BergeSeen Trail 18: Bad Mitterndorf - Tauplitzalm

Just as the green foothills of the Dachstein Mountains cross the Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail, it also crosses the “Alpine balcony” in the south of the Tote Gebirge. However, before ascending to the Tauplitzalm, located at around 1,600 m and considered the cradle of skiing in the Eastern Alps, you explore the broad, flat valley floor between Bad Mitterndorf and Tauplitz. The “Hinterberg,” as this passage from Salzkammergut into the Enns valley is called, is also shaped by winter sports: At Kulm stands one of the largest ski flying hills in the world.

From the bus stop at the square below the parish church of Bad Mitterndorf you go south, passing the church stairway. Follow Koglergasse to the underpass of the federal road. At the end of the path, turn left onto a path that leads you to the railway crossing.

Follow Neuhofenstraße to the first turnoff towards the heating plant. At the end of a small wooded area, turn right onto a driveway through a strip of forest and over the Zauchenbach. At a settlement, cross Hörmannweg and continue hiking through flat forest terrain. From the hamlet of Graben, go left on Krunglgrabenweg into the village of Krungl (818 m).

At Hotel Gasthof Kanzler, turn right towards “Bahnhof Tauplitz” (signposted bike path R 19) and walk on the narrow asphalt road between meadows towards the unmistakable rock wall of the 2,351 m high Grimmings. Below the Kulmbauernhof, turn left towards “Furt, Tauplitz” and to the take-off area of the ski flying hill at Kulm, which is bypassed with a short left curve (to the left is the Hochmoor der Auen). After the “Tauplitz” signpost, go a short distance along the edge of the valley floor, then left to Krunglbach and beside it to the railway underpass. Behind that, to the bypass road, which is also underpassed, on Steinfeldweg through the settlement of Furt and on Furthleitenweg to the village center of Tauplitz (896 m). 2:30 h

On Pötschnergasse to the parking lot at the valley station of the Tauplitz chairlift. Above that, turn left onto Hollamweg, which you leave after a left curve by turning right onto Freibergweg. Where it turns sharply to the right, continue straight ahead on the gravel road and uphill over meadows. After 1 km, you reach on the right near a timber storage area the paved Gnanitzweg, onto which you turn left. After about 200 m, the hiking trail no. 275 begins on the left (signposted “Steirersee, Linzer Tauplitzhaus”). It climbs – crossing two forest roads – through a narrowing forest ravine to the meadow of Niederblas and then turns left through steep mixed forest slopes up into the Lahnergrube. Finally, you hike through sparse larch forest to the ridge between the Mitterberg and the Tauplitzalm (1,520 m). High above the Steirersee to the left to the nearby Steirersee huts and on the still slightly ascending gravel road to the plateau of the Tauplitzalm mountain station (1,645 m). On the left is the Linzer Tauplitzhaus of the Alpine Club, straight ahead the now paved access road leads to the Naturfreundehaus Tauplitzalm about 500 m away and to other inns or lodgings. There you cross again the large Styrian hiking route “From glacier to wine.” 2:30 h

Note: Bus connection (line 950) from Bad Mitterndorf to Tauplitz.

Note: The four-seater chairlift Tauplitzalm operates daily from early July to mid-September in good weather from 8:30 a.m. Between late May and late September, there is a bus connection Bad Mitterndorf – Tauplitzalm (not on Sundays and public holidays except August 15).

Summit detour: to the Traweng (1,981 m) – see route G8, page 254.

• In alpine terrain, be aware of the danger of falling rocks.


• Into early summer you may encounter steep snowfields or firn gullies there – especially when icy, there is an acute risk of falling and thus danger to life!


• Due to storm damage, forestry work, or construction measures, certain sections of the path may be temporarily difficult to pass or impassable.


• Cows on the alpine pastures are often curious. Due to the mother-cow husbandry, they develop a pronounced instinct to protect their calves. So move calmly on cow pastures, keep at least 20 m distance from the animals, and do not pet calves! In case of threatening gestures (scratching, stamping), slowly walk backwards (do not turn your back). Dogs must be on a leash; they may not bark at or chase cows. In case of an attack, you must definitely release the dog from the leash.

For all stages, you need hiking or mountain boots with profiled rubber soles as well as wind- and rainproof clothing.

Spare clothes for changing and a small emergency first aid kit should also be in your backpack. How much provisions you pack depends on the number of places to stop for food. In any case, you should bring enough to drink. Telescopic poles are especially useful going downhill.

Kindly provided by the KOMPASS publisher and Wolfgang Heitzmann.

More information at trail.salzkammergut.at