Johannesbachklamm Würflach

Description

The 60 m deep Johannesbachklamm, starting at the western edge of the town of Würflach, runs through Wetterstein limestone between the "Eichberg" in the north and the "Dürenberg" in the south. It took many millions of years for water to carve through the limestone and leave deep incisions – traces of this process can still be found high above the stream bed on the rock walls in the form of niches ("Kolken") and bowl-shaped depressions, the so-called "mills".

The pine forests of the Eichberg were used for resin extraction until the 1960s. The "resin huts" at the gorge exit and on the eastern edge of Würflach bear witness to this former livelihood of the inhabitants.
Opened up by the nature friends, the Johannesbachklamm was made accessible to visitors in 1902 by secured paths. Wide steps and wooden bridges repeatedly span the ravines. The moist gorge walls and shady forests offer hikers a welcome cool-down, especially on hot summer days.

The fauna of the gorge is varied: you can find various species of lizards, fire salamanders, grass snakes, dragonflies, butterflies, and in the water of the Johannesbach crayfish and trout. Special plants grow in the forests such as ferns, cyclamen, checkered lilies, and the rare orchids called the lady’s tresses.

Further information:

Municipality of Würflach www.wuerflach.at ; gemeinde@wuerflach.at; +43 2620 2410

Vienna Alps in Lower Austria, www.wieneralpen.at, +43 / 2622 / 78960