BergeSeen Trail 13: Bad Goisern - Gosau

The 13th stage follows the “Bible Trail”, on which Protestants smuggled their holy scriptures over the mountains during the Counter-Reformation. The ascent to the Goiserer Hut is partly quite rocky and exhausting, but it offers – as does the descent into the Gosau valley – unforgettable impressions of the landscape.

In the town centre of Bad Goisern go south on Obere Marktstraße to the Unimarkt and on Ramsaustraße branching off to the right past the Evangelical church to the bridge over the Traun. Beyond it, continue straight ahead and go uphill next to the Ramsau stream. In the district of Steinach (580 m) turn left towards the “Goiserer Hut” and climb now next to the Schüttbach stream to the Trockentann car park. Follow a forest road (no. 880/801 A) further to the Trockentann Alm (805 m).

Now walk on the signposted, initially still broad hiking trail up through the Kesselgraben valley, left next to a side gully, to the valley station of the material cable car and between mountain pines to the Wallmann-Poidl rest. Continue uphill through light tree stands past the meadow of the former Lower Scharten Alm (1,178 m) and through the steep slopes of the Sonnenwendkogel to the Dichterin spring. Finally, cross the slope to the saddle between the Sonnenwendkogel and the Kalmberg (1,580 m); on the right above it stands the hospitable Goiserer Hut (1,592 m) of the Alpine Club. 3:15 hrs

The descent follows path no. 880 towards “Gosau” briefly downhill into a small saddle and then right to the southern meadow of the Scharten Alm, where several wooden huts typical for the Salzkammergut stand. Soon turn left. Route no. 880 now runs partly on a forest road down to the beautifully located Iglmoos Alm (1,206 m).

Below the alpine huts leave the forest road to descend south on a well-made path over a forest ridge where the “B'schissene Lacke” is hidden. Further down at the forest edge you reach the Schindereben rest area above the Gosau district of Ramsau (800 m). There turn right onto the panoramic path which – past an organic farm – crosses the Kreuzgraben and via the Edlbach to the Grabenbach. Turn left there to the nearby Pass-Gschütt road. From the hotel Koller, located on the opposite side, you reach the Evangelical and Catholic churches in Gosau-Vordertal (780 m) via Kirchenstraße. The tourist office is a little further down at the junction of Pass-Gschütt road with Gosauseestraße (bus stop). 2:30 hrs

Summit detour to Hochkalm-berg (1,833 m) – see route G7, page 252.

• In alpine terrain watch out for danger from falling rocks.


• Until early summer you can encounter steep snowfields or firn gullies there – especially when icy there is acute danger of falling and thus life-threatening!


• Due to storm damage, forestry work or construction measures, some sections of the route may be temporarily difficult or impossible to pass.


• Cows in the alpine pastures are often curious. Due to cow-calf husbandry they develop a strong instinct to protect their calves. Walk calmly in cow pastures, keep at least 20 m distance from the animals, and do not pet calves! In case of threatening behaviour (scraping, stamping) slowly walk backwards (do not turn your back). Keep dogs on a leash; they must not bark at or chase cows. In case of an attack you must definitely let go of the leash.

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

Spare clothes to change into and a small emergency first-aid kit should also be in your backpack. How much provision you pack depends on the number of places to eat along the way. In any case, you should take enough to drink. Telescopic poles are especially helpful when going downhill.

With kind permission of the text by the KOMPASS publishing house and Wolfgang Heitzmann.

More information at trail.salzkammergut.at