Hiking Austria: Grünberg

Nestled in the Austrian Alps this September, we took the time to visit several of the massive lakes scattered throughout the region, including Traunsee, where you’ll find this pretty scenic hill overlooking the lake and the cities nestled against it.

The hike was well-marked and shady, mostly through forest and either over tree branches or along makeshift staircases in the dirt. Before and afterward, we strolled along the lakefront, where a promenade led into Gmunden where we grabbed a tram and then train back to Bad Ischl after a lovely day.

For those thinking of taking on this hike, here it is:

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

Hiking times and local transportation

The trail begins at the bottom station of the Grünberg cable car and is well marked. The signs say it takes about 1.5 hours one way and we found that to hold true (we made it a little faster). At the top, you can choose to hike back or take the cable car down (we did the latter). There’s also a treetop walk at the top with sweeping views and a cool circular view tower. Unfortunately, there is an entry fee and no dogs are allowed.

Dogs on trails

Luna was welcome on the trail, no problem (as is usual for Austria), but the special treetop walk at the top is not dog friendly.

Is the trail crowded?

No. The trail itself is reasonably quiet. In our 1.5 hours hiking, we passed just a few hikers (until we reached the top, which is accessible by gondola and much more crowded – expect the treetop walk to be popular). 

What to bring

The hike is uphill but not horribly steep. Still, you’ll want sturdy hiking shoes (I like Salomon women’s speedcross).

There are no water fill-up stations along the way, so bring plenty of water. 

For the dog, I also carry a small carrier backpack just in case. We used it on the gondola ride down (which is helpful because dogs not in carriers require a muzzle on transit in Austria, and I’d feel uncomfortable putting Luna in a muzzle).

All the photos above were taken with my Sony a6000.

Happy hiking!