The Styrian Salza – between Gusswerk (Wildalpen) and Großreifling – the paddling and rafting meeting place for all white water sports enthusiasts

Various routes to the respective landing stages. Landing stages = entry points
All landing stages are managed! The use of any other landing stages is prohibited by the authorities and may result in prosecution.
Directions kindly provided by www.paddlertreff.at (Forman family) - coming from Vienna: Option A: Take the Westautobahn motorway to the Ybbs/Persenbeug exit. Then drive via Wieselburg and Scheibbs to Gaming. There you will have to cross the weather divide called Grubberg (caution: spring in Vienna is not the same as spring in Wildalpen). Then continue via Göstling towards Palfau. Shortly before Palfau, at the "Erzhalden" junction, take the road on the left towards Wildalpen. This place is a popular kayak exit point before the Salza squeezes through the beautiful Palfauer Gorge. From there, it is only 15 km along the crystal-clear Salza to Wildalpen, with one or two spots inviting you to take a refreshing dip. Our shop is located at the Tabak Trafik in the village, near the bank. - Total distance from Vienna approx. 200 km.

Option B: For those who are not so keen on the Westautobahn motorway, there is a lesser-known route via the Semmering. Take the Südautobahn motorway to the Seebenstein motorway junction. From there, continue towards Bruck an der Mur to Mürzzuschlag. In Mürzzuschlag, take the right exit at the next roundabout towards Mürzsteg. In Mürzsteg, continue towards Mariazell via Niederalpl to Wegscheid. There, turn right towards Mariazell and follow the road to Gußwerk, where you turn left towards Wildalpen immediately after the church. On these last 30 km to Wildalpen, you can watch the Salza grow from harmless calm water to white water 2-3. Approximately 20 km before Wildalpen, you will pass the Prescenyklause. This is the only sign of human intervention on the otherwise natural stretch of river, which is approximately 65 km long and suitable for kayaking. On the plus side, it is an excellent practice area for beginners in the reservoir.

Coming from Graz: Leave Graz on the A9 Pyhrn motorway heading north. Leave the A9 at Deutschfeistritz and take the S35 towards Bruck an der Mur. Then follow the S35 to Bruck an der Mur and take the B20, the Mariazeller Bundesstraße, towards Mariazell. The B20 leads over the Seebergsattel pass and continues towards Mariazell. In Gußwerk, immediately after the church, turn left onto the B24, the Hochschwabstraße, towards Wildalpen. From here, it is about 40 km along the Salza. After passing Weichselboden, you will pass the Prescenyklause. After another 20 km, you will reach the town sign for Wildalpen.

Coming from Linz: Option A: Take the Westautobahn motorway towards Vienna and exit at Ybbs/Persenbeug. Then continue as described for the "Blue Route" coming from Vienna. Option B: From Linz, head south on Steyrer Straße via Unterwolfern to Steyr. From Steyr, follow the Enns river via Ternberg, Losenheim, Großraming and Altenmarkt bei St. Gallen until just before Großreifling. Before the road crosses the Enns, a narrower country road branches off to the left towards Palfau. Here you are just before the Salza flows into the Enns. Along this road, you will pass the Weiberlauf campsite and a second campsite, where a path leads into the Salza Gorge, which many paddlers and rafters use as an exit point when navigating the Salza Gorge. Once you have passed through Palfau, turn left at the junction towards Mariazell and Göstling/Hochkar and turn right about 500 metres later. This junction is called "Erzhalden" and is also a popular exit point for paddlers who decide not to navigate the Salza Gorge. From Erzhalden, it is only 15 km along the crystal-clear Salza to Wildalpen.