16 things you must have experienced in the Kalkalpen National Park
Where nature is allowed to be. Where it creates a green place of power between Steyr, Enns and Pyhrn-Priel, lies the Kalkalpen National Park. It is rich in opportunities - whether on a hike or a bike tour across gentle alpine pastures and through old forests. Here are the 16 most beautiful experiences in the Kalkalpen National Park that you should have on your bucket list.
1. Walking on the Trämpl towards the sun
A sunrise in the mountains is something very special. Getting up when the rooster is still asleep and hiking up to the Trämpl. That takes a little effort. But at the top of the 1,424-metre-high peak you will be richly rewarded as you marvel at the sun rising over the Kalkalpen National Park. Breakfast coffee is served on the descent to the Ebenforstalm.
2. Cross the great gorge
The best way to reach the start of the Triftsteig is by mountain bike along the Hintergebirgsradweg cycle path from Reichraming or Weißwasser. Then continue safely on foot through the Große Schlucht gorge, where you follow the Triftsteig along the Großer Bach stream on the secured via ferrata. Once upon a time, lumberjacks made sure that the trees washed up on the water didn't get wedged in.
3. Stop for a Brettljause on the alpine pasture
Hospitality with classic Upper Austrian cuisine has many addresses in the Kalkalpen National Park. One of them is the Anlaufalm in the heart of the Reichraminger Hintergebirge, which can be reached on a hike or by mountain bike. The owners take care of your physical well-being. Here you can get fresh farmer's doughnuts and a typical Brettljause with spicy farmer's bread.
4. Hiking through beech wilderness
On a hike along the Wildnistrail Buchensteig, you will get to know the UNESCO World Heritage Site as it once was. Full of magnificent mixed beech forests, whose play of colours is most magnificent in spring and autumn. The oldest trees are witnesses to the late Middle Ages and are around 550 years old.
5. Cycling through tunnels, valleys and gorges
Whether it's pleasure cycling or a test of strength: Everyone will find what they are looking for on a total of 500 kilometres of cycling and mountain bike trails in the Kalkalpen National Park. The Hintergebirge Cycle Path is particularly attractive, both scenically and historically. On the route of the old forest railway, it leads for almost 30 varied kilometres through tunnels, valleys and gorges. It is surrounded by refreshing natural water basins.
6. Enjoying the view of the forest sea
The Wasserklotz is about 1,500 metres high. The view of the National Park Forest - over 5,000 of which are UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites - as well as 54 two-thousand-metre peaks from the Ötscher to the Großer Priel is breathtaking. The starting point of the hike is the Hengstpass - the tour is especially recommended during the week.
7. Roaming through the wilderness with a ranger
The more you know, the more you see! Accompanied by a ranger, you go on a knowledge hunt in the Kalkalpen National Park. You will learn to see the big in the supposedly small things.
8. Visit the hunting lodge of the nobles
Since it was built over 300 years ago, the Bärenriedlau hunting lodge high up in the Sengsengebirge has been used by many a nobleman as a base for stalking - Archduke Franz Ferdinand, for example. Today, the area is a National Park and game reserve. The historically significant hunting lodge can be visited during the open lodge door day.
9. Enjoy a panoramic view of 21 two-thousand-metre peaks
On the Wurbauerkogel in Windischgarsten, a breathtaking 360° view of 21 two-thousand-metre peaks awaits you in the National Park Panorama Tower. And that's not all - the glass tower houses the exhibition "Fascination Rock", where you can learn about unusual and remarkable things from the local animal and plant world.
10. Take a forest bath
A humus-rich soil and millions of needles and leaves aromatise the air in the forest in an incomparable way. Under the treetops of the Kalkalpen National Park, everything is in place for an extensive forest bath. Including a proven health-promoting effect, which can be further enhanced with gentle forest yoga.
11. Climb the highest peak
The Hohe Nock is the vertical champion in the Sengsengebirge. Nowhere do you go higher, nowhere do you get closer to the sky in the Kalkalpen National Park than here on this high plateau at almost 2,000 metres above sea level.
12. Observe butterflies
Among the messengers of summer are the countless butterflies of over 1,500 different species. They are particularly easy to observe on the alpine path on the Hengstpass between Puglalm and Laussabaueralm. In this summer-coloured flower paradise, grass frogs, common toads, alpine newts and yellow-bellied toads also cavort in small pools.
13. Enjoying gourmet cuisine from nature
In Pechgraben in Großraming, friends of fine dining will find their gourmet happiness. Michelin-starred chef Klemens Schraml took over his parents' inn there and has since been serving sustainable "nature-based cuisine" at RAU together with his congenial kitchen partner Christopher Koller. Regional and yet cosmopolitan.
14. Hiking through the forest sea
Under expert guidance, you will roam the Kalkalpen National Park in multi-day stages with National Park rangers. Over hill and dale, on old paths, over peaks and through lonely gorges you hike through a sea of old trees. You will eat and sleep in cosy huts.
15. Spend the night in a stately villa
In the Kalkalpen National Park you can spend the night quite spartanly on a bivouac site under the stars or in a cosy hut, but also very comfortably in the stately Art Nouveau Villa Sonnwend in Mayrwinkl. Built in 1907 during the summer retreat, Villa Sonnwend is today the ideal starting point for ranger programmes or individual tours as a National Park Lodge.
16. Cycling through two national parks by mountain bike
On lonely forest roads through wild forests and to breathtaking views, that is what the TRANS NATIONALPARK promises. This mountain bike tour connects two national parks on six stages, 240 kilometres and 7,200 metres of altitude: the Kalkalpen National Park and the Gesäuse National Park.
