Schwarzwasserhütte

Schwarzwasserhütte sits at 1,620m in the Bregenzerwaldgebirge mountains of Vorarlberg, between Mellau and Au. The hut is reached via Schwarzwassertal valley. From Mellau village (650m), allow 2.5 to 3 hours to reach the hut on a well-marked trail following the Schwarzwasser stream. The approach gains 970m steadily but without technical difficulty. From Au, the walk takes roughly 3 hours via Schoppernau. This hut makes an excellent base for ridge walks in the northern limestone ranges and connects to trails leading toward Hochälpele and the Widderstein massif.
The DAV Sektion Schwaben manages the hut year-round. It sleeps 45 guests across mixed dormitory rooms and a few private doubles. Half-board (dinner and breakfast) is the standard offering, with packed lunches available for day trips. The kitchen serves solid regional food. There is no WiFi, so plan on genuine downtime. The hut has running water, heating, and basic shower facilities. Summer is the main season from June through September, though the hut opens most weekends in shoulder months.
Book directly by phone several weeks ahead for July and August weekends. Email contact should appear on the DAV website for Schwarzwasserhütte. Midweek stays outside peak summer carry no booking pressure. Groups of six or more should notify the warden well in advance. The hut lies on the Vorarlberg hiking network, so it fills quickly when weather across the region is poor and valley trails become crowded.