Summer in the Austrian Alps is a truly magical experience. Austria is filled with incredible hiking trails and has landscapes so beautiful that you might question their reality.

We visited the Alps of western Austria in June of 2023, to explore these numerous hiking opportunities. Having just spent a week in the Italian Dolomites, we were excited to see if their Austrian counterpart could stack up.

*Beautiful grassy mountainside seen from the Rüfikopf – Stuttgarter Hütte – Zürs hike.*

This itinerary was designed to highlight the tremendous hiking opportunities in the western portion of the Austrian Alps. We started in Lech am Arlberg and headed toward Zell am See, exploring as much as humanly possible on the way.

The Austrian Alps are divided into many sub-ranges, each with their own unique and captivating characteristics. Tyrol was full of enormous rugged peaks while further west the Lechquellen Alps can be characterized more by green rolling hills dotted with alpine lakes.

Our week was spent mostly hiking and exploring the natural beauty of the country. Some of these hikes required a bit of planning and transportation arrangements, but this itinerary will provide many of those details.

Austria is a true beauty and certainly rivals it’s mountainous neighbors. A week hiking here is a great introduction into the region and will give rise to lasting memories.

*Austrian meadow carpeted with yellow flowers and wooden cabins.*

Day 1 – Hiking Formarinsee to Spullersee

We had arrived in Lech am Arlberg the night prior, as today was a jam packed hiking adventure deep in the Lechquellen Alps of Austria. Today we intended to hike from Lake Formarinsee to Lake Spullersee, which would really test our stamina but also reward us with breathtaking scenery.

After eating a huge and delicious breakfast we boarded the packed shuttle bus in the city center that drove us up to Lake Formarinsee. If the drive up to the lake was any indication, the scenery today was going to be incredible.

Austria's Formarinsee with a hiking trail winding up in the distance through fog. — *Lake Formarinsee.*

Ascent to Freiberger Hütte and Steinernes Meer

The bus dropped us off right at the trailhead and we hit the trail with many other hikers. The gravel path began by wrapping around Lake Spullersee counterclockwise.

We watched several horses graze near the lake as the path gradually led upward toward Freiberger Hütte. This was a mountain hut that served traditional Austrian food and refreshments. It was also the last sign of civilization until the hike was complete.

Our day had just started, but we still took a quick break for coffee while the kids played on a rickety old playground nearby. The hike gently ascended for another 1.5 km up to a plateau where we were treated with the first of many spectacular vistas of Austria’s beautiful mountains.

Freiberger Hütte covered in fog with a winding road nearby in Austria with the Formarinsee and Spullersee hike nearby. — *Looking down at Freiberger Hütte from over Formarinsee.*

We passed through a few gorgeous meadows, peppered with blooming flowers and grazing cattle, until we reached Steinernes Meer. This was a very unique terrain, characterized by a series of vertical rocks and deep crevices. We had to watch our footing here closely, as any wrong step could lead to a serious ankle injury.

This was my favorite area of the hike and I stopped to fly the drone across the seemingly endless sheets of granite rocks.

Shirlee hiking across Steinerness Meer toward Spullersee in Austria. — *Shirlee cautiously crossing the beautiful but treacherous Steinernes Meer.*

Steinerness Meer to Gehrengrat Ridge

After crossing the “rock sea” we arrived at the intersection of our trail and the Steinernes Meer trail. We veered to the right and went through yet another cow pasture, this time getting up close and personal with the animals as they were blocking the path.

It was now time for the nearly 300 meter ascent to Gehrengrat Ridge. This area got very steep in some sections and finished with a set of brutal switchbacks.

The payoff for our work was incredible views of the surrounding mountain range, grassy plateaus, and jagged Steinerness Meer. Spullersee even came into view in the distance on our left. Now this is what hiking in Austria is really about!

John hiking at the edge of Austria's Gehrengrat Ridge taking a photo of Spullersee covered in fog. — *Gehrengrat Ridge with Spullersee in the distance.*

Gehrengrat Ridge to Spullersee

We continued along the ridge as it eventually began its steep descent toward Spullersee. This part of the hike was a bit dangerous as the trail was washed away at times and literally crumbling apart under our feet.

John and Maddie hiking along Gehrengrat Ridge and into the dense white clouds over Austria.

