Hiking in Styria: Gesäuse, Hochschwab and the Vineyards of the South

Hiking in Styria is so varied that the word barely covers both sides of it. Austria's most forested region offers genuine high mountains in the north: the Gesäuse is one of the steepest limestone massifs in the Eastern Alps, the Hochschwab a vast, water-scarce karst plateau with sweeping views and little traffic, the southern side of the Dachstein rises sheer above gentle alpine meadows, and the Schladming Tauern consist of rounded ancient rock studded with over three hundred mountain lakes. In the south, all of that ends abruptly: Gamlitz, Ehrenhausen, Kitzeck — here you walk between vines, listen to the clatter of a Klapotetz, and sit down in the evening with a glass of Strauß wine at a Buschenschank.

What sets a Styrian walking holiday apart from Tyrol or the Salzburg region is its intimacy: quieter huts, shorter journeys from Graz and Vienna, and less mass tourism on the trails. The Alpine Club's network of paths is dense, the huts small and personal, and cable cars in Schladming and the Ramsau make the high mountains accessible even for families. If you're after wide glaciers and busy trails, you're better off in the Ötztal. If you want variety within a single week — rock on Monday, vines on Friday — Styria is the place.

For most Styria hikers, the question isn't "where is that?" but "which gateway leads where?" The Enns Valley is the main artery of the north: the stations at Liezen, Admont and Gstatterboden all lie within the Gesäuse National Park, and several of our Gesäuse hut tours begin in Admont. Further west, the Ramsau branches off near Schladming, the natural starting point for the southern side of the Dachstein and the Schladming Tauern; hiking buses run from Schladming into the Untertal valley and up to the cable cars.

The best way to reach the Hochschwab and the Grüner See near Tragöß is via Bruck an der Mur, Kapfenberg or Aflenz. The Southern Styrian Wine Road opens up south of Graz: Leibnitz, Ehrenhausen and Gamlitz are the classic starting points, all well served by the southern railway line. Coming from Vienna, you can travel via Bruck an der Mur to the Gesäuse or head straight to Graz for the south. Munich and Salzburg connect via the Enns Valley to the north of Styria, and regional trains and hiking buses stop at all the key starting points. Salzburg province borders Styria to the west: the Dachstein and Schladming Tauern extend across the regional boundary, though the Styrian bases have their own separate access routes.

Gesäuse National Park

Hiking in the Gesäuse means steep, limestone, and dramatic. The Enns carves its way through sheer rock walls, the Johnsbach valley opens up behind them into a quiet mountaineering village, and the great peaks — Hochtor, Buchstein, Planspitze — are goals for experienced mountain hikers. Down in the valley, gentle paths follow the Enns, easily managed by families and beginners. All three of our bookable Gesäuse hut tours run through here, and the region is especially well suited to anyone wanting to experience their first night in a mountain hut without having to tackle a demanding summit straight away. Compared with the Hochschwab, the Gesäuse is more varied and compact; compared with the Schladming Tauern, it's rockier and more technical.

The southern Dachstein: Ramsau and the southern walls

The Ramsau sits on a broad plateau directly beneath the sheer limestone walls of the Dachstein. Above, it's alpine and serious; below, alpine meadows, gorges such as the Silberkarklamm, and family-friendly circular routes open up. Families are well catered for here: the alpine pastures are staffed, the paths well marked, and cable cars bridge the toughest sections of ascent. The area makes a good base for day hikes — and the Dachstein circular trail, which loops around the entire massif, gets its own section further below. Compared with the Gesäuse, the southern Dachstein is gentler to start with; compared with Schladming, it's quieter and less developed.

Hochschwab and the Grüner See

The Hochschwab is the lesser-known face of Styria's mountains, and that's its greatest strength. The karst plateau near Seewiesen and the Aflenzer Bürgeralm is wide, remote and short of water, and if you're after openness rather than rock, this is one of the quietest corners of the Eastern Alps. The Grüner See near Tragöß is the best-known single destination: depending on the season, the crystal-clear water shimmers emerald green or deep ultramarine, and an easy loop around the shore needs nothing more than ordinary shoes. Compared with the Gesäuse, it lacks the drama of sheer walls; compared with Schladming, there's hardly any lift infrastructure. Ideal for hikers who value solitude and space over via ferrata anchors and cables.

Schladming Tauern

Hiking around Schladming is the most family-friendly option in Styria's alpine north. The ancient bedrock of the Tauern is rounder and gentler than the limestone of the Gesäuse, cable cars from Schladming, Rohrmoos and the Reiteralm open up the higher altitudes, and the Untertal valley, with its Wilde Wasser stream and the Riesach Falls, is one of Styria's most beautiful valleys. Clear mountain lakes wait behind almost every ridge. Compared with the Gesäuse, access is easier and the infrastructure more modern; compared with the Hochschwab, there's more activity and more places to stop for refreshments. For families with children who aren't yet sure how much hut-to-hut hiking they want, Schladming is the ideal base.

