Hopfgarten - Rigi (MTBRoute 268)

Start this tour from the cycling and mountain biking starting point at the P3 Wasserfeld car park in Hopfgarten.
From there, follow the signs to the left in a northerly direction. After about 300 m you cross the Brixentaler Ache river over an asphalt bridge. After the railway underpass, you go through the centre of Hopfgarten. Before the Raiffeisen bank, turn left onto Brixentalerstraße. However, you leave this street after only 30 metres and follow Marktgasse until you reach the fire station. There you turn right into the uphill road. Pass the old people's home on the right, continue to the Aussersalvenberg and on the asphalt road now steeply uphill towards the Alpengasthof Rigi.
Now you need strong 'calves'. The asphalt road winds up the mountain in seemingly countless hairpin bends over a length of 6 km. Even here it is worth taking a break and enjoying the magnificent view of Kelchsau and the mountains of the Kitzbühel Alps.
Above the 'Schorn' mountain farm, the surface changes from asphalt to gravel. For the remaining 3 km to the finish, you then follow a generously designed forest road.
An absolute must: the summit of the Kleine Salve, which was only made accessible in 2020! Shortly before you reach the Alpengasthof Rigi, you can turn left at the technical centre of the mountain railway, which cannot be overlooked. After about 1 km you reach the mountain station of the Salvistabahn gondola. There you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view. From the Kitzbühel Alps to the Hohe Tauern, the Karwendel Mountains, the Wilder Kaiser to the big neighbour, the Hohe Salve - everything seems close enough to touch. And as a special highlight, the Kleine Salve reservoir lies below the summit mirroring the picturesque landscape.
After the detour, you really deserve a stop at the Alpengasthof Rigi. After the short descent from the Kleine Salve, you have to complete a crisp counter-slope before you reach the finish.
For the 9 km (or 10 km incl. Kleine Salve) distance, you should reckon with a riding time of 1.5-2 hours due to the nevertheless decent gradient.
Connecting routes: No. 297 (towards Westendorf); No. 269 (towards Itter and Hopfgarten).