Hiking down from Gehrengrat Ridge on a dangerous trail in the fog toward Spullersee in Austria. — *Steep descent down from Gehrengrat Ridge.*

Eventually the trail leveled out, crossed over Glongbach River, and wound through a marshy meadow on its way to Dalaaser Schütz. Although not providing high elevation panoramas, this area was beautiful in the way it contrasted the bright green grass, colorful vegetation, gray mountains and bright blue sky.

We walked by a few small but charming mountain cabins as the trail narrowed and finally brought us to Spullersee. Here was a shelter where we waited until our bus arrived to bring us with the other exhausted hikers back to Lech am Arlberg.

By the time we got back to our hotel and cleaned up it was already 6 PM. We ate dinner and took a dip in the pool before heading off to bed.

Maddie in a red dress hiking from Formarinsee and Spullersee in Austria with colorful flowers around her.

Oliver hiking near a small wood cabin near Spullersee in Austria. — *Colorful meadows as we cross Dalaaser Schütz.*

Day 2 – Hiking Lünersee and visiting Lichtenstein

Today we planned to hike around Lünersee and also visit Lichtenstein. Lünersee is a beautiful turquoise lake in the Vorarlberg region of western Austria that offers a variety of incredible hikes.

Bright turquoise water of Lunersee on the Lunersee Circuit Trail in Austria. — *Lünersee.*

Getting to Lünersee and hiking statistics

The drive from Lech to Lünersee was about 60 km and took us an hour. The drive winds through the Brandnertal (Brandner Valley) until it terminates at a cable car station with a large parking lot.

Parking here costs €4 for the day. The cable car operates from 8 AM to 5 PM daily and from mid May to late October. Cable cars leave every 15 minutes so there’s not much waiting required. Round trip tickets cost €29 for adults and €20 for children.

*View down over the gorgeous Brandner Valley as we approach Lünersee.*

There were a few different trail options to choose from, some with significant elevation and distance and others that were fairly flat and short. We also intended to visit LIchtenstein today and there was rain in the forecast so we settled on the relatively short and simple Lünersee Circuit Trail.

The trail is only a 6 km loop with 100 meters of ascent and descent. It circumnavigates the lake and offers gorgeous views the entire hike. It took us slightly more than 2 hours, despite making a stop at a mountain hut for a snack.

Oliver in a red jacket and blue bag with blue hat walking the Lake Lunersee Circuit Trail in Austria. — *Oliver setting out on the Lünersee Circuit Trail.*

Hiking around Lünersee

After ascending on the cable car we took a few photos of the clear turquoise water and impressive dam on our left. We began the hike in the clockwise direction.

The hike was very straightforward and not at all technical. Overall it’s pretty flat but does have some small areas of undulating terrain. We walked by a few small wooden shacks and soon arrived at Douglas Hütte.

John, Oliver and Maddie sitting on a log bench with the turquoise water of Lunersee in the background. — *We couldn’t get enough of the turquoise water as we circled Lünersee*.

John and Maddie investigating a wooden shack on the Lake Lunersee hike in Austria.

This restaurant was set on the far end of Lünersee and boasted amazing views of the lake. We ordered hot chocolate, coffee and pastries while soaking in the beauty of this marvelous country.

It was quickly becoming clear that the weather was turning sour so we finished up our drinks and doubled our hiking pace. As we continued around the lake, the downpour started.

Mountain weather is notoriously unpredictable so we make sure to always be prepared with raincoats. We tossed them on and eventually arrived back at the cable car station.

Storm clouds forming near a small cabin on across Lunersee in Austria. — *Storm clouds forming in the distance as we race to finish our hike around Lünersee.*

John and Maddie walking on gravel around Lake Lunersee in Austria with Douglas Hütte in the distance. — *Douglas Hütte off in the distance.*

The cable car took us back to the parking lot and we drove to Bludenz. Shirlee has a serious sweet tooth and regularly stocks up on European chocolate when we make our transatlantic flights. We decided to visit the Milka shop in Bludenz for this trip’s chocolate supply.

Lichtenstein

We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check another European country off our bucket list so we continued on to Lichtenstein, only 40 minutes away from Bludenz.

Lichtenstein is a landlocked country bordered by Switzerland and Austria. It’s the world’s sixth smallest country, and in our opinion one day is enough to see most of its highlights.

We parked in an underground parking garage in Vaduz and roamed the city center for a few hours. The popular tourist sights and shops are located on Städtle street. We wandered for a bit while exploring gift shops, eating ice cream, and getting our passports stamped at the visitor center.

We had intended to visit the Vaduz castle high on the hilltop but unfortunately it was under construction. Other activities that we considered included the Liechtenstein National Museum and taking the chairlift up to Sareiserjoch rising 2000 meters above the city.