Southern Styria: hiking in wine country

Hiking the southern Styrian Wine Road is a category all of its own, with little to do with alpinism. The hills around Gamlitz, Ehrenhausen, Leutschach and Kitzeck are gentle, the paths wind between vines and small woods, and the border hills towards Slovenia offer sweeping views on a clear day. You stay in a guesthouse or winery, and eat and drink at a Buschenschank. For anyone who sees hiking as a matter of pleasure and has no need for hut-life romance, southern Styria is this region's strongest argument. Compared with the north, there are no technical demands at all; compared with Tyrol or Salzburg, it's an entirely different character altogether.

A hut tour means a different hut every night, all nights booked in advance, half-board included, dormitory or room depending on the hut, and you carry your own backpack over every pass. That's the classic model for the north. In the south, the system switches to guesthouses and wineries, but the principle stays the same: no organising to do on the ground, because we book everything in advance.

Gesäuse Kiddies Hike — 3 days: The Gesäuse Kiddies Hike is designed for families who want to give their children their first night in a mountain hut within the national park. The daily stages are kept short, so even younger children arrive comfortably. The national park isn't just a backdrop here — it's the real star of the show: paths along the Enns valley, alpine meadows, and the particular smell of a mountain hut in the evening. If you want to know what a night in a hut is actually like before booking further tours, our piece on the 5 best beginner hut tours in Austria is a good place to start.

Gesäuse Beginner Trek — 5 days: The Gesäuse Beginner Trek is the first choice if you want to do your first hut tour with no alpine experience and have time to take it slowly. Over five days and a total of 21.4 km, you get to know the Gesäuse at a relaxed pace: from the Mödlingerhütte to the Haindlkarhütte (10.8 km, 590 m ascent) and on to the Gesäuse Naturparkhütte (10.6 km, 360 m ascent). The days are measured so that even inexperienced hikers arrive without being pressed for time.

Gesäuse Intermediate Trek — 4 days: The Gesäuse Intermediate Trek is for experienced mountain hikers who want to experience the Gesäuse in its rockier, more demanding form. Over four days and 25.2 km, the tour links the Mödlingerhütte with the Haindlkarhütte (10.8 km, 590 m ascent), then the Haindlkarhütte with the Ennstalerhütte (14.4 km, 1,000 m ascent) — the longest day is also the toughest. If you've got fitness on your side but can't take a long holiday, this gives you the best of the national park in four days.

Wine & Indulgence in Southern Styria — 6 days: The counterpoint to everything described so far. The Wine & Indulgence Tour in Southern Styria runs over six days and 65.2 km from Leutschach through Gamlitz and Ehrenhausen to Kitzeck im Sausal and on to Leibnitz. The longest day's stage covers 19.5 km with 560 m of ascent — the terrain is no high-mountain route, but a long day in open sun among vineyards is more tiring than you'd expect. For couples, leisure hikers, and anyone looking for an autumn tour in September or October, when the huts up north are closing, this is the best option in the programme.

For a direct comparison of all the major trekking routes in Austria, see our overview article Hiking in Austria — the 7 best trekking routes.

The Dachstein circular trail loops around the entire Dachstein massif from hut to hut, crossing three Austrian regions along the way. Styria provides the southern stretch of the loop above the Ramsau, where sheer limestone walls meet gentle alpine meadows. The route is regarded as one of the classic hut tours of the Northern Limestone Alps and is suited to mountain hikers with some hut experience.

For a full stage-by-stage description with distances, ascents, huts and starting points, see our own route guide to the Dachstein circular trail.

Styria's best day hikes tend to follow a clear pattern: either you head for a single natural highlight (a lake, a gorge, a waterfall), you use a cable car to reach the high altitudes, or, in the south, you combine several refreshment stops into one leisurely day loop. The entry threshold is low, and the variety is huge.

Some of the best-known day-hike destinations: the loop around the Grüner See near Tragöß follows one of the most photogenic lakes in the Eastern Alps, which shimmers emerald green or deep blue depending on the season. The Silberkarklamm in the Ramsau is a classic gorge walk with wooden walkways right beside the water. In the Untertal valley near Schladming, the Wilde Wasser stream leads to the Riesach Falls — one of the most impressive valleys in the Schladming Tauern. In the Gesäuse, gentle valley paths follow the Enns and the Johnsbach, leading through the national park with no technical demands. In southern Styria, circular routes near Gamlitz and Kitzeck link viewpoints, Buschenschänken and vineyards into a relaxed half-day walk.

Easy hikes in the Gesäuse: Honestly, the summit trails in the national park aren't for beginners. Things get steep and technical quickly up there. If you're after easy walking, the Gesäuse valley paths along the Enns and the Johnsbach are your best bet. Short loops start right at the national park's railway stops, alpine pastures invite you to stop for a break, and the national park is already impressive from the valley floor. As a first step towards hut-to-hut hiking, the Kiddies tour is pitched just right.

