Moll Valley (Winklern)

Moll Valley (Winklern)

The Möll Valley (Mölltal) is a stunning high-alpine landscape carved by the glacial Möll River, serving as a gateway to the Hohe Tauern National Park in Carinthia. Geographically, it is framed by the towering 3,000-meter peaks of the Goldberg and Kreuzeck groups, with the majestic Großglockner—Austria’s highest mountain—dominating the skyline to the northwest. Historically, the valley has been a vital corridor since Roman times, once flourishing during the late Middle Ages as a center for gold and copper mining; today, this heritage is preserved in the historic "Toll Tower" of Winklern and the medieval architecture of nearby Obervellach.

For cyclists, the valley is home to the Glockner Cycle Path (R8), a roughly 80 km route that is widely considered one of the most scenic in the Alps. Most riders begin in Heiligenblut and head downstream toward Flattach and Winklern, enjoying a family-friendly, mostly asphalted path that follows the river’s turquoise waters. While the valley floor offers a leisurely ride past natural monuments like the thundering Raggaschlucht gorge, mountain bikers can find more grueling challenges on the steep slopes leading toward the Mölltal Glacier, where the elevation gain can exceed 1,000 meters in a single climb.