Upper Austria Mariazell Trail: B: 6th stage: Lackenhof - Mitterbach

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 17,96 km
Duration: 6:45 h
Ascent: 707 m elevation gain
Descent: 955 m elevation gain

Fantastic pilgrimage route through the fascinating Ötschergräben and the wild landscape of the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park between Lackenhof and Mitterbach.

Starting point of the tour: Lackenhof
Tour destination: Mitterbach

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 17,96 km
Duration: 6:45 h
Ascent: 707 m elevation gain
Descent: 955 m elevation gain

Fitness level required:
4/6
Overall experience:
6/6
Scenery:
6/6

Lowest point691 m
Highest point1286 m

Stage tour
Nice views
With refreshment stops

Downloads

gpx_addressbase_16148
(GPX)

Fantastic pilgrimage route through the fascinating Ötschergräben and the wild landscape of the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park between Lackenhof and Mitterbach.

The penultimate stage of the Mariazell Pilgrimage Trail starts in the village of Lackenhof, home to three hundred people, below the highest mountain in the Mostviertel region, the Ötscher (1893m). From the listed church built on a hill, we hike in a south-easterly direction along the signposted Mariazell trail, which immediately leads us quite steeply up the slopes of the Ötscher. After almost 500 meters of ascent, we reach the Riffelsattel and hike downhill from there towards the Ötschergräben. Beautiful hiking trails take us to the Schleierfall, where the wonderful gorge hike through the Ötschergräben starts. The landscape in the Ötschergräben is reminiscent of a Winnetou film. We only leave the Ötschergräben again at the "Ötscherhias" snack station and continue our hike in the direction of the Erlauf reservoir. A beautifully laid out nature trail leads us to Mitterbach, the end point of this tour.

safety instructions
Attention at the Erlauf reservoir, the bridge you could shorten here is at risk of collapse!
Equipment
Sturdy footwear is advantageous on this stage.
Route description
From Lackenhof it becomes truly alpine. It goes steeply uphill almost 500 meters in altitude to the Riffelsattel (1,283 m). Mountain enthusiasts can make a detour to the Ötscherschutzhaus (1,418 m) or even stay overnight there. Those who want to hike through the Ötschergräben descend to the former guesthouse Spielbichler (927 m) and walk through it to the Ötscherhias (681 m). From Lackenhof to here it takes about 4.5 to 5 hours (variant via Ötscherschutzhaus 5.5 to 6 hours). Now uphill to the Forsthaus Hagen (833 m) and directly along the Erlauf reservoir to Mitterbach (800 m), where you meet the Via Sacra coming from Vienna (just under 2 hours from Ötscherhias to Mitterbach).
Variant: From Riffelsattel you can also reach Mariazell via Feldwiesalm, the Iron Herrgott, Zellerrain and Erlaufsee. Those in good shape can also descend here over the summit of Gemeindealpe (1,626 m) to Mitterbach (800 m).
Parking
Parking available in Weitental near the valley station of Gr. Ötscher.
Getting there
Coming from Salzburg on the A1 to the Amstetten-Ost (108) exit, then drive on L97 to Steinakirchen am Forst. Via Purgstall an der Erlauf and Scheibbs you reach Lackenhof am Ötscher.
Public transport
By train you can get from Amstetten to Waidhofen/Ybbs. From Waidhofen to Lunz am See you can take the buses of the VOR line.
Editor’s tip
In the Hulatsch confectionery in Mitterbach there are excellent cakes and tortes.

Recommended period

Mostviertel Tourismus GmbH
Töpper Schloss Neubruck, Neubruck 2/10, 3270 Scheibbs
T +43/7482/20 444
info@mostviertel.at , www.mostviertel.at

TVB Mariazeller Land

Hauptplatz 13, 8630 Mariazell

Tel.: +43 (0)3882/23 66

Upper Austria Tourism Information

Freistädter Straße 119, 4041 Linz

info@oberoesterreich.at

www.wandern.at

Useful maps:

ÖK 4319 Linz, ÖK 4320 Perg, ÖK 4326 Steyr,

ÖK 4202 Ternberg, ÖK 4203 Waidhofen,

ÖK 4203 Ybbsitz, ÖK 4204 Lunz, ÖK 4210 Mariazell

All at scale 1:50,000 (also available enlarged 1:25,000)

F&B hiking maps 261 (1:50,000), 051 (1:50,000),

052 (1:50,000), 5031 (1:35,000)

Kompass 22 (Mariazell, Ötscher, Erlauftal, 1:25:000),

Kompass 212 (Hochschwab, Mariazell, Eisenwurzen, 1:50,000),

Kompass 202 (Around Linz, Mühlviertel, Wels, Steyr, 1:50,000)

Important phone numbers:

Alpine emergency call: 140, International emergency call: 112

Recommended literature:

Pilgrimage routes to Mariazell – Volume West + South, www.styriabooks.at

Hiking experience Mariazeller Land and Ötscher, www.kral-verlag.at

Pilgrimage routes, www.kral-verlag.at

Letzte Änderung: 16 Mar 2026