Camping Ötztal Längenfeld – A piece of history
written by the Auer Family.

Our grandparents and parents built a small snack station and refreshment stop area for hikers called "Infang" in 1957 – 1958. It was open only in summer and became a popular meeting point for both locals and guests very soon. Already at that time a few summer vacationers pitched up a tent in the little wood adjacent to the snack station – an ideal area for camping guests thanks to its natural terrain.

Later on "Camping Ötztal" was officially founded in 1959. Our grandfather and father erected a small sanitary building which belonged to the campsite and was open all summer. The snack station was also the check-in spot for guests of the camping ground. Of course, the modest exterior facilities can't be compared to today's top modern standard. The campground was open only during the summer months. Holiday makers slept in their small tents while caravans and campers were still unknown in those days.

In the beginning (after the campsite's opening), running water came from the mountain brooklet while drinking water was available from a nearby spring in the first two years. Neither the snack station nor the campsite were connected to the electrical grid. By night the campers used gas lamps and flashlights to reach the sanitary house. Up to the mid-1960s the campground was equipped with dry toilets.

Finally in 1964, electricity and running water from the supply system was installed, as well as the first gas-powered hot shower (one shower for all camping guests!). In late June / early July 1965 the entire village of Längenfeld was flooded by the nearby Fischbach mountain brook. Miraculously the camping grounds were spared from the dramatic flood like a small island - despite of its location right between Fischbach and Ötztaler Ache. In the course of the following years the number of guests increased permanently. Therefore the campsite amidst the wood and meadow, and the sanitary house became too small. In 1973 the new Campsite was enlarged and built in today's location.

Between 1978 and 1979, a new sanitary house with side rooms was built and equipped with a heating system for the winter months. At that time the one-story building was still much smaller. We have constantly enlarged, renewed and improved the campsite down to the present day. Originally, the area was a huge meadow. Over the years we have added trees and hedges. In 1986 the sanitary house received an upper floor and a sauna. The reception and administration area was erected in 1991, by replacing the former wooden building. Only in 2003 the ground floor of the sanitary house was reconstructed and adapted to today's standard.