Daylight was fading so we retreated to the car and returned to Lech for another restful evening with pool activities and board games.

View of Lech from the Rüfikopf Mountain Station and panorama restaurant in Austria.

Day 3 – Hiking Rüfikopf – Stuttgarter Hütte – Zürs

We planned to leave Lech am Arlberg today and travel to Mayrohfen. However, we made sure to cram in one final epic hike in this incredible region of Austria before departing. After doing some research the night prior we decided on the Rüfikopf – Stuttgarter Hütte – Zürs hike.

*Intense summer grass on the ski hills as we near the end of the Rüfikopf – Stuttgarter Hütte – Zürs hike.*

Getting there and statistics

The hike was somewhat long but not very difficult. It was a 10.5 km hike with only 300 meters of elevation gain but with 900 meters of overall descent. So essentially we would take a cable car up the mountain and hike back down, finishing in Zürs. The entire hike took us about 5 hours but we were going at a leisurely pace and took many stops.

We left our fantastic hotel where we had spent the previous 3 nights and parked in an underground garage at the Rüfikopf cable car station located at Rüfiplatz in the city center.

We paid for the lift using our Lech card. Without the card a one way ascent ticket would have been €18.50 for adults and €16.30 for children. The cable car leaves every 30 minutes from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

We boarded the cable car which took only a few minutes to bring us to the Rüfikopf Mountain Station and panorama restaurant at an altitude of 2,300 meters.

There was a viewing platform here where we could see the beauty of Austria for miles. We snapped a few photos and then followed the signs to Stuttgarter Hütte.

Oliver and Maddie playing with a telescope at the Rüfikopf Mountain Station and panorama restaurant high in the mountains in Austria.

Hiking to Stuttgarter Hütte

We took a slight detour to the stunning Lake Monzabonsee and then continued on down the main trail. The skyline here was dominated by Rüfispitze, a mountain at 2,600 meters. In every direction was a carpet of bright green meadows framed by jagged mountain peaks.

Monzabonsee with a small wooden cabin reflection on a cloudy day on the Rüfikopf - Stuttgarter Hütte - Zürs hike in Austria. — *Small wooden cabin reflecting on Monzabonsee.*

John, Oliver and Maddie hiking along a ridge on the Rüfikopf - Stuttgarter Hütte - Zürs trail in Austria. — *Walking along the base of Rüfispitze on the way to Stuttgarter Hütte.*

Family posing on a snow patch while hiking the Rüfikopf - Stuttgarter Hütte - Zürs trail.

The trail swung off to the left and down a small slope where it crossed Ochssengümple. This was a flat section with a narrow dirt path cutting across the base of Rüfispitze. There were a few small stream crossings and then the path ascended up to the right until we reached the saddle of Rauhekopfscharte. There was a brief bit of boulder scrambling but nothing too challenging.

Oliver and Maddie slid down a snowbank, then raced down the trail until they ran into a huge herd of friendly sheep. We took what would become our holiday card picture with these social creatures and continued on to Stuttgarter Hütte.

Oliver in a red coat and blue bag looking over the snow on a ridge on the Rüfikopf - Stuttgarter Hütte - Zürs trail in Austria.

John watching Maddie and Oliver slide down a snow pile on the Rüfikopf - Stuttgarter Hütte - Zürs in Austria. — *We had to slide on our rears down the snow as we came over the mountain saddle.*

Oliver and Maddie hugging a white and brown sheep on the Rüfikopf - Stuttgarter Hütte - Zürs hike in Austria. — *Oliver and Maddie loved hanging out with the friendly sheep.*

John, Oliver and Maddie walking to Stuttgarter Hütte in Austria. — *Stuttgarter Hütte.*

The long descent to Zürs

We had a delicious and relaxing lunch here and then resumed our hike. The descent continued through the Pazieltal Valley as the Pazielbach stream carved through it. We’d gotten to know the livestock well during our time in the Lechquellen Alps, but we made one final pass through a cow pasture and bid them adieu.

A small wooden cabin in a bright green meadow on the Rüfikopf - Stuttgarter Hütte - Zürs hike in Austria.

Brown cow with white head on the Rüfikopf - Stuttgarter Hütte - Zürs hike with Oliver and John in the distance hiking in Austria. — *The descent to Zürs was filled with gorgeous green meadows.*

After almost an hour the trail joined a gravel road and subsequently a paved road as it continued on for another 45 minutes, finally terminating in Zürs.

