Hiking in the Austrian Alps

If you grew up watching The Sound of Music like me, scenes of the Austrian Alps are forever imprinted in your mind along with the songs of Edelweiss and Do Re Mi.

Sometimes the reality of a place doesn’t match the reverie. Luckily, the Austrian Alps will far exceed your expectations, however high they are.

From the Alm culture in Salzburg to the Hüttenleben in Vorarlberg (mountain hut life), hiking in the Austrian Alps is as much about culture and cuisine as it is about mountains and landscapes.

If you’re ready to be seduced, let’s venture together to the most beautiful hiking destinations in the Austrian Alps. About 60% of Austria is mountainous and there are three principal mountain ranges that run through the country: the Northern Limestone Alps, Central Alps, Southern Limestone Alps. Each principal range comprises 15-25 sub-ranges. 

Below, we’ve outlined our favorite places to hike in the Austrian Alps to date. This list will keep growing, year after year. So, you may want to bookmark this page for future reference. 

When to Hike in the Austrian Alps

The best months to hike in the Austrian Alps are July, August, and September. It’s definitely possible to hike in June (at lower elevations), though you may encounter snow.

October is promising for day hiking, though conditions will vary depending on the weather and snow conditions. 

Related:

• Austria in Summer
• Austria in Autumn

Austrian Alps Trip Planning

If you’re thinking about going on a multi-day hike, read our Austria hut to hut hiking guide.

If you’re planning a hiking-themed road trip, use these itineraries for inspiration. In these routes, we’ve linked together our favorite hiking destinations and alpine experiences in the Austrian mountains.

• 7 Day Austria Road Trip starting in Salzburg, or Munich
• 14 Day Austria Road Trip starting in Vienna
• 10-Day Bavarian Alps and Tyrolean Alps Road Trip starting in Munich

Rätikon Alps

The Rätkon Alps are a limestone mountain range in the Central Eastern Alps located at the border between Vorarlberg (Austria), Graubünden (Switzerland) and Liechtenstein.

These mountains are easily accessed from Brandnertal and Montafon in Vorarlberg, Austria.

A great introduction to this range is the 5-day Rätikon High Trail circuit. Our guide outlines each stage of the trail with variations for 3-day and 4-day routes.

If you have only one day to spend in the Rätikon, head to Austria’s most beguiling alpine lake: Lünersee.

Read this Lünersee guide to figure out how to get here, where to hike, and where to eat.

Stay in Brandnertal

Whether you’re embarking on day hikes, or a multi-day hike in the Rätikon Alps, we recommend staying in Brandnertal, before/after your hike.

Check out Pension Bergkristall (budget), Hotel Lün (midrange), Aktiv-Hotel Sarotla (luxury).

Look for accommodation in Brandnertal.

Silvretta Alps

The Silvretta Alps stretch across Tirol and Vorarlberg and into the Swiss Canton Grisons.

Though most of the range falls within Swiss territory, hiking is more accessible and popular from the Austrian-side.

You can approach the Silvretta mountains from Paznaun Valley in Tirol or Montafon Valley in Vorarlberg.

This crystalline range puts on a show with its razor-sharp 3000+ meter peaks, glaciers, and verdant river valleys.

Home to Vorarlberg’s highest mountain, Piz Buin, the Silvretta Alps attract both casual walkers and serious mountaineers. 

We hiked across the Silvretta Alps whilst trekking the Montafon Hut to Hut Circuit. This 4-5 day trek is a fun introduction to the region and the culture of Montafon Valley.

If you have time for only one hike in the Silvretta range, consider the Hohes Rad loop trail from Silvretta Bielerhöhe to Wiesbadener Hütte.

Stay in Schruns-Tschagguns in Montafon Valley

Schruns-Tschagguns is the liveliest and largest village in Montafon Valley. Schruns is located on the other side of the Ill river from Tschagguns, but they’re largely considered one town.

We suggest basing yourself in Schruns-Tschagguns, because of transit connections, restaurant and hotel options, and overall vibe.

From here, you can easily access the Silvretta range as well as the Verwall and Rätikon Alps. So, your hiking options are numerous.

We recommend staying in TUI Blue Montafon (budget), Gasthof Löwen (midrange), or Amrai Suites (luxury).

