Stoanerne Mandln – a quiet favorite spot between heaven and earth

Mystical. Mysterious. A little spiritual. And a place where you simply want to be still for a moment.

August 21, 2026 — approx. 4-minute read

There are places you visit because they are beautiful. And then there are places where you can’t quite explain why they touch you.

For us, the Stoanerne Mandln belong to the second category.

High up on the Tschögglberg, at around 2,000 meters, stand more than a hundred small and large figures made of stacked stones. Some are only knee-high, others almost man-high. Between them, wind, vastness, and a panorama that stretches in all directions.

When you arrive up there, the place has something peculiar about it. Quiet. Mystical. Almost a little unreal.

A place full of stories

How the Stoanerne Mandln actually came into being cannot be definitively explained to this day.

For centuries, stories and legends have surrounded this place. Tales were told of witch dances and mysterious gatherings. Historical court records from 1540 actually mention the story of Barbara Pachler, who was accused of meeting witches and devils there. Other accounts link the place to ancient cult sites or shepherds.

What of it is truth and what is legend?

Perhaps that is precisely part of its appeal.

Because when you stand among the many stone figures, hear the wind, and look far across the mountains, you don’t really need a definitive explanation.

A place with a view

The Stoanerne Mandln stand on the Hohe Reisch at about 2,003 meters above sea level.

From there, an impressive panorama unfolds: the Ortler Group, Texel Group, Ötztal Alps, and, with good visibility, even the Dolomites surround you.

But it’s not just the view that we like.

It’s this feeling of being far away. No traffic, no city, no houses. Just mountains, alpine meadows, wind, and these strange little stone men, each of which seems to have been deliberately placed there, leaving its mark.

Most beautiful when it’s quiet

The Stoanerne Mandln are no longer a completely unknown insider tip.

Precisely for this reason, we would try not to go up during peak times. Early in the morning, during the week, or outside the busiest holiday periods, the place shows its most beautiful side.

A sunrise tour is particularly impressive. The Hafling–Vöran–Meran 2000 tourist association also explicitly recommends the Stoanerne Mandln for a sunrise hike.

When the first rays of sun hit the stone figures and the mountains slowly become visible, you might best understand why this place has captivated people for centuries.

How to get there?

Several paths lead to the Stoanerne Mandln.

A beautiful circular hike, for example, starts in Vöran and leads via Leadner Alm and Auenjoch to the stone figures. The complete loop from Vöran, with almost 19.6 kilometers, around 860 meters of elevation gain, and about six hours of walking time, is a proper day hike and is classified as moderately difficult.

If you prefer something shorter, you can start from the Schermoos parking lot above Mölten. The official circular tour is around 16 kilometers long, takes about 4 hours 50 minutes, and covers a good 700 meters of elevation gain.

There are also shorter access routes from the Sarntal. Therefore, it’s worth considering before you start whether you want to make a full day of hiking or get to this special place as directly as possible.

The tour at a glance

• Destination: Stoanerne Mandln / Hohe Reisch
• Altitude: approx. 2,003 m
• Character: Alpine hike with a wide panoramic view
• Difficulty: easy to moderate depending on the starting point
• Vöran variant: approx. 19.6 km · approx. 6 hours · around 860 m elevation gain
• Schermoos variant: approx. 16 km · approx. 4:50 hours · around 720 m elevation gain
• Especially beautiful: early morning or at sunrise
• Important: good footwear, sufficient water, and check the weather forecast

Our tip

Don’t just go there to take a photo.

Find a spot among the stone figures, sit down for a few minutes, and just look.

No music. No phone. No next destination.

Perhaps then you will also feel that special atmosphere that is so hard to put into words.

Whether it’s a place of power, an ancient cult site, a centuries-old legend, or simply a beautiful mountain peak – ultimately, everyone can decide that for themselves.

For us, the Stoanerne Mandln remain above all one thing:

a quiet favorite spot that you remember for a long time.