Hiking Austria: Bad Ischl to Jainzenberg

There are multiple routes that wind up this pretty hill just north of Bad Ischl, and all of them lovely. If you’re looking for a short but challenging (and very pretty!) hike, this one’s for you: Expect anywhere from 1 – 3 hours on trails, bring plenty of water, and give yourself some downtime at the peak to enjoy the sweeping views.

I started my own route by following trails from Bad Ischl to the Hohenzoller Wasserfall (waterfall). This isn’t actually on Jainzenberg, but it’s just behind the town and the routes up the mountain – probably less than a 15-minute detour. 

Follow the signs through cow pastures and into the woods where a small, pretty waterfall awaits. There are supposedly trails here that go deeper into the hills, but I found them intensely difficult to navigate (not well signposted and very overgrown with both plant life and spiderwebs) and eventually gave up to return to the much more well-kept trails to Jainzenberg.

From the waterfall, I backtracked and followed Jainzentalstrasse around the back of the hill, circling onto the hill itself when I saw signs for Jainzenberg (berg means mountain). From this little back trail, it took me a little over an hour to reach the viewpoint area with its dual benches overlooking the city.

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Want to experience the hike for yourself? Here are some relevant details: 

Directions

There are multiple entry points for this trail. Just head to Jainzen and watch for Jainzenberg trail signs, then head upward! 

Hiking times and local transportation

It took me a little over and hour to get to the peak, longer when you count the waterfall and my ramble around the back of the hill (through farms and alongside forest). I walked back to Bad Ischl after my hike, but there may also be bus options (I did not look into it).

Dogs on trails

I didn’t have Luna with me, but as with most trails in Austria, this one seems to be dog-friendly. 

Is the trail crowded?

No. I did this hike on a Sunday in September and saw a handful of other hikers, but did not feel overcrowded.

What to bring

As always with hiking, wear good shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. There are no water fill-up stations along the way, so make sure you’re carrying enough water. 

All the photos above were taken with my Sony a6000.

Happy hiking!