BergeSeen Trail 01: Gmunden - Windlegern/Hochsteinalm

The start of the Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail is actually a “blue” route. On flat or gently ascending streets and paths, it leads out of the city of Gmunden, and even around the friendly market town of Altmünster, the slopes remain consistently moderate. The description “moderate” only refers to a short descent section before the village of Neukirchen and especially to the last descent, which gives a foretaste of the more alpine sections of the long-distance trail. You can also look forward to the scenic beauty of the Salzkammergut – for example, the view over Lake Traunsee (with the famous Castle Ort) towards the mighty Traunstein, crossing a small gorge in well-kept farmland, and the sight of the rock faces of the Höllengebirge and to Traunstein.

You start at Rathausplatz in the city center of Gmunden, directly in front of the beautiful Town Hall. Via Franz-Schubert-Platz, you reach the right to the Esplanade, where you walk alongside the shore of Lake Traunsee – with a magnificent view of Castle Ort and the Traunstein.

Along the way, you pass the spa park, the Baumgartner Confectionery, the yacht club, and the Lehenaufsatz recreational area. Then you continue along Dr.-Franz-Thomas-Straße for another 150 m until you cross the roadway at the signage for the Salzkammergut Cycle Path to the right – direction “Seewalchen/Pinsdorf” – at the pedestrian crossing. Across the street, you reach Franz-Reisenbichler-Straße, from which you immediately turn left back onto Pensionatstraße. At the following fork, continue left on the narrow Mitterweg and after about 300 m turn right up Johann-Nepomuk-David-Weg. At the top, you again reach Pensionatstraße, where you cross the Gmunden bypass road on the left.

Then turn right onto Württembergstraße, past Volksbank Arena to Hotel Wildschütz. Shortly after, turn right at the “SOS Children’s Village” sign, through the forest to a junction, and then left into the SOS Children’s Village (500 m). On Kinderdorfstraße, first go left, then right towards the administrative building, which you circle on the right. In front of it begins a narrow gravel path leading straight into the forest. There turn left towards “Altmünster” and before the Sunday Ranch turn right onto a scenic meadow ridge. Some deciduous trees mark where you turn left to follow the “Altmünster Theme Trail” (information boards) down to Harstubenweg.

Follow this to the right. On the subsequent Lindenstraße, you reach Münsterstraße, which leads left to the Parish Church of Altmünster (442 m). 1:30 h Note: From Gmunden (Rathausplatz), you can also take a boat to Altmünster.
Now the BergeSeen Trail leads right up Marktstraße. After 450 m, turn left onto Bahnhofstraße – from thereon, follow the signs for “Grasberg”. After 100 m turn right onto Stücklbachstraße. Soon it goes up a footpath between forest and settlement and under the railway bridge. Behind it, on the left, begins the enchanting forest gorge of Stücklbachgraben. The path ascends next to small waterfalls to a junction. Staying left in the shady canyon to the next fork, then left over the wooden bridge to the other side of the valley. There, you reach an asphalt road, where you walk right uphill following the “Grasberg” signs.

At the next junction, keep right. Passing a farm, you enter the area around Miedlhof. There, left towards “Grasberg” to a house and before it right following the “Reschenwirt” sign on a meadow path up to a farm. Then right and before the garages left across the meadow to the nearby farm road, where you go left to ascend the scenic meadow crest of Grasberg 26. At the top, before a farm, turn right onto the signed “Reschenwirt Circular Path”. This leads over the flat meadow ridge to the guesthouse Reschenwirt (743 m).

From there, follow the signs for hiking trail 1 towards Neukirchen. A short descent on the road and next to a house hedge turn left over a meadow to a farm track (high voltage line). Follow this to the right and at the next junction left to Graminger farm. On country roads and driveways, cross the southern slopes until a narrow path leads over a meadow down into the forest. There, turn left and steeply downhill until a sign by the forest edge points sharply right. Over a small ditch, you reach another farm. On its access road down into the valley and then right on the main road to Neukirchen (743 m). 1:45 h

From the square in front of the church, follow the signs “Viechtauer Heimathaus, Windlegernweg” and go up to the next fork. From there, right onto Kalvarienberg (signpost “Windlegern”). In the steep section above Kalvarienberg church, turn left, after a tall sequoia, turn right twice. Then continue on the gravel road past a “wishing tree” and through the forest slopes of Kollmannsberg uphill. Higher up, turn right and walk downhill again. Finally, the Salzkammergut Trail follows the left-turning and soon steeper hiking trail through light forest to the well-known Almgasthof Windlegern (816 m). 1:15 h

Variant to Hochsteinalm: On a road southwards to a chapel and the forest edge, then left uphill to a forest road, which continues to the left to a signpost after about 1 km. Straight ahead the road leads to Hochsteinalm (25 minutes, overnight stay possible, closed Mondays and Tuesdays).

Note: Bus connection (line 522) from Gmunden (bus station in Habertstraße behind the parish church) to Neukirchen.
Note: From Gmunden (Rathausplatz), you can also take a boat to Altmünster.

• In alpine terrain, beware of the danger of falling rocks.


• Until early summer, you may encounter steep snowfields or firn crevices – especially with ice, there is acute risk of falling and life danger!


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


• Cows in the alpine pasture are often curious. Because of mother cow husbandry, they develop a strong instinct to protect their calves. So move calmly in cow pastures, keep at least 20 m distance from the animals, and never pet calves! In case of threatening behavior (scraping, 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 let the dog off the leash.

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

Change clothes and a small first aid kit should also be in your backpack. How much provision you pack depends on the number of dining options. 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 publisher and Wolfgang Heitzmann.

More information at trail.salzkammergut.at