The Fallbach waterfall drops more than 500 metres* near the village of Dalaas in Austria’s westernmost province.
Vorarlberg is well-stocked with impressive mountain ranges on the borders with Switzerland and the Tyrol. But the Fallbach waterfall is easily accessible just off the main express road between the Arlberg Tunnel and the administrative centre of Bludenz.
It drops from just under the ridge which separates the Klostertal from the Silbertal in the Montafon region and a relatively easy trail through the woods allows hikers to view the waterfall close at hand.
© Steve Rout
The route leads from the centre of Dalaas up through the forest to the Fallbach stream with good views directly up to the water cascading over the rock face. It takes around 30-40 minutes to get to this point.
Those who want to get a little bit closer can take a steeper and trickier path over roots and moss-covered stones to the base of the falls, where the power and noise of the water can be best appreciated.
There is a challenging via ferrata (level C/D) which climbs the rock face near the falls and in winter the falls themselves turn into a popular ice climb.
The walk can be extended by taking the junction down to the neighbouring village of Braz, where a public bus service is available for the return to Dalaas.
Braz has its own trail to another spectacular waterfall – the Mason falls, which are accessible via a longer and more strenuous hike from the village. Another option is the Sunna-Weg, a five-hour cultural trail through the woods from Braz past Bludenz to the suburb of Nuziders.
Dalaas Video
More information: www.vorarlberg-alpenregion.at
*Some viewers may wonder why these waterfalls are not the highest in Austria – apparently the reason is because they are not free-falling and touch the rock at numerous points.