Oliver and Maddie in pink shirts walking the paved section of the Rüfikopf - Stuttgarter Hütte - Zürs trail in Austria.

We had initially planned on taking one of the buses back to central Lech am Arlberg but decided at the last minute to pivot and take a taxi that happened to be waiting at the bus stop.

The drive was very short and the taxi dropped us off right at Rüfiplatz. We grabbed our car and made the 2 hour and 20 minute journey to Mayrhofen and the majestic Tyrol region for the next 2 nights.

*Mount Rüfispitze with Lake Monzabonsee at its base.*

Day 4 – Speicher Stillup

Original plans

Originally we had planned to do one of Austria’s most famous trails in the Mayrhofen area, hiking to the suspension bridge at Olperhütte. However, I had some concerns after doing research the prior evening.

I noticed that the water depth at Schlegeisspeicher reservoir was a fraction of what is typically seen in the iconic photos online, rendering the suspension bridge photos much less interesting.

There were 2 ways to do this hike. One being longer and more scenic and the other being shorter but with steep elevation and not much scenery until reaching the bridge. Seeing as the photos wouldn’t be as impressive as we had initially assumed, we decided on alternative plans for the day.

Two tan horses grazing in a meadow along Speicher Stillup in Austria. — *Speicher Stillup*.

Final plans

We ended up driving to Speicher Stillup, a beautiful reservoir nearby that offered a much easier hike. This allowed us to recuperate from the tough hikes we had just done in Lech am Arlberg while still soaking in Austria’s natural beauty.

It took about 20 minutes to get here along an 8 km toll road with several hairpin turns. The fee for accessing the toll road was €10 and it eventually terminates at the Gasthaus Wasserfall restaurant.

We walked along the northeast side of the reservoir, down a gravel path and through a few tunnels. The path continued on past the end of the lake through a lush meadow with some grazing caTttle.

Maddie hiking along Speicher Stillup in Austria. — *The hike along Speicher Stillup was easy but still very scenic.*

Oliver in a blue shirt and blue hat climbing up a rock wall near Speicher Stillup in Austria.

Stillupperhaus, a guesthouse and restaurant, came into view so we crossed a bridge and stopped a while there. They served traditional Austrian food and after hiking for a couple hours it was time for lunch.

After finishing our meal we retreated back toward the parking lot at Gasthaus Wasserfall. But of course, Oliver and Maddie couldn’t resist an obligatory alpine swim in Lake Stillup. This area was so peaceful and calm that I even fell asleep on the rocky beach.

Oliver wading in Speicher Stillup reservoir.

Oliver stacking rocks on a beach at Speicher Stillup in Austria. — *Oliver kept busy at Speicher Stillup by playing in the water and building huge rock towers.*

After an hour at the reservoir we returned to the car and made the drive back down the Stillup Valley toll road to Mayrhofen. This was a day of light activities, but these days are needed every so often to recuperate and unwind.

Day 5 – Mayrhofen and Kitzsteinhorn Glacier

The only item on our agenda today was driving from Mayrhofen to Zell am See. As a result, we had a few hours to get creative with the itinerary.

Paragliding and shopping in Mayrhofen

Shirlee and Oliver are the two thrill-seekers of our family and booked tandem paragliding tours in Mayrhofen with Tandem Adventure. Oliver loved being airborne for the first time, though the spins and loops at the end of the flight made for a couple queasy stomachs. I’d make sure to have enough cash on hand, as the credit card reader wasn’t working, and we had to make a pit stop at an ATM to pay the pilots afterward.

Oliver paragliding over Mayrhofen in Austria.

Shirlee paragliding over Mayrhofen in Austria.

Shirlee and Oliver in red jackets after paragliding near Mayrhofen. — *Shirlee and Oliver enjoying a thrilling paragliding tour with Tandem Adventure.*

Maddie prefers to keep her feet on solid ground, so she and I went shopping in Mayrhofen’s city center.

Mayrhofen is not a big town, and can easily be covered in half a day on foot. The street of Hauptstraße constitutes the majority of the shopping district. There are a variety of stores, from those selling high end hiking and skiing apparel to simple bakeries and gift shops.

Maddie loved walking from shop to shop. She’s a very curious girl and loves exploring the uniqueness of each destination we travel.

She led me into Lisa’s Laden, a fascinating store selling adorable children’s toys and decorative items. She could have browsed in there forever.

