Hinterau valley

Hinterautal
Die Isar im Hinterautal
Floor elevation970 m (3,180 ft) (up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft))
Length14 km (8.7 mi)
Geography
LocationTirol, Österreich
Coordinates47°22′33″N 11°22′16″E / 47.37583°N 11.37111°E / 47.37583; 11.37111
Mountain rangeKarwendel
Traversed byIsar
Isar in Hinterau valley

The Hinterau valley (Rear Meadow Valley, German: Hinterautal) is a valley crossing the Karwendel range from east to west. The Isar has its official source in the Hinterau valley.

The valley stretches from its western end at Scharnitz to its upper eastern end called Rossloch over 14 km from west to east. Starting from Scharnitz the mountain ranges of the Northern Karwendel range and the Hinterautal-Vomp chain limit the valley to the north, just interrupted by the Karwendel valley. To the south the Gleisch-Hall chain limits the valley.

From the western side the valley first is deeply cut into by the waters of river Isar, after that part the valley follows more smoothly to the source of river Isar. After that the valley ends at an alpine bowl called Rossloch.