Hiking in Styria with children: Schladming is the best base for families, since the cable cars take care of the toughest ascents, leaving alpine paths and mountain lakes waiting above. In the Ramsau, family-friendly loops cross staffed alpine pastures with short climbs and descents. The Grüner See makes a very manageable and memorable day-trip destination. For families wanting to take the next step towards multi-day tours, the Gesäuse Kiddies Hike is the straightforward way in.

Hiking in Styria with a dog: In general, hiking with a dog in Styria is possible, but there are clear rules. In the Gesäuse National Park, dogs must be kept on a lead on all marked trails, as well as around grazing land and in protected areas. Not all alpine huts allow dogs in the dormitories, and in the Hochschwab karst, water for dogs is limited. In southern Styria, walking with a dog on the vineyard loop trails is more relaxed, though leads are still required near grazing animals. Always mention when booking that you'll be bringing a dog.

Two Styrias, two honest answers.

The north is genuine mountain hiking. On the Gesäuse trails, you need a good head for heights and sure footing: wet limestone is slippery, exposed sections can appear without warning, and afternoon weather changes come on fast. In the Hochschwab karst, there's hardly any natural water — plan your water supply carefully. Ascent adds up noticeably over a week of hut-to-hut walking. This isn't meant to alarm you, but it's an honest assessment for anyone wondering whether a week's hiking in Styria is right for them.

The south works with no technical demands at all. The wine-road hills are gentle, the paths broad and well signposted, and a wrong turn will lead you, at worst, to the wrong Buschenschank. What's often underestimated: long days in open sun on raised terrain take a toll on the legs, even without steep sections.

Who it suits: families and newcomers to hut-to-hut hiking will find safe options in the Gesäuse with the Kiddies Hike and the Beginner Trek. Experienced mountain hikers after rock without needing via ferrata gear will feel at home in the national park. Leisure hikers should choose southern Styria. Ranked by difficulty: the southern Styria indulgence tour is the easiest, followed by the Kiddies Hike, then the Beginner Trek, then the Gesäuse Intermediate Trek as the most demanding of our bookable Styria tours.

Early summer (until mid-June): Snow lingers at higher altitudes in the Gesäuse and Hochschwab, and many huts don't open until June. The valley paths are accessible earlier, but the passes between huts may still hold patches of old snow. In the south, early summer is one of the best times: fresh greenery, pleasant temperatures, and the vines in bloom.

High summer (July and August): The hut season in the north is in full swing, huts are well visited and can be booked up early at weekends. Thunderstorm risk rises quickly in the afternoons, so an early start is essential. Southern Styria is hot and exposed in high summer, with little shade on the vineyard hills.

September and early October: The best time for the north. Weather is more stable than in high summer, visibility clearer, and the huts quieter. In the south, the grape harvest gets underway, the Buschenschänken are in full swing, and autumn brings a special light over the hills.

Late autumn to spring: Hut tours aren't possible, as most Alpine Club huts close by mid-October at the latest. The southern Styria indulgence tour has a longer window, since guesthouses and wineries stay open outside the mountain season too. Our app shows you the current weather right at the location of each hut or guesthouse for every stage — particularly important, since the weather at hut altitude in the north can be completely different from the valley below.

In the north, you stay in Alpine Club or Naturfreunde huts. This means dormitories or rooms, half-board, a hut sleeping bag liner recommended, no Wi-Fi, and huts that fill up quickly on peak-season weekends. That's why we book all your nights in advance as soon as you book your tour. The valley villages also have guesthouses, which serve as alternatives or starting-point accommodation. In the south, the system switches entirely to guesthouses and wineries with rooms.

A hut tour doesn't include luggage transport: you carry everything yourself, over every pass and every stage. That's not a drawback but the nature of this style of travel, and it makes your backpack the most important decision before you fly. Packing light isn't optional — it's essential.

What's included on our Styria tours: pre-booked accommodation with half-board or breakfast depending on the tour, a detailed route description, and the Bookatrekking app with an offline map, GPX track and weather forecast for each stage location. If you want to know exactly what a night in a hut involves before booking, our blog on the 5 best beginner hut tours in Austria has the answers.

Current prices, dates and exact services are listed on the relevant trip page.

Decision-making guide: Want to hike with children while still experiencing the Gesäuse? The Kiddies Hike is the right way in. Want to do your first hut tour and have time to spare? The Beginner Trek is the safe choice. Got mountain experience but only four days? The Gesäuse Intermediate Trek shows you the national park at its most demanding. Care more about indulgence than summits, and love September or October as your hiking month? Then southern Styria is for you. Only planning day hikes? Then base yourself in Schladming for the north, or in Gamlitz and Admont as starting points.

On navigation: the Alpine Club's waymarking on all Styrian trails is reliable, and on our bookable tours you get a ready-made GPX track in the Bookatrekking app with an offline map, so you never have to navigate on your own. All Austrian walking holidays, not just those in Styria, are listed at a glance on the Austrian walking holidays overview page.