Hohe Tauern National Park: hiking from Salzburg

Austria’s wild heart, accessible from Salzburg

The Hohe Tauern National Park contains the largest remaining wilderness in the Alps. At 1856 km², it spans three provinces and holds 246 peaks over 3000m, over 350 glaciers, and some of the most important wildlife habitats in Central Europe. This is not manicured Alpine scenery designed around tourist infrastructure