We stayed in Löwen Hotel Montafon, a 4-star superior hotel boasting a 3000 m2 spa and wellness area and three restaurants. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about hiking in the Alps, it’s that you need a plan b for rainy days. And, the best possible plan is the Löwen hotel spa which consists of an indoor and outdoor pool, 5 saunas, a Lady’s spa area, a whirlpool, multiple relaxation rooms, waterbeds, a refreshment bar, a reading room, and a footbath.

Look for accommodation in Schruns-Tschagguns.

Lechquellen Mountains

The Lechquellen Mountains (Lechquellen Gebirge) are a mountain range within the Northern Limestone Alps in Vorarlberg.

Popular because of the Lechweg long-distance hiking trail and its proximity to Lech am Arlberg, this darling range is a well-known summer destination among Germans, Swiss, Austrians, and Brits.

We recommend the following day hikes:

• Lake Formarinsee to Lake Spullersee
• Oberlech to Göppinger Hut Hike
• Spuller Schafberg Peak
• Rüfikopf – Stuttgarter Hut – Zürs Hike

Learn More: Lech am Arlberg Summer Hiking Guide

Stay in Lech am Arlberg

Read our accommodation guide about the Best Hotels in Lech.

Budget | Lech Hostel is a budget-friendly accommodation in Lech am Arlberg, offering clean and cozy single, double, and triple rooms. Guests have access to a shared kitchen and shared lounge. Bathrooms are shared as well. The room rate is unbeatable. 

Midrange | Hotel Garni Schneider is a top-rated, affordable bed and breakfast, situated next to Rüfikopfbahn in the center of Lech. Bedrooms are nicely decorated, spotless, and comfortable. Guests also have access to a wellness area (Finnish sauna, steam bath, Kneipp basins, and relaxation room) and free private parking.

Luxury | Hotel Auenhof is a family-run 4-star hotel, situated along the River Lech, facing Omeshorn. With its dreamy location and extraordinary staff, Hotel Auenhof outshines other Lech accommodations in terms of its hospitality and conviviality. The highlight of staying here is the gourmet multi-course dinners, which delight with their creative ingredient combinations, flavors, and presentations. Many hotel restaurants strive to be innovative, but none so successfully as Hotel Auenhof. As a guest, you’ll also enjoy the generous, complimentary afternoon snacks (Nachmittagsjause)and a very nice wellness area.

Luxury Family Hotel | Hotel Sonnenburg in Oberlech (Upper Lech) is a family-friendly, literature-themed, five-star hotel. We loved the functional sophistication of the bedrooms, the bedding, the breakfast buffet, and the overall concept. If you’re traveling with children, you can take advantage of their childcare service, playrooms, and supervised kid’s dinner.

Look for accommodation in Lech am Arlberg.

Lechtal Alps

The Lechtal Alps (Lechtaler Alpen) are the largest mountain chain of the Northern Limestone Alps in the Eastern Alps.

This mighty range stretches from Tyrol into Vorarlberg and is bounded by the Allgäu Alps, Ammergau Alps, Verwall, Mieminger, Ammergau Alps, Wetterstein, Oetztal Alps, Samnaun mountain chain, and the Lechquellen mountains.

We hiked across the Lechtal Alps along the Eagle Walk and were completely blown away by the mountain formations, flora and fauna, and the swiftly-changing scenery – it’s never monotonous.

If we had to anoint a Queen mountain range, the Lechtal Alps would be the reigning Queen of Austria. She’s devastatingly gorgeous. She’s also brutal and unforgiving.

We loved our Eagle Walk trek, but it’s not for everyone, given the demanding nature of the terrain.

Learn More: Eagle Walk Lechtal Alps Hiking Guide

Stay in Lechtal

Lechtal (Lech Valley) in an alpine river valley flanked by the Lechtal Alps to the south and the Allgäu Alps to the north.

The popular Lechweg (Lech River Trail) long-distance hiking trail follows the Lech River from Formarinsee in Vorarlberg to Füssen in Germany.

If you’re not embarking on a multi-day hike across the Lechtal Alps, it makes a lot of sense to explore the range from Lech Valley.