We continued on down Hauptstraße, wandered into a few more gift shops and grabbed some coffee. By late morning Shirlee and Oliver had finished up and we drove east toward the beautiful and bustling city of Zell am See.

Kitzsteinhorn Glacier

On the way we made a detour through Kaprun to the Panoramabahn. Here we boarded a series of 3 cable cars and gondolas on the way up to Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. This is a mountain in the High Tauern range of the Austrian Alps that reaches a height of 3,203 meters.

Even though it was August, there were hundreds of people up here sledding and playing in the snow. Being from Minnesota, Oliver and Maddie were excited to show them how sledding is done right.

Oliver in a blue shirt and Maddi in a pink coat sledding on a blue sled at Kitzsteinhorn Gletscher in Austria. — *Having fun in the snow at the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier.*

There was a funicular here that would bring us to “The Top of Austria” at Gipfelwelt 3,000. We had finally reached the summit at 3,029 meters. The views of the Alps in every direction were absolutely stunning. We could see for miles.

On the way back down we stopped for a snack between the 1st and 2nd lifts. There was a playground here for Oliver and Maddie. We then returned to the car and finally made our way to Zell am See for the night.

Maddie in a red dress on a swing at a playground on the way up to Kitzsteinhorn Gletscher.

Day 6 – Grossglockner High Alpine Road and Pasterze Glacier Hike

Today we had one hike planned and drove arguably the most famous and scenic route in Austria, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road.

Grossglockner High Alpine Road

This is a 48 km alpine road winding through Hohe Tauern National Park with spectacular views. It connects Fusch an der Großglocknerstraße in Salzburg with Heiligenblut am Großglockner in Carinthia. It only opens for the season after the snow has melted, usually early May through late October.

There is a €43 toll for cars to use the road, and it’s good all day. This was a small price to pay for the picturesque views that awaited us. There are a few pull outs for photo opportunities along the way.

We also drove up to EdelweissSpitze, the highest point along the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. There was a restaurant and hotel up there, but the main attraction was the breathtaking views in every direction.

Oliver and Maddie in pink shirts climbing a wooden ladder to a tree fort on a stop from the Grossglockner High Alpine Road.

Oliver and Maddie in pink shirts climbing a stone sculpture on off the Grossglockner High Alpine Road in Austria. — *We found lots of fun areas to play around while driving the Grossglockner High Alpine Road.*

Pasterze Glacier Hike

Onward we went to the main attraction for the day, hiking to Pasterze Glacier from Glocknerhaus. This is an 8 km (5 mile) trail in Hohe Tauern National Park with 580 meters (1900 feet) of elevation.

Getting there

From Grossglockner High Alpine Road we took a right and drove a few kilometers to Glocknerhaus Kärnten, a large mountain hut with lodging and a restaurant. There is a large parking lot available where we parked to start the hike.

Beautiful dam at Margaritzenstausee reservoir with turquoise water in Austria.

John and Maddie walking along a dam at Margaritzenstausee reservoir in Austria. — *Beautiful turquoise water of the Margaritzenstausee reservoir.*

Glocknerhaus Kärnten to Lake Sandersee

We took the trail clockwise. It headed down a slope and around the south shore of the Margaritzenstausee reservoir. The lake was a gorgeous opaque turquoise and encircled by a beautiful carpet of yellow and white flowers.

At the bottom of the slope was a small bridge bringing us to the other side of the water. Then suddenly hundreds of runners encroached on us and one after another blew by us. We were now hiking in the middle of a race and it became very clear we had chosen the wrong day to do this hike.

Looking down at a small suspension bridge on the Pasterze Glacier trail from Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe. — *Lake Sandersee.*

All of the runners were very polite and made sure not to just stampede over us. The trail began to ascend rather aggressively until it climbed over a ridge to Lake Sandersee and the Pasterze glacier came into view.

The area was beautiful but the glacier had clearly been a victim of climate change. It had receded far into the distance and was a shell of its former self.

John, Oliver, and Maddie looking at Pasterze Glacier in the distance. — *Our first view of the massively receding Pasterze glacier.*

*Oliver appreciating the beautiful yellow and white flowers surrounding Lake Sandersee.*

Lake Sandersee to Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe and final descent

At this point the runners were thinning out and we began the brutal ascent to Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe. The trail transformed into a series of switchbacks which required sections of rock scrambling. A funicular came into sight and we tossed around the idea of taking it, but decided to just finish the climb on foot.

