 2009

  The hut was extended by 160 m² and a combined heat and power unit was installed.

• 2004

  The material cable car was dismantled and supply switched to helicopters.

• 2000

  An 80 m² wellness area with whirlpool, sauna and natural swimming pond was created.

• 1993

  Daniel Schwegler took over management of the hut.

• 1980

  The hut was rebuilt, requiring around 6,000 helicopter flights; the new hut was built around the old one to keep the business running.

• 1968

  A material cable car was built to improve supplies.

• 1948

  Operations resumed after renovation following wartime damage.

• 1938

  The Enzianhütte was completed with 80 sleeping places.

• 1937

  Max Schwegler bought the alp and began building the Enzianhütte.

• 1936

  Max Schwegler began farming the alp.

• 1935

  Max Schwegler leased the 100-hectare alp.

A family-run private alpine hut offering traditional Allgäu mountain hospitality combined with unusual amenities such as a house microbrewery and wellness area, positioned as a base for hiking and hut tours rather than a club refuge.

• Overnight stays

  106 mattress-camp places and double/multi-bed rooms; total capacity 136 guests; advance reservation and check-in required.

• Regional à la carte cuisine

  Regional à la carte dishes and house-brewed beers; Saturday kitchen party.

• House-brewed beers

  Dark wheat beer 'Der Gipfelstürmer', alcohol-free wheat beer and a naturally cloudy beer.

• Wellness area

  Whirlpools, panorama and infrared sauna, hay rest room and natural swimming pond.

• Seminars and meetings

  Facilities for meetings and seminars.

• Tours and hikes

  Base for hut hikes and popular day tours such as the Heilbronner Weg and nearby summits.

1. 1Enzianhütte Oberstdorf - Berghütte in den Allgäuer Alpen auf 1.804 menzianhuette-oberstdorf.de
2. 2Enzian Hut - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Enzianhütte (Allgäu) - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org