We loved staying in LechZeit in Elmen. From here, you can hike along the Lechweg (Lech River Trail), using your Lech Aktiv Card (which you receive for free from your hotel) to get to and from trailheads.

Look for accommodation in Lech Valley.

Stay in the Arlberg Region

Another base for exploring the Lechtal Alps is the Arlberg Region, which encompasses the resort villages of Lech, Zürs, St. Anton am Arlberg, St. Christoph am Arlberg, Stuben, Flirsch, Pettneu, Schnann, and Strengen.

In summer, many of these Arlberg villages are ghost towns. So, we’d only recommend staying in Lech am Arlberg.

From Lech, you can ascend easily to the Lechtal Alps via the Rüfikopfbahn cable car. We recommend this easy hike to Stuttgarter Hut.

Luxury | Der Berghof is a sophisticated, 4-star superior hotel in the center of Lech. This hotel delivers an unparalleled experience in terms of style, comfort, wellness and cuisine. Bedrooms are designed with premium materials and furnished with extraordinary attention to detail. The wellness area features 5 modern saunas, a cold water basin, and a footpath. The breakfast was extraordinary.

Look for accommodation in Lech am Arlberg.

Karwendel Mountains

The Karwendel Mountains are part of the Northern Limestone Alps and comprise several chains: the Northern Karwendel Chain, the Hinterautal-Vomper Chain, the Gleirsch-Halltal Chain, and the Nordkette.

You may already be familiar with this range if you’ve ever visited or seen a photo of Innsbruck, which is situated at the foot of the Nordkette chain. 

The Karwendel Nature Park (Naturpark Karwendel) encompasses the entire Karwendel massif. This ​​727 km² nature park is the largest protected area in Tirol and the largest nature park in Austria. 

The most popular multi-day hike in this Austrian mountain range is the 6-stage Karwendel High Trail.

One of the most beautiful destinations in Karwendel is Grosser Ahornboden (Great Maple Floor), a wide grassy plain in the secluded Hinterrisstal Valley strewn with 2,300 sycamore maple trees.

This hidden valley is only accessible from Germany via a toll road, which is open from May – October. During our visit, we stayed at the Die Eng – Alpengasthof und Naturhotel and hiked to Gamsjoch Peak. 

Stay in Scharnitz 

The town of Scharnitz is considered the western gateway to the Karwendel range.

From the town, you can easily access three large valleys: Karwendeltal, Hinterautal, and Gleirschtal. Stage 1 (east-west) of the Karwendel High Trail starts in Scharnitz and follows the Hinterautal to Kastenalm, and up to Hallerangerhaus. 

Look for accommodation in Scharnitz.

Stay in Seefeld in Tirol

From this resort-town, you can hop on the Seefeld-Rosshütte Funicular and then on the Härmelekopfbahn cableway (see summer price list here) to easily ascend to the Karwendel mountains.

Popular hiking destinations from here include Reither Spitze (peak), Nördlinger Hütte (mountain hut), and the Ursprungsattel (mountain saddle). 

We stayed at the adults-only Wellness Hotel Schönruh Seefeld before and after our 6-day Karwendel High Trail trek. They stored our luggage for us (while we were hiking), accommodated us with an early check-in (when it was raining), and ensured that our stay was comfortable and seamless.

We really appreciated having all our meals included (¾ Pension), so we could simply relax and hop between saunas post-hike. 

Look for accommodation in Seefeld in Tirol.

Stay in Innsbruck

The capital of Tirol is located at the base of the Nordkette mountain chain, and another great access point to Karwendel.

Hop on the Nordkettenbahn (cable car) to Seegrube and then the Hafelekarbahn (cable car) to Hafelekar mountain station to hike along the panoramic Goetheweg trail to Pfeishütte, or climb the Innsbrucker via ferrata route. 

Look for accommodation in Innsbruck.

Stay in Hall in Tirol

The darling and superbly renovated town of Hall in Tirol is located 12 km east of Innsbruck and is yet another starting point for adventures in the Karwendelgebirge.

You can hike in Halltal (Hall Valley) to Alpengasthaus St. Magdalena, climb up to Bettelwurfhütte via the Absamer Klettersteig, walk to alm pasture huts (Hinterhornalm, Walderalm, and Ganalm), and more.

Look for accommodation in Hall in Tirol.

