Hikes in Austria
Are you looking for the best hikes in Austria? We’re here to help! Austria is a mountain playground for hikers, and a popular destination for outdoor holidays. The Alps make Austria one of the best hiking destinations on earth. There is so much hiking to explore, you could easily spend years exploring all the wonderful hiking Austria has to offer.
Austria has charming mountain towns that you can base yourself at to explore the local hiking trails. While normally packed in winter, summer is low season in most of these towns. This translates to lower prices and a great time to explore such legendary locations as St. Anton, Mayrhofen, Sölden, Zell-am-See, Kitzbühel, and of course, Innsbruck.
Find the best hikes in Austria using our guides below. Our guides to the best hikes for Austria cover the best Innsbruck hikes and the best hiking in the Zell am See region. In Innsbruck, plan your trip to take in the highlights of this wonderful town and explore the surrounding mountains on foot. For the Zell am See region, our list of best hikes helps you plan a family-friendly holiday to the area, exploring Zell am See and Kaprun.
15 Greatest Hikes in Austria
Immerse yourself into the best hiking culture in the Austrian Alps! This is the ultimate outdoor adventure playground for hikers with heart pounding summits and rolling green hills. There are countless trail options, chances are you’ll need to visit a few times to hike them all! Within the Austria Alps, you’ll discover some unique geological features, such as Ice Age valleys, verdant heaths and alluvial cones. Grab your hiking boots and hit the trails!
- Halltal: Prepare for a challenging and strenuous hike on this incredible mountain. Offering panoramic views, the hardships are worth the reward once you reach the summit!
- Goetheweg: This trail offers some of the most stunning aerial views of Innsbruck. Follow the path around the slopes of the Nordkette Mountain to observe Innsbruck and the Inntal.
- Kellerjoch Loop: Set off on a relatively easy hike that takes you to the peak of Kellerjoch. Perfect for those who want panoramic views, without too much of a challenge, Kellerjoch is ideal.
- Sellraintaler Höhenweg: This is one of the most beautiful, challenging and rewarding hikes in the Innsbruck area. Walk through the valley of Sellrain for incredible views and few crowds.
- Berlinerhütte over Mörchnerscharte: Explore a section of the famous “Berliner Höhenweg,” which is part of the annual Steinbockmarsch challenge on this epic hike.
- Zittauer Hütte: This moderately challenging hike brings adventurers alongside a faded glacier, past a pristine lake and finishes with incredible views.
- Ahornspitze: Step off from the Ahornspitze lift and enjoy the gentle ascent up to Edelweißhütte. Continue to push onwards to take in the exposed summit of Ahornspitze.
- Tristner: For one of the most challenging hikes in the Mayrhofen area, try the Tristner hike. If you can make it to the top, you’ll be rewarded with epic views over the Zillertal.
- Imbachhorn: This is one of our favourite hikes in the Zell am See area. Prepare for a long, strenuous hike, but at the top, you’ll get amazing lookout points over Zell am See, Zeller Lake, and the Glockner group.
- Schwalbenwand & Schönwieskopf: Set out on an amazing hike conquering two incredible mountain peaks on one hike. Though no huts or restaurants on route, pack a lunch and plan for an incredible full day.
- Glacier lake & Geiβstein: Tackle the two unique areas in the high alpine above Kaprun. Hike past a glistening mountain lake, pass the Kitzsteinhorn ski area and enjoy a pint at a traditional mountain hut.
- Kapruner Loop: Our absolute favourite in the Zell am See area, the Kapruner Loop explores the mountain village of Kaprun, while also offering views over Zeller Lake and the surrounding mountain peaks.
- Kemater Alm: Explore one of the most naturally stunning places on this easy hike––Kemater Alm. Walk past verdant, rolling meadows, incredible mountains and a quaint farmers village.
- Wolfsklamm: Follow the trail to an ancient pilgrimage site, passing through narrow canyons and past a trickling river along the way.
- Plauener Hütte: Enjoy views of the pretty Zillergrundl reservoir, then continue onwards to the Plauener Hutte for a delicious lunch with beautiful mountain views.
When is the Best Time to Hike in Austria
Our favourite month to hike in Austria is July, thanks to the pleasant temperatures with a warm breeze. The average temperature during the month is 21 degrees Celsius, offering plenty of sunshine and cooler nights. Autumn is also a fantastic time to visit, with quieter hiking trails and moderate temperatures. Autumn also offers some incredible fall foliage and leaf peeping opportunities.
