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Today, 03.03.2026
Fog
Wind speed1,1 km/h
WAB - Stage 18: Waxeneckhaus - Markt Piesting
Hiking tour Starting from Waxeneck mountain hut
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Distance: 18,01 km
- Duration: 5:15 h
- Ascent: 592 m elevation gain
- Descent: 1014 m elevation gain
The 18th stage of the path along the Vienna Alpine Arc (WAB) leads through valleys in different facets. Coniferous forest at higher elevations, including atmospheric Biedermeier mixed forest and airy pine forest at the transition to the Vienna Woods.
- Starting point of the tour
- Waxeneck mountain hut
- Tour destination
- Markt Piesting, car park in the town centre near the information pavilion
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Distance: 18,01 km
- Duration: 5:15 h
- Ascent: 592 m elevation gain
- Descent: 1014 m elevation gain
- Fitness level required:5/6
- Overall experience:4/6
- Scenery:4/6
- Lowest point335 m
- Highest point959 m
Description
"Rustling forests, rugged rocks, murmuring streams and hidden paths" is how the land around Gutenstein is often described. The rustling forests accompany us continuously here, past the Steinwandklamm and the Türkenloch the view from the Hohe Mandling is the reward of this stage. Then it continues downhill back into the Piesting valley, where the Biedermeier culture is at home.
- Equipment Always bring suitable maps with you. Wear sturdy shoes adapted to the route, bring sun and rain protection as well as water and a snack. Take your mobile phone and save the mountain rescue emergency number: 140
- Route description The stage down into the Piesting valley initially leads us uphill along a private path and then follows the Vienna Alpine Arc gently descending to the Geyersattel. We hike steadily uphill along the wide forest path before descending a few meters to the small saddle near the Fozeben ski hut. On this path, the last wolf occurring in Lower Austria was killed in 1866. However, in recent years there have been increasing reports that wolves are slowly returning to Lower Austria.A steep forest path leads us through young forest up to the summit of the Hohe Mandling. The Berndorf hut, which burned down in 2007, was dismantled; a cross next to the rest area still remembers it. We follow path 231 in a southerly direction over the Knödelwiese meadow towards Markt Piesting. We descend steadily for about 1.5 km to a saddle, cross a forest road and follow the hiking trail to a rest area. Here, a yellow-marked path leads left to Berndorf, we go right on the red path downhill to a meadow with a hunting hut. We leave the forest road slightly left and continue hiking on the forest path. A few minutes later we encounter another forest road and follow the hiking trail alternating between paths and forest roads to a junction by a high-voltage line. Initially slightly uphill through dense forest, then downhill to the Red Cross with a view of Alkersdorf to the left.We hike past the water reservoir and continue walking through a pine forest. Passing the Vinzenz chapel and the Pecher educational trail we reach a car park. Here we cross the road, turn right, walk about 100 meters alongside the road until we turn left onto a marked hiking trail. The narrow path leads into a forest road and a little later into an asphalt road. We walk downhill past houses to the start and end point of the Piestingtal circular hiking trail. We go downhill along Talgasse to the chapel and turn right into Feldgasse. At the end of this lane we cross the tracks to the left, walk over the Piesting and arrive after two bends at the town hall of Markt Piesting.
- Parking Parking is available at the Waxeneck mountain hut.
- Getting there From Vienna on the A2, leave the motorway at the Leobersdorf exit, continue on the B18, then follow the Gutensteiner Straße and the signs to Waxeneck.From Graz on the A2, leave the motorway at the Wöllersdorf exit and drive towards Wr. Neustadt Nord. Continue on the Pottensteiner Straße and follow the signs to Waxeneck.
- Public transport The Waxeneck mountain hut is not directly accessible by public transport. It is recommended to combine this stage with the preceding stage Pernitz - Waxeneckhaus.For this, take the train via Wiener Neustadt to Pernitz-Muggendorf station.More information can be found at www.oebb.at
- Editor’s tip At the Waxeneck mountain hut you can stop and stay overnight.Between Waxeneck and Markt Piesting there are no catering options, so bring enough provisions and water.
Recommended period
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Current weather on site
1° to 10°
3° to 10°
Tomorrow, 04.03.2026
Light rain shower
Wind speed1,8 km/h
Also explore the connecting routes:
WAB - Stage 17: Pernitz - Waxeneckhaus
WAB - Stage 19: Markt Piesting - Bad Fischau
Vienna Alps in Lower Austria, www.wieneralpen.at, +43 / 2622 / 78960
Municipality of Pernitz, www.pernitz.at, +43 / 2632 / 72220
Municipality of Markt Piesting, www.piesting.at, +43 / 2633 / 422 41
Letzte Änderung: 25 Feb 2026