Stay near Achensee

Tirol’s largest lake is the eastern gateway to Karwendel. Here are a few popular hikes: Montscheinspitze, Hochplatte, and Bärenkopf.

Look for accommodation near Achensee.

Zillertal Alps

Straddling the Austrian-Italian border, the Zillertal Alps are a stunning mountain range belonging to the Central Eastern Alps.

On the Austrian-side, you can access this range from the Zillertal valley in Tyrol (Tirol). 

Serving up quintessential alpine scenery, the majestic Zillertal Alps are characterized by glaciated peaks, iconic mountain huts, idyllic lakes, and sweeping vistas. 

Hut to hut hiking enthusiasts should consider trekking the celebrated Berlin High Trail or the Peter Habeler Route. 

For day hiking, base yourself in Mayrhofen. From this town, you can drive, or take a bus to various hiking trailheads in Ziller Valley. 

• Schlegeisspeicher to Olpererhütte Day Hike
• Speicher Zillergründl to Plauenerhütte Day Hike
• Gasthof Häusling to Bodenalm Day Hike
• Karspitze Day Hike

Stay in Mayrhofen

Mayrhofen is a lively base in Zillertal, humming with hikers and families on summer holiday. We loved Mayrhofen’s central location and how easy it was to get around the valley via public transit.

If you’re traveling through Austria without a car, this is definitely a place you can explore easily. We recommend staying in Landhotel Rauchenwalderhof (budget), Alpenhotel Kramerwirt (midrange), or ElisabethHotel Premium Private Retreat- Adults only (luxury).

Look for accommodation in Mayrhofen.

Venediger Group

The Venediger Group is a mountain range in the Central European Alps, named after Großvenediger (3,657 m). These mountains are firmly situated within Hohe Tauern National Park.

The Venediger mountains can be accessed from a number of idyllic valleys and villages in East Tyrol (Osttirol), including Virgental, Frosnitztal, and Gschlösstal. 

We trekked the Venediger High Trail, a hut to hut that starts in Virgental and ends in Gschlösstal. If you love glacier views and stark, expansive scenery, this is for you. 

In terms of day hiking, check out the Innergschlöss Glacial Trail, which starts in Gschlösstal and steers you towards some pretty epic glacial scenery. If you’re in Virgental, you can hike from Hinterbichl to Essener-Rockstocker Hütte.

When we’re back in this area, we’d love to check out Frosnitztal and the Mitteldorfer Alm. If you head in that direction, you could do this return hike from Mitteldorfer Alm to Badener Hütte.

Stay in Matrei in Osttirol, Zedlach village, or Virgental Valley

The biggest town near the Venediger Group is Matrei in Osttirol. We recommend staying at Matreier Tauernhaus (midrange) or Natur- und Wanderhotel Outside (luxury). For a more secluded environment, check out the family-run guesthouse Zedlacherhof in Zedlach Village, which is 4.5 km from Matrei.

Look for accommodation in Matrei in Osttirol.

Wilder Kaiser

Wilder Kaiser is a craggy limestone massif in the Kaiser Mountain Range in northeastern Tirol. The Kaiser Mountains (Kaisergebirge) are made up of the Wilder Kaiser (wild emperor mountains) and the Zahmer Kaiser (tame emperor mountains).

We visited this mountain region to hike the Emperor’s Crown (Kaiserkrone), a 5-stage hiking trail that circuits the Wilder Kaiser massif.

The route leads through forests, meadows, and alpine pastures, sticking to easy-moderate hiking trails. This is an excellent hike for anyone new to hut-to-hut hiking in Austria.

The 65-km trail traditionally starts at Aschingerkapelle, Going (Hüttling). However, if you’re traveling by transit, it’s far easier to start the route in Kufstein, which has direct train connections to Vienna, Innsbruck, and Salzburg. 

Hohe Tauern National Park

Spanning 1,856 km2, Hohe Tauern National Park is the largest national park in Austria and the largest protected area in the Alps.

Home to Austria’s highest mountain, Grossglockner (3,798 m) and the Hohe Tauern range, this alpine region is a playground for hikers and climbers.

Hohe Tauern National Park is divided into a core zone and an outer zone and stretches across the Austrian States of Carinthia, Salzburg, and Tyrol.

