On old paths through Upper Austria — Salt Trail
Hiking Collection by Valerie
7
days
3-8 h
/ day
103 mi
15,675 ft
12,725 ft
Upper Austria has many wonderful sides. From the hilly Mühlviertel to the picturesque Salzkammergut and the stark Tote Gebirge, the province offers its visitors truly diverse landscapes and natural beauty. With the cultural city of Linz and its many castles, it also has a lot to offer to art, history and culture fans. With this Collection, I introduce the hiking potential of the province, as we set off on the Upper Austrian part of the Salt Trail.
On old paths that were important in Roman times – especially for transporting salt – the Salt Trail leads through the mountainous side of Styria. Opened in 1983, the entire long-distance trail now runs from the Mühlviertel in Upper Austria to the Wurzen Pass on the border with Slovenia, in other words: right across Austria.
In this Collection, I take you across the section that leads through Upper Austria. Starting from Bad Leonfelden in the Upper Mühlviertel, you hike seven stages through Linz, Steinbach an der Steyr and over the mountainous Hinterstoder to the Hochmölbinghütte on the "eastern edge" of the Tote Gebirge. You can follow my suggested stages or choose your own. Just remember, proper planning is the be-all and end-all for these kind of long-distance trails.
At the end of each stage you can spend the night in a hut or in a village. In either case I recommend you secure your bed in advance. Bad Leonfelden, the starting point, is easily reached by public transport. From the end point, the Hochmölbinghütte, you can descend to Liezen in about three hours, from where you can leave again by public transport.
As mentioned, this is only the Upper Austrian section of the Salt Trail. The complete long-distance trail also leads through the two federal states of Carinthia and Styria. If you want to find out more and maybe even walk the entire trail, check out these two Collections: komoot.com/collection/1807568 and komoot.com/collection/1804191.
On The Map
Do it yourself
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Last updated: October 18, 2022
Plan your own version of this adventure in the multi-day planner based on the stages suggested in this Collection.
Tours
- 06:0212.9 mi2.1 mph1,800 ft1,775 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Stage 1 of the Salzsteigweg takes you from Bad Leonfelden to Oberneukirchen. Beautiful views await you from the Sternstein of the wonderfully hilly landscape of the Upper Austrian Mühlviertel, but also lush meadows and magical forests. The perfect start to your hiking adventure!
Let's start at the main…
by Valerie
- 07:1215.1 mi2.1 mph1,725 ft3,400 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Stage 2 of the Salzsteigweg leads from Oberneukirchen in the Mühlviertel to Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. You will hike through the hilly Mühlviertel, discover old ruins and enchanting forests.
Let's start in the heart of Oberneukirchen. From here you can walk along forest paths to the ruins of…
by Valerie
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- 08:3920.2 mi2.3 mph1,300 ft950 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Stage 3 of the Salzsteigweg takes you from the Upper Austrian capital Linz to Sierning, very close to the Steyr. A relatively urban section of the long-distance trail, which has a few urban highlights in store for you.
You start in Linz. In order to save you a few kilometers of the already quite long…
by Valerie
- 03:548.81 mi2.3 mph800 ft725 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
It's getting more rural again on the Upper Austrian Salzsteigweg: The fourth stage takes you from Sierning to Steinbach an der Steyr. A comparatively short section of the long-distance hiking trail that has a lot of fertile nature in store for you.
Starting from Sierning, you first make your way out of…
by Valerie
- 08:4416.4 mi1.9 mph3,475 ft3,175 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Stage 5 of the Salzsteigweg leads you into the Upper Austrian Prealps for the first time: From Steinbach an der Steyr you hike over the 1,020 meter high Kruckenbrettl to the Grünburgerhütte. You then reach your destination, Frauenstein, via Molln. Still at your side: the Steyr.
As always, the tour begins…
by Valerie
- 07:5417.6 mi2.2 mph1,875 ft1,525 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
It remains mountainous, or rather you come close to the Alps for the first time on the sixth stage of the Salzsteigweg. From Frauenstein, this section takes you in the direction of the Dead Mountains.
You leave Frauenstein and head towards Steyr. Soon you will reach the Klaus dam and pass it along with…
by Valerie
- 07:1611.6 mi1.6 mph4,725 ft1,150 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
It goes up again on the last stage of the Upper Austrian Salzsteigweg section: By crossing the Türkenkarscharte you hike today from Hinterstoder to the Hochmölbinghütte and thus enter Styrian territory for the first time.
But first things first: Let's start in Hinterstoder, where you make your way to…
by Valerie
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Collection Stats
- Tours7
- Distance103 mi
- Duration49:41 h
- Elevation15,675 ft12,725 ft
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