Summer or winter? Defereggen Valley offers countless reasons year-round in favour of visiting this idyllic valley. No matter if in summer or winter, Alpine meadows in full bloom or snow-covered winter landscapes – here every season knows to impress in its very own way. In the warm months, the beauty of nature unfolds its true glory, such as the the Oberhauser pine forest. The alpine climate in and around the largest closed pine forest in the Eastern Alps let's St. Jakob and its visitors literally breathe easily and liven up. Located a little higher – at 2,009 m – the Jagdhausalm settlement, the oldest in Austria, clings to the sloping hillside, surrounded by lush alpine meadows. High above Defereggen Valley, 17 unique stone houses and a chapel bear witness to the events of many decades ago here, when the Alpine herdsmen and dairy men still lead Arcade lives. Thanks to its special ambience, the Jagdhausalm is also called "Little Tibet in Osttirol".
Not to forget are the picturesque scenic features around Lake Obersee, which make for wide-eyed faces and shining photographers' eyes on a drive across the Staller Saddle into neighbouring Antholzer Valley. And what better to do in all these fabulous scenic features than hiking? Defereggen Valley offers hiking and summer tours on which you can get to know the region and its people better with the help of a ranger from the Hohe Tauern National Park. Be it walking and winding down on the 2-Valley-Trail, the Alpine flower panoramic trail or high above the treetops on the observation tower in Oberhauser pine forest – the natural gems of Defereggen Valley make for unforgettable impressions. In addition to all the beautifully shaped mountains and their impressive summits, in Defereggen Valley much also revolves around the element of water, seeing that the valley is rightly known as a mountain water paradise.
Multifaceted in the natural water playground St. Jakob, eventful on the interactive water trail St. Jakob, restorative with the Deferegger healing water or intense in the mist of the Staller waterfall – encounters with the source of life are always something special here. For families, the new play and excursion arena "Aqua adventure playground Ochsenlacke", sitting at lofty heights at the Mooseralm Lodge in the Brunnalm ski area, is a rewarding destination. And when in Defereggen Valley the alpine roses flower and the Alpine meadows shine in bright pink, that's when the annual Alpine Rose Festival is celebrated in St. Jakob. The festival regularly attracts numerous visitors from near and far to the idyllic community.
