Kalkalpen National Park (3-day circuit), horse riding tour

Possible starting options:

• Moar im Hof, Roßleithen (Roßleithen)


• Parking Jaidhaus (Molln/Breitenau) or Parking Scheiblingau (Molln/Bodinggraben) - 4-day tour


• Knappenhaus, Unterlaussa

 Accommodations:

• Villa Sonnwend (rider) and Moar im Hof (horse), Roßleithen


• Krennbauer Riding Farm, Unterlaussa/Holzgraben


• Werfneralm (advance booking required for overnight stay at "Moar im Hof")

Variant 1: Moar im Hof, Roßleithen (Windischgarsten) - 3-day tour

Day 1: Moar im Hof (Roßleithen) - Haslersgatter - over Langfirst to Dörflmoaralm - Ahornsattel - Holzgraben - to Krennbauer Riding Farm (overnight stay and stabling possible)
Day 2: Krennbauer Riding Farm (Oberlaussa) - Mooshöhe - Weißwasser - Klaushütte - Werfneralm Hut (Reichraminger Hintergebirge, overnight stay by prior arrangement)
Day 3: Werfneralm - Ebenforstalm and Schaumbergalm (both alms are managed and invite you to stop by) - Bodinggraben - Steyrsteg (led section approx. 50 meters long, narrowest point 1 meter wide) - Haslersgatter - Moar im Hof.

Variant 2: Parking Jaidhaus or Scheiblingau, Bodinggraben (Molln) - 4-day tour

Day 1: Boddinggraben - Steyrsteg (led section approx. 50 meters long, narrowest point 1 meter wide) - Haslersgatter - Moar im Hof (horse overnight stay) and Villa Sonnwend (rider overnight stay).
Day 2: Moar im Hof - back to Haslersgatter - over Langfirst to Dörflmoaralm - Ahornsattel - Holzgraben - Krennbauer Riding Farm in Oberlaussa (overnight option for horse and rider).
Day 3: Krennbauer Riding Farm - about 4 kilometers on Hengstpass state road to Unterlaussa - Knappenhaus - Weißwasser - Klaushütte (managed) - Werfneralm Hut (Reichraminger Hintergebirge, overnight stay by prior arrangement).
Day 4: Werfneralm - managed Ebenforstalm - over Trämpl (led section) to managed Schaumbergalm - back into Bodinggraben

Variant 3: Knappenhaus, Unterlaussa - 3-day tour

Day 1: Knappenhaus/Unterlaussa - Weißwasser bivouac site (resting possibility) - Klaushütte (managed) - Werfneralm for overnight stay.
Day 2: Werfneralm - Ebenforstalm - Schaumbergalm - Steyrsteg - Haslersgatter - downhill to Roßleithen to Moar im Hof (horse overnight stay) and Villa Sonnwend (rider overnight stay)
Day 3: Moar im Hof - back to Haslersgatter - over Langfirst to Dörflmoaralm - Ahornsattel - over Holzgraben to the Hengstpass state road junction - about 4 kilometers on the main road back to Knappenhaus/Unterlaussa (increased motorcycle traffic on Saturday & Sunday)

Variant 1: Moar im Hof, Roßleithen (Windischgarsten) - 3-day tour

From the Mayrwinkl 1 parking lot in Roßleithen or from Moar im Hof the route goes across Salzatal to the Wurbauerkogel and continues ascending to Haslersgatter. Via the forestry road Langfirst the path turns towards Dörflmoaralm, offering a wonderful view back to the Totes Gebirge with Spitzmauer and Großer Priel. Diagonally opposite the alm building, you ride on the pull path towards Ahornsattel, switching to the opposite side of the alpine pasture and going downhill at the foot of Astein. After a short forest section, the riding trail leads down the valley over Holzgraben to the Krennbauer Riding Farm, where the first daily stage ends and overnight stay is possible.

On day 2, one first rides about 4.5 kilometers along the Hengstpass state road to Unterlaussa to the Knappenhaus. From here you ride again on a little-used road up to Mooshöhe and follow the road down again to Weißwasser to the Weißwasser bivouac which offers a good rest place for horse and rider. The riding trail now continues into the central Reichraminger Hintergebirge, through some rock tunnels (equipped with emergency lighting) of the former forest railway to the managed Klaushütte, where the opportunity for a lunch break arises. The ride continues past the Große Klause (remains of a timber floating system), after about 500 meters turning left onto the forestry road to Werfneralm Hut. Overnight stay at the Werfneralm (prior registration required!).

