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Michelbach Höhenweg 1st stage
Hiking tour Starting from
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Distance: 6,15 km
- Ascent: 151 m elevation gain
- Descent: 216 m elevation gain
"The whole thing is an immense garden" says the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal about the Wiesenwienerwald forest. Many generations of forest farmers have created a harmonious cultural landscape here, adapted to nature. Individual farmsteads with their orchards, small villages in gentle valleys and small structured pastures, fields and meadows divided by groups of trees and hedges characterize this landscape. Species-rich, sparse mixed forests blend into this harmony. The Michelbacher Höhenweg trail leads us through this "garden" and allows us to experience the Wiesenwienerwald forest with all our senses.
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Distance: 6,15 km
- Ascent: 151 m elevation gain
- Descent: 216 m elevation gain
- Fitness level required:3/6
- Overall experience:6/6
- Scenery:6/6
- Lowest point553 m
- Highest point771 m
- Round tour
- Stage tour
- Nice views
- With refreshment stops
"The whole thing is an immense garden" says the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal about the Wiesenwienerwald forest. Many generations of forest farmers have created a harmonious cultural landscape here, adapted to nature. Individual farmsteads with their orchards, small villages in gentle valleys and small structured pastures, fields and meadows divided by groups of trees and hedges characterize this landscape. Species-rich, sparse mixed forests blend into this harmony. The Michelbacher Höhenweg trail leads us through this "garden" and allows us to experience the Wiesenwienerwald forest with all our senses.
The first section of the Michelbacher Höhenweg starts at the Gasthof zum Kreuzwirt. Through a shady, fresh mixed beech forest, we reach the saddle between Gföhlberg and Kasberg. The following ridge hike on the south side of the Pichlforst provides us with magnificent panoramas and distant views of the Gölsental valley and the foothills of the Alps, Schneeberg and Ötscher. The uplifting panorama from the high meadow at the Sonnleiten estate over the Wiesenwienerwald forest must be experienced. The vastness and warmth ends abruptly when we enter the dark, damp Pichlforst forest at the idyllically situated Hinteregger chapel. But we discover a variety of herbs, fresh greenery, ferns and picturesque mossy trees. The poisonous deadly nightshade and the equally toxic, seductively fragrant daphne with its enchanting flowers find good conditions and refuge here (watch out with children!). The path through the lush slope is adventurous - before we return to open terrain and soon reach our stage destination, the Grubbauer estate on the Durlas.
Normal hiking equipment
The first stage of the Michelbach Höhenweg starts at the Gasthof zum Kreuzwirt at Stollberg. Heading towards Laaben, we follow the country road up to the Stollberg estate; at the following “Schlosskurve,” feared for its drifts, our path branches off to the right and we march straight uphill to the saddle between Gföhlberg and Kasberg. On reaching the Gföhlberg saddle, we leave the gravel road at the start of the hairpin turn to the right in a westerly direction and follow the meadow path slightly uphill. With a beautiful view down into the Bernau, we proceed along the charming path to “Sonnleiten.” A short climb to the hunting stand on the high meadow here is a must on this route with good long-distance visibility. Our path, however, continues straight ahead, always following the ridge; we walk past the Reisenegg farmstead to a rise featuring a beautiful service tree as a hedge tree. A look back shows us the forested peaks of Kasberg, Schöpfl, and Gföhlberg. The path leads to the icon-rich Hinteregger Chapel, which invites a short rest before we descend into the dark Pichlforst. To the right of the chapel, a forest road leads us back into the woods for a bit; after about 100 m, we quickly turn left downhill, arriving on a forest road which we cross, descending pathlessly through the forest to the next forest road. We keep left, heading west, and march along the forest road, which gradually becomes a footpath; at the next two forks, always turn right and downhill. After crossing a ditch, we again reach an improved forest road; here we hike downhill to the right. After a forest or hunting hut, the woods open, and we arrive at the Grubbauer estate at Durlas – the destination point of the second section.
Westautobahn A1, exit Böheimkirchen (Exit 48), about 11 km to Michelbach, 6 km to Stollberg or Westautobahn A1, exit Altlengbach (Exit 35), roundabout towards Hainfeld into Laabental L119 to the glassworks in Klamm, right uphill to Stollberg
Recommended period
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Market municipality Michelbach
3074 Michelbach, Markt 7
Tel. 02744/8220
gemeinde@michelbach.gv.at
www.michelbach.gv.at
Schutzhaus Hegerberg
Johann Enzinger House
Am Hegerberg
3072 Kasten
Tel. 02744 / 5652
Open all year, no day off, guest rooms
Kloster Hochstraße
3073 Stössing, Hochstraße 7
Tel. 02744 / 53 65-0
Guided tours in the historic cheese dairy by prior appointment
Gasthof zum Kreuzwirt
Family Rapold
3053 Laaben, Stollberg 22
Tel. 02744/8295
Closed Wednesday and Thursday
Overnight accommodation in simple rooms for 2 x 2 persons possible
Kukubauer Hut
Tenant Walter Raab
Tel. 0664 / 4222041
Open Wednesday to Sunday between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Only on weekends from November to March
Overnight accommodation possible on request
Elsbeer Association
Mayerhöfen 1
Tel. 02744 / 8256
Norbert@ElsbeerReich.at
www.ElsbeerReich.at
Nah & Frisch Heidemarie Schagerl
3074 Michelbach, Markt 40
Tel. 02744 / 21083
Email: heidi.schagerl@a1.net
Weekend opening hours: Sat 7:00 - 13:15, Sun 8:00 - 13:00
Letzte Änderung: 20 May 2026