Best Regions to Hike in Austria
When people think of hiking in Austria, most immediately think of Innsbruck. This stunning area is certainly a popular destination for both summer and winter activities. Considered the Capital of the Alps, this is a great starting point for hiking the Austrian Alps and building stamina up in the mountains. Explore the quaint mountain town of Mayrhofen for breathtaking alpine hikes and incredible local flora and fauna. Mayrhofen is a wonderful example of traditional Austrian architecture and design and you’ll be dazzled by the local charm. If it’s glacier mountain hiking you’re after, head to Zell am See and Kaprun, which is known for its glacier on the Kitzsteinhorn mountain. This is the ultimate family-friendly destination with a wide range of hiking trails available, including plenty of quick day hikes for little ones.
Other Activities in Austria
Few people think to hop on two wheels in Austria, but it’s an incredible destination for cycling, especially on the Drauradweg cycling path. This trail stretches over several countries for 365.3 km and takes riders past picturesque towns and incredible mountain faces. Another fantastic adventure option is to hit the water for a rafting experience. The River Isel and River Drau are both popular destinations to get the adrenaline pumping on a white water rafting trip.
Austria's Adventure Tours
Prepare for some unforgettable thrills on one of 10Adventures tours in Austria. From learning how to rock climb up the famed Austrian Alps to peddling around town to take in the heart of Austria from two wheels, our 10Adventure tour options are guaranteed to be epic and worry-free.
How to Plan a Trip to Austria
Ready to lace up those boots and hike the stunning Austrian Alps? Let us take the stress and worry out of planning all the details with our complete trip planning guides––whether you want to visit Innsbruck, Mayrhofen, or Zell am See - Kaprun––we’ve got the 4-1-1.
Hiking regions in Austria
Best Hikes in Austria
Zittauer Hütte Hike
The hike to Zittauer Hütte offers a moderate hike for both the young and old. There is lots to see on this route as it is located next to an almost faded glacier; enjoy the beautiful lake, and stunning mountain views.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Kapruner Loop Hike
The Kapruner Loop is our favorite hike in the Zell am See - Kaprun region. This hike goes around and above the mountain village of Kaprun and offers great views of the surrounding mountains, the Zeller Lake and the village below. Starting at the center of the village, it is a great way to start your hiking holiday.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Schaflegerkogel Loop Hike
The Schaflegerkogel Loop is an amazing Innsbruck hike. This walk traverses a beautiful ridge to summit four different peaks before descending into a lovely, wild valley. Along this trail you will find amazing vistas and relatively few people, making this hike one of the best in Innsbruck.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Friesenberghaus & Olpererhütte Hike
The Friesenberghaus & Olpererhütte hike provides breathtaking views over Schlegeis reservoir. Views of steep and exposed mountains also make this hike something really special. At the famous Olpererhütte, you can take awe-inspiring pictures from the small bridge.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Sellraintaler Höhenweg Hike
Sellraintaler Höhenweg is strenuous day hike with a distinctly Austrian name. The trail takes you through the valley of Sellrain with rewarding vistas. It’s one of the wildest and least crowded areas to hike near Innsbruck.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Alexander-Enzinger Trail
The Alexander - Enzinger hike is a stunning hike along a mountain ridge between Kaprun and the Kitzsteinhorn glacier area. With beautiful views and a high point of 2,452 m, this is a challenging yet rewarding hiking trail in the Zell am See-Kaprun region.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Imbachhorn Hike
The Imbachhorn hike is one of the best hikes near Zell am See. This hike is a challenging tour of mountain peaks in the high alpine. Hiking up to the Imbachhorn, you will enjoy stunning views over the town of Zell am See, Zeller Lake, and the Glockner group.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Ahornspitze Hike
The Ahornspitze hike is spectacular! The trail begins at the top of the Ahornbahn lift, which you take from Mayrhofen. The hike takes you high in the mountains and gently increases in height up to Edelweißhütte. From there, the trail gets more and more exposed towards the last few kilometres before gaining the summit of Ahornspitze.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Zirbenweg Hike
Zirbenweg is a great Austrian hike, famous for its forest of arolla pines. This short, family hike offers amazing panoramas of Innsbruck and the Inntal.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Plauener Hütte Hike
The Plauener Hutte route is a stunning hike near Mayrhofen that has it all including incredible views of mountains and the Zillergrundl reservoir. Get up to the Plauener Hutte for a wonderful snack or meal, before the stunning hike back.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
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