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Upper Austria Mariazell Way: C: 6th stage: Lackenhof - Mitterbach
Hiking tour Starting from Lackenhof
©Mostviertel - OÖ Mariazellerweg ©Mostviertel - OÖ Mariazellerweg ©Kathrin Haas ©Mostviertel - OÖ Mariazellerweg ©Mostviertel - OÖ Mariazellerweg ©Mostviertel - OÖ Mariazellerweg ©Mostviertel - OÖ Mariazellerweg ©Mostviertel - OÖ Mariazellerweg ©Mostviertel - OÖ Mariazellerweg ©Mostviertel - OÖ Mariazellerweg ©Mostviertel - OÖ Mariazellerweg
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Distance: 17,96 km
- Duration: 6:45 h
- Ascent: 740 m elevation gain
- Descent: 760 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: 740 m elevation gain
- Descent: 760 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
Description
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 Mariazeller Weg, which immediately leads us quite steeply up the slopes of the Ötscher. The name Ötscher was probably given due to its striking shape and comes from the Slavic language, meaning "father mountain". The 170 km² Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park, the largest nature park in Lower Austria, was created around the mountain in 1970. After an ascent of almost 500 meters, we reach the Riffelsattel and hike downhill from there towards the Ötschergräben. Shortly after the former Spielbichler inn, pilgrims are treated to a wonderful panorama of the Ötscher summit to the north and the foothills of the Ötschergräben to the south. Beautiful hiking trails take us to the Schleierfall, where the wonderful gorge hike through the Ötschergräben has its starting point. The landscape in the Ötschergräben is reminiscent of a Winnetou film - steep rock faces border the gorge on both sides, turquoise water makes its way through the limestone. We only leave the Ötschergräben again at the "Ötscherhias" inn and continue our hike in the direction of the Erlauf reservoir. Once again uphill, we pass a mill, make a short stop at a wooden chapel and arrive at the long Erlauf reservoir. A beautifully laid out nature trail leads us to Mitterbach, the end point of this tour.
- safety instructions Caution at the Erlauf reservoir: the bridge over which one could shortcut here is at risk of collapse!
- Equipment Sturdy footwear is an advantage on this stage.
- Route description From Lackenhof it becomes truly alpine. Almost 500 meters of elevation gain lead steeply uphill to the Riffelsattel (1,283 m). Mountain enthusiasts can also make a detour to the Ötscherschutzhaus (1,418 m) or stay overnight there. Those who want to walk through the Ötschergräben descend to the former guesthouse Spielbichler (927 m) and traverse it up to the Ötscherhias (681 m). From Lackenhof, this takes about 4.5 to 5 hours (variant via the Ötscherschutzhaus 5.5 to 6 hours). Then uphill to the Forsthaus Hagen (833 m) and directly along the Erlauf reservoir to Mitterbach (800 m), where the Via Sacra coming from Vienna is met (just under 2 hours from Ötscherhias to Mitterbach). Variant: From the Riffelsattel you can also reach Mariazell via Feldwiesalm, Eiserner Herrgott, Zellerrain, and Erlaufsee. Those in good condition can also descend from the summit of the Gemeindealpe (1,626 m) to Mitterbach (800 m).
- Parking Parking options in Lackenhof are for example at the fire brigade or at the lift station (Intersport Rent).
- Getting there Coming from Salzburg on the A1 to the Amstetten-Ost (108) exit, then drive via 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 bus MO1, then you get to Lackenhof with bus MO21.
- Editor’s tip In the Hulatsch pastry shop in Mitterbach there are excellent cakes and tortes.
Recommended period
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Mostviertel Tourismus GmbH
Töpperlschloss Neubruck, Neubruck 2/10, 3283 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 as enlargement 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 Mariazell Land and Ötscher, www.kral-verlag.at
Pilgrimage Routes, www.kral-verlag.at
Letzte Änderung: 16 Mar 2026