On day 3 the route goes over the picturesque Ebenforstalm to the (short led section) Schaumbergalm (both alms offer the possibility to stop for food). Then it goes downhill into Bodinggraben, probably the most beautiful valley end in Kalkalpen National Park. Here the building ensemble Bodinggraben welcomes you with the hunting lodge of the former Counts Lamberg, the Annakapelle, the assistant’s little house and the managed Jagahäusl. After a rest, you go back a bit the same way to the Steyrsteg junction - here turn right. The Steyrsteg is a valley breakthrough between Großer Größtenberg and the Sengsengebirge and contains a short led section (led section approx. 50 meters long, narrowest point 1 meter wide, please expect oncoming traffic from mountain bikers and hikers), following the Krumme Steyrling stream you encounter after a bridge the Steyrsteg bivouac (rest area). The forestry road now climbs uphill over the mountain meadows of Rumpelmayerreith to Haslersgatter. From the already known path of day 1 it goes back over Salzatal to the starting point of this impressive 3-day tour.

Variant 2: Parking Jaidhaus or Scheiblingau, Bodinggraben (Molln) - 4-day tour

On day 1 you start from Bodinggraben over Steyrsteg (led section approx. 50 meters long, narrowest point 1 meter wide) over Haslersgatter to Moar im Hof (horse overnight stay) and Villa Sonnwend (rider overnight stay). On day 2 you go back to Haslersgatter and over Langfirst to Dörflmoaralm, then continue on the pull path towards Ahornsattel, then the path turns downhill via Holzgraben to Krennbauer Riding Farm (overnight possibility for horse and rider). On day 3 the path leads about 4 kilometers on Hengstpass state road to Unterlaussa. In the village centre the riding route turns left past Knappenhaus on a little-used road uphill to Mooshöhe and then downhill to Weißwasser into the central Reichraminger Hintergebirge. At the Weißwasser bivouac there is a nice opportunity to rest for horse and rider. Always following the Große Bach downstream, you go through some rock tunnels (former forest railway road) to the managed Klaushütte where you can rest and eat well. Past Große Klause, a former timber floating system, the path leads about 800 meters left up a forestry road to Werfneralm Hut. Overnight stay here, PRIOR REGISTRATION required! On day 4 you go from Werfneralm to the managed Ebenforstalm (cow pasture - the cows are accustomed to horses) and over Trämpl (led section) to the managed Schaumbergalm. Afterwards you go back on a forestry road to Bodinggraben. A lunch is possible at Ebenforstalm, Schaumbergalm or at Jägerhäusl!

Variant 3: Knappenhaus, Unterlaussa - 3-day tour

From Knappenhaus you go over Weißwasser bivouac (rest possibility) on to Klaushütte and after a lunch there to Werfneralm for overnight stay. On the next day you continue over Ebenforstalm and Trämpl to Schaumbergalm and over Steyrsteg to Haslersgatter. From there downhill to Roßleithen to Moar im Hof (horse overnight stay) and Villa Sonnwend (rider overnight stay). On day 3 you go back to Haslersgatter and over Langfirst to Dörflmoaralm, then over Ahornsattel and Holzgraben to the Hengstpass state road junction, on the main road (increased motorcycle traffic on Saturday & Sunday) about 4 kilometers back to the starting point, Knappenhaus Unterlaussa.

Please don't forget to save the route "offline" before you start (top right), as mobile reception in the forest wilderness of the national park is not always available.

Use of the riding trails is at your own risk. Scenic elements (mountains, valleys, rocks, gorges…) are natural hazard points and require reserves in your time planning.

Riding rules:

- Riding is allowed in the national park from April 15 to October 31 - on other riding trails year-round - from two hours after sunrise until one hour before sunset.

- Only ride on marked routes! Riding is a special nature experience. Wild animals do not flee from the rider. They consider him a peculiar kind of animal. Horses, however, can be unpredictable when encountering animals, hikers, or cyclists. Therefore, riding in the national park is only permitted on marked riding routes!

- Reliably close all pasture gates again.

- Many riding routes are also marked as bike paths. Always expect oncoming cyclists or motor vehicles.

- Some routes are long and the terrain is partly steep. Please do not overestimate yourself and your horse and remember to bring sufficient provisions and drinking water.

- Please understand that compliance with the usage instructions and possession of a valid daily or annual badge will be checked.

Riding badge

Badges available:

Ennstal: Georg Aigner (Happy Horse Ranch), phone +43 664 442 12 14 & at the National Park Visitor Center Ennstal, phone +43 7254 8414

Pyhrn Priel: Großeiber-Schmidleitner Family (Gut Enghagen), phone +43 7562 75 25

Kremstal: Auer Family (Pferdehof Auer), phone +43 677 63 68 27 45

Steyrtal: Ines Kogler (Leonstein Riding Centre), phone +43 660 313 34 43

A day badge costs €5.00 / the annual badge €35.00

More information:

https://www.pferdeland-nationalpark.at/

https://www.pferdeland-nationalpark.at/