Hochlecken from Gasthof Kienklause

This alpine hike of medium difficulty leads us on excellently marked paths and many beautiful resting places to the 1572 m high Hochlecken in the middle of the Höllengebirge.

This charming mountain hike begins at the Kienklause Inn. From there, the route follows a forest road along the romantic Zwieselbach stream heading south. At the next left-hand curve, the trail branches off to the right, cutting across the forest road. A short distance later, the route rejoins the forest road, which leads to the right up to the base of the Scheringstein.

There, it joins Trail No. 823, which winds its way up through numerous switchbacks at the foot of the Adlerspitze and the Gugelzipf to the Hochleckenhaus. At an elevation of 1,574 m, you can take a break and refuel with a hearty snack.

The Hochleckenhaus owes its name to Vöcklabruck’s local mountain, the Hochleckenkogel, which is commonly known as “Hochlecken.”

After a break, you can either return via the same path or continue northeast, shortly after which the route descends through a scree slope. Sure-footedness is required on this section. After this steep section, the trail passes the source of the Aurach River and shortly thereafter reaches the Taferlklause with the Taferlklaussee. From there, the return journey is on foot back to the starting point at the Kienklause.

Alternative Route:
From the Hochleckenhaus, it’s worth taking a detour to the Brunnkogel and the neighboring Hochleckenkogel. The walking time for the detour is about 1.5 hours round trip via trails No. 820/829. From here, a direct descent into the Aurachkar is also possible.

Places to rest:
Gasthof Kienklause, Tel. +43 7663 202
Hochleckenhaus, open from Easter through the end of October, with lodging available, Tel. +43 7666 7588

Getting There / Transportation:
The Traunsee Taxi can be reached at +43 50 422 422 Monday through Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Reservations must be made at least 1 hour before departure. Further information is available at the tourist offices of the Traunsee vacation region and at www.traunseetaxi.at.