A great introduction to Hohe Tauern National Park is driving the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. Along the route, you can park your car at Glocknerhaus and hike to Sandersee.

There are also many long-distance hiking routes that traverse the protected area, including the Glocknerrunde (Glocknertrail), the Venediger High Trail, and the beginning of the Alpe Adria long-distance trail.

Best Base in Hohe Tauern National Park

We recommend staying in Kals am Großglockner, Prägraten am Großvenediger, or Matrei in Osttirol.

Lienz Dolomites

The Lienzer Dolomiten is a mountain group in the Gailtal Alps (Gailtaler Alpen, or Drauzug), which form part of the Southern Limestone Alps.

To get to the Lienz Dolomites, head to the Austrian town of Lienz, which is located in East Tyrol (Osttirol).

Though these gorgeous limestone mountains resemble the Italian Dolomites, they actually don’t contain any dolomite rock. But, their looks will certainly deceive you. 

In a single day, you can hike from the Dolomitenhütte to Karlsbader Hütte, a mountain hut located at Laserzee.

After the hike, enjoy lunch at Dolomitenhütte, or even stay the night here. You can learn more about this trail in Best Day Hikes in Austria.

If you’re interested in a multi-day hike, research Der Grosse Törl-Weg. We haven’t hiked this trail, but it’s on our bucket list.

Stay in Lienz

We recommend staying in Privatzimmer Bundschuh (budget), Hotel Holunderhof (midrange), or Parkhotel Tristachersee (luxury).

Look for accommodation in Lienz.

Hochkönig Mountains

The Hochkönig is a massif in the Berchtesgaden Alps in Salzburg.

The Hochkönig holiday region is famous for their charming mountain pasture huts, family-friendly trails, and challenging Klettersteige (via ferrata routes).

Here are some hikes we’ve enjoyed in the Hochkönig:

• Mühlbach High Trail 
• Hochkeil and Troiboden Lake
• Taghaube Peak Hike

Stay in Mühlbach am Hochkönig

Landhaus Rieding (budget), Das Grünholz Aparthotel & Restaurant (midrange-luxury), Hotel Bergheimat (luxury), or AlpenParks Hotel & Apartment Hochkönig (luxury).

Look for accommodation in Mühlbach am Hochkönig.

Dachstein

The Dachstein is a dramatic mountain range in the Northern Limestone Alps, sprawling across the states of Salzburg, Carinthia, and Styria.

From exciting via ferrata climbs to moderate hut-to-hut hiking trails, the Dachstein offers a myriad of hiking possibilities. Here are a few things we recommend:

Day Hikes:

• 5 Huts Trail starting in Ramsau am Dachstein
• Bachlalm to Neustadtalm Circuit Hike starting between Filzmoos and Ramsau am Dachstein
• Rötelstein Peak Hike starting in Filzmoos
• Hofpürgl Hut to Sulzenalm Circuit Hike starting in Filzmoos
• Gosau Lakes. Hike from Vorderer Gosausee to Hinterer Gosausee (2:30 hours one-way). At the Hinterer Gosausee, you can eat lunch at Hohe Holzmeister Alm. 

Hut to Hut Hikes:

• Dachstein Rundweg (Dachstein Circular Hiking Trail) – 8-day hut-to-hut hike
• Rund um den Gosaukamm (Hike around the Gosaukamm) – 2-day hut-to-hut hike.

Stay in Filzmoos

Filzmoos is a small alpine village directly facing the Gosaukamm mountains, which form part of the Dachstein range. From Filzmoos, you’re well-positioned to hike in the Dachstein and visit other towns like Ramsau am Dachstein. Read our Filzmoos Hiking Guide. 

We recommend staying at Hotel Bergglück (budget), meiZeit Lodge (midrange), or Hotel Neubergerhof (luxury).

Look for accommodation in Filzmoos. 

Stay in Ramsau am Dachstein

Ramsau am Dachstein is a small town located on sloping alpine pastures at the foot of the Dachstein. Wonderfully scenic and well-positioned for day hiking and mountaineering activities, Ramsau is an ideal destination for summer holidays in the Austrian Alps.

We recommend staying at Pension Adlerhorst (budget), Hotel Sporthof Austria (midrange), or Hotel Berghof (luxury).

Look for accommodation in Ramsau am Dachstein.

Schladminger Tauern

The Schladming Tauern mountains are a subrange of the Austrian Central Alps and are located in the Austrian federal states of Salzburg and Styria (Steiermark).

The closest town, or transportation hub, is Schladming. This is one of Austria’s premier skiing destinations. However, summer is also an incredible time to visit.

We hiked across the range on the Schladminger Tauern High Trail, a 5 stage hut to hut hike, and it was an unforgettable experience. 

Day hikers should head up to the alpine pasture Ursprungalm (via a toll road) and hike to the Giglach Lakes. From Ursprungalm, you’ll follow a wide dirt road to Oberere Giglachsee (the upper Giglach Lake).

From here, follow the circuit trail that wraps around both lakes, in the direction of Ignaz – Mattis Hütte. This easy 8.2 km hike takes 3 hours total. Allow more time for lunch in one of the lakeside mountain huts.

More Day Hikes: Schladming Summer Hiking Guide

Stay in Schladming

Here are our favorite hotels in Schladming: TUI BLUE Schladming (budget), Thalers Mariandl (midrange), and Stadhotel Brunner (midrange/luxury).

Look for accommodation in Schladming.

Gesäuse National Park and the Ennstaler Alps

Encompassing a chunk of the Ennstaler Alps, Gesäuse National Park is a protected alpine area roughly stretching between Admont and Hieflau.

Characterized by lush, verdant forest and craggy limestone peaks, Gesäuse (Xeis) provides thrilling climbing opportunities, strenuous via ferrata routes, and gentle walks.

We sampled a part of the Gesäuse Hüttenrunde (hut to hut circuit), starting in Admont and ending in Gstatterboden.

Though we loved the mountain huts we overnighted in (Mödlinger Hütte and Hesshütte), we weren’t impressed with the route, as it often follows forest roads. We think Gesäuse is a better destination for rigorous day hiking or 2-day hikes.

A highlight of our visit was staying two nights in Hesshütte, a mountain refuge located at the saddle between Hochtor and Zinödl.

We wrote this Hesshütte hiking guide, which outlines four possible ascent routes plus additional hikes you can do from the hut.

Stay in Admont, Gstatterboden, or Hieflau

If you want to stay directly in the National Park, check out Gesäuse Lodge in Gstatterboden.

If you fancy something romantic, consider staying at Hotel Schloss Röthelstein in Admont.

If you are interested in sleeping in an old school, take a look at the recently opened NaturparkResort Alte Schule in Hielfau.

Look for accommodation in Admont.

Look for accommodation in Hieflau.

Hochschwab Group

Hochschwab is a mountain range in the Northern Limestone Alps, located in the Austrian state of Styria. 

For those based in Vienna (or Graz), Hochschwab is a fantastic hiking destination for 2-day hikes. The easiest way to get here is by car. 

The range takes its name after the highest mountain, Hochschwab (2277 m), which you can summit on a very long day hike, or a 2-day hike if you stay overnight in the Schiestlhaus mountain refuge.

Read this Hochschwab trail guide for an ideal 2-day hiking itinerary.

Another extremely rewarding hike is from Seeberg to Voisthaler Hütte.

What sets Hochschwab apart from other alpine destinations is the abundance of wildlife. Rife with families of ibex to solitary chamois, Hochschwab feels like one of the last thriving wildlife areas in the Austrian Alps.

Stay in Thörl, Aflenz or Seewiesen

We recommend staying at Frühstückspension Seeberghof (Seewiesen), der Bodenbauer (Thörl), or Ferienwohnungen Hotel Garni Dörflerwirt (Aflenz).

Look for accommodation in Thörl.

Look for accommodation in Aflenz.

Look for accommodation in Seewiesen.

More Hiking Destinations in Austria

Radstädter Tauern, Salzburg: Lake Tappenkarsee Hike 

Mieminger Chain, Tirol: Lake Drachensee Hike

Schneeberg and Rax, Lower Austria: Best Hikes in the Vienna Mountains

Wachau Valley, Lower Austria: Dürnstein to Krems, Vogelbergsteig Dürnstein, Seekopf and Hirschwand Circuit Trail