Alternative route Etappe 01 Hüttschlag – Großarltal – Bad Gastein

Up to the valley station of the Panoramabahn, follow the signposted original route: The start of this stage is located in the mountaineering village of Hüttschlag at the hiking starting point in the village centre. From there, you first ride along the road through the village up the valley (eastwards) until it joins the Großarl state road. Continue along this road for around 500 m to the Karteis district. From there, turn left towards the Karteis Chapel and then follow the gravel foot and cycle path along the Großarler Ache river to the car park at the end of the Hüttschlag valley. From here, turn left towards the Stockham farm and then continue straight ahead on a wide gravel road to the idyllic Ötzlsee, which lies deep in the far end of the Großarl Valley, in the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park.Ötzlsee is your turning point in the Großarl Valley, and you initially ride back to the starting point at the hiking car park in the mountaineering village of Hüttschlag. Passing the hiking car park, you ride downhill to the main road. Before the tunnel, cross the road and turn left onto a gravel cycle and footpath. This now follows the Großarler Ache river to the Tofernbauer farm. When you reach Zandlweg, take Griesbichlweg, climbing slightly on tarmac through a residential area before turning right again onto the cycle and footpath. Once you arrive in Hubdörfl, follow the gravel cycle and footpath until you reach the bridge next to the warehouse. Cross this bridge and continue along the road past the Schornlehen farm and on into the centre of Großarl. Once there, ride past the Rohrerwirt inn and the Dorfkind restaurant until you reach the junction in front of the Großarl municipal offices. Turn left here, ride to the roundabout and take the second exit towards Unterberg. After a few metres, you will reach the valley station of the Panoramabahn on the left-hand side. The route to the valley station is entirely flat or gently undulating and takes you through a quiet, natural environment.This is where the unmarked alternative route begins: from the valley station of the Panoramabahn Großarltal, continue along the asphalt road down the valley until it joins the Großarl state road behind the hamlet of Unterberg. For the next 13 km, follow the state road mostly downhill – depending on the time of day, you should expect lively and fairly fast traffic, so caution is advised. At the entrance to St. Johann, turn right onto Liechtensteinklammstraße, which leads towards the town centre. Immediately afterwards, make a sharp right turn onto a small road that then passes under the main road and continues southwards. About 150 m after the underpass, turn right between a playground and a football pitch and then immediately left: you are now on the Tauern Cycle Path and follow the signs along the Salzach river heading south and west to Schwarzach im Pongau. Here you cross the Salzach to the south. The Tauern Cycle Path now continues westwards south of, and slightly above, the Salzach until it reaches the large junction with Gasteiner Straße. You now leave the Tauern Cycle Path and turn left onto the Gastein Valley cycle path. You first ride through a long tunnel and then parallel to the federal road to Dorfgastein.Here you rejoin the original route: continue straight ahead (south) on the cycle path towards Bad Hofgastein. The section mostly follows asphalted side roads and cycle paths. Passing small villages and farms, the route is almost flat, with wide meadows on both sides. After the hamlets of Ober- and Unterladerding, leave the Gastein Valley cycle path and turn right onto the parallel cycle path via Haitzing (crossing the Gasteiner Ache river immediately). You pass through the hamlets of Wieden, Haitzing, the Weitmoser Schlössl and Hundsdorf (leaving Bad Hofgastein to the east). In the next hamlet, Anger, a moderate climb begins on a well-developed mountain road. You pass the former Angertal railway halt and shortly afterwards reach a junction, where you turn left and follow the mountain road towards Bad Gastein. At the end of the road, a short, steeper descent awaits – the only technically more demanding section. Afterwards, the route continues comfortably along the Erzherzog Johann Promenade until you reach the entrance to Bad Gastein and the main road. Continue briefly along the main road in the same direction to reach the tourist information office with the cycle starting point – your destination for today.Nevertheless, you should not miss a short detour to the Gastein Waterfall in the historic centre of Bad Gastein: turn left into Kaiser Franz-Josef-Straße before the tourist information office, cycle past the striking Belle Époque architecture so typical of Bad Gastein, and finally reach the famous Bad Gastein waterfall.

 

E-Bike charging stations along the stage:

Großarl Valley: No charging stations available

Gastein Valley: https://www.gastein.com/service/gastein-von-a-z/e-ladestationen/

 Please note the operating hours of the Panoramabahn Großarltal (it is not in operation every day). You can find up-to-date information here. If the cable car is not operating on your day, you can choose the alternative route via St. Johann im Pongau (see “Route description”).

www.nationalpark.bike

Ferienregion Nationalpark Hohe Tauern

Gerlosstraße 18, 5730 Mittersill, Österreich

Tel. +43 6562 40939  E-Mail: hohetauerntrail@nationalpark.at

Bookingcenter &  Info-Hotline Trail Angels GmbH

9821 Obervellach 15, Österreich

Tel. +43 4782 93093 E-Mail: info@bookyourtrail.com