*Maddie rock scrambling her way up to Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe.*

We finished that section of trail with some of the straggler runners and went into the cafeteria to eat a late lunch. There was a variety of food here with something for everyone. We all thought it was very good and we had excellent views of the Austrian Alps while eating.

The last part of the trail was less impressive and was more or less a descent down the grassy hillside back to the parking lot. The hike in total took us close to 5 hours.

Margaritzenstausee reservoir with bright blue water near Pasterze Glacier in Austria. — *Margaritzenstausee reservoir.*

*A charming chapel seen toward the end of our hike.*

Return to Zell am See

Before heading back to Zell am See we made one more stop at Naßfeldspeicher. This was a serene and shallow lake down in a valley fed by several waterfalls. The kids, while still sweaty from the hike, couldn’t resist but play in the water and mud.

After getting their fill of the “muck” as they called it, we drove back along the gorgeous Grossglockner High Alpine Road to Zell am See for the night.

John in a blue shirt and Maddie in a pink shirt holding hands and walking near Naßfeldspeicher in Austria. — The short walk from the parking lot to Naßfeldspeicher.

Maddie in a pink shirt sitting on a rock ledge with a waterfall in the background in Austria. — *Maddie perched in front of Nassfeld Wasserfall as it feeds Naßfeldspeicher.*

Oliver and Maddie in pink shirts laughing and playing with mud at Naßfeldspeicher in Austria. — *Playing in the water and mud of Naßfeldspeicher.*

Day 7 – Oberhofalm Runde Hike

Getting there and hiking statistics

Unfortunately this was our last day in Austria, but we had one more epic hike planned. Today we had plans to hike the Oberhofalm Runde, near Filzmoos. This was a 9.5 km (6 mi) hike with 760 meters (2500 feet) of elevation gain. It was challenging but also spectacular. It took almost an hour and a half to get to the trailhead from Zell am See, so we didn’t begin the hike until almost 10 AM.

Maddie in a pink shirt enjoying the flat hike on the Oberhofalm Runde with jagged mountains in the background. — *One of the many beautiful meadows on the Oberhofalm Runde trail.*

Ascent

The beginning of the hike was hard…very hard. We spent a while hiking on a wide gravel road and then the strenuous ascent began. It was very steep and completely exposed to the blistering hot sun that roasted us as we ascended with no shade. Oliver and Maddie were miserable, but we all pushed on and eventually reached the plateau.

We came upon a pasture with grazing cattle and proceeded through a small grove of trees until the views opened up. The hike crossed into a large beautiful meadow framed by the majestic and jagged Dachstein mountains of Austria.

Walking through the meadow was absolutely wonderful. Cattle and sheep were grazing in every direction. The color palate that developed with the bright yellow flowers on green grass contrasting with the sky was just breathtaking.

Oliver in a green shirt walking through a green meadow with cows grazing on the Oberhofalm Runde hike in Austria.

Cows lounging in the green grass on the Oberhofalm Runde hike near Filzmoos Austria.

*Walking through the colorful meadows was the highlight of the hike.*

We had a very peaceful hike through this area, but then we came upon the second ascent. This ascent was just as high and steep as the first one but fortunately the sun had retreated behind some clouds so it was far more tolerable.

The hike then brought us to a ridge with tremendous views of the Austrian Alps and the valley below. This was the perfect location for our lunch stop.

*Cattle also appreciating the views of the Dachstein mountains.*

Descent

The trail veered to the right at Mount Sulzenhals and began its gradual descent back to the beginning. We came across a perfectly placed restaurant, Sulzenalm – Wallehenhütte. Here were some friendly dogs and the waitresses wore traditional Austrian outfits while serenading their customers. We had some cold drinks before continuing on down the trail.

Oliver and Maddie playing with a friendly black dog at Sulzenalm - Wallehenhütte on the Oberhofalm Runde hike near Filzmoos in Austria. — *The friendly puppies at Sulzenalm – Wallehenhütte.*

It wasn’t too much further before we were finished hiking and reached the car. We would be leaving Austria tomorrow and this was a phenomenal hike with which to end our trip.

IMPRESSIONS

With only a week in Austria, we felt compelled to focus on a relatively small region. I thought the amount of territory that we covered was perfect for the amount of time we had available. We certainly didn’t see everything, but that gives us a reason to return and explore more of the country.

We absolutely loved our week hiking in Austria. Everywhere we turned gave us a breathtaking view of this incredible country. From rugged mountain peaks to lush valleys and flowery meadows, the landscapes are simply phenomenal.