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Hartelsgraben

Accessible by public transport

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium

Route 6,3 km

Time 3:50 h

Uphill 580 hm

Downhill 581 hm

Highest point 1101 m

"The Hartelsgraben is considered a natural jewel because of its imposing rock and water scenery and the gorge forest. It has been used for economic purposes over a long period of time: for 500 years, a historic cabbage transport road has led from Johnsbach to Hieflau. In 1892, the Styrian Provincial Forests built a logging road down to the Enns - the first mountain forest road in the Monarchy and much visited. Particularly admirable are the dry stone sluices built by experts from Friuli. They have withstood all avalanches for 130 years."

The trail leads through the Hartelsgraben on trail no. 665 via the oldest forest road in Styria! The cool, moist air in the gorge forest is a welcome refreshment on warm summer days. The gorge forest you hike through is a special feature, as it is one of the few hardwood-dominated forest types in the area. The history of the old forest road and the former intensive charcoal smelting is vividly told along the theme trail in the Hartelsgraben.

Best season

January

February

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December

More information

from Hieflau or Admont on the B 146 Gesäusestraße to Hartelsgraben car park

The starting point is the Hartelsgraben car park on the B146 Gesäusestraße. Follow the wildly romantic stream through a gorge-like ravine, surrounded by small and larger waterfalls, for about 1 1/2 hours to the Hartelsgraben hut. The Hartelsgraben is currently being equipped by the Styrian Provincial Forests with themed panels and a show charcoal kiln to tell the story of wood processing in this impassable terrain.

After a long ascent along the old forest road, you reach the first pastures of the Sulzkaralm via trail 601. This pasture impresses with its outstanding alpine landscape. Large spruce trees, boulders in the middle of the alpine pastures, small moors with cotton grass and a small lake - the Sulzarsee - are not only habitats for numerous animals and plants, but also delight the hiker's eye. Here it is easy to observe marmots or chamois on the steep slopes surrounding the alp. Cows and horses graze on the alpine pastures, the small alpine hut invites you to take a short rest and refreshment at the fountain.

Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel

Buslinie 912 Weißenbach/St.Gallen - Liezen (www.busbahnbim.at )

With the Verbundlinie BusBahnBim app, finding timetable information has never been easier: all bus, train, and tram connections in Austria can be searched for by entering locations and/or addresses, stops, or important points. The app is available as a free app for smartphones (Android, iOS) on Google Play and in the App Store.

In the Gesäuse region, you're mobile even without your own car during the summer months. Just one call to +43 3613 2100099 is all it takes: within operating hours, the Gesäuse shared taxi will take you to any destination in the Gesäuse — with no fixed timetable or stops.

Hartelsgraben car park

Gesäuse Tourism Association
Hauptstraße 35, 8911 Admont, Austria
t: +43 3613 2116010
www.gesaeuse.at
Email: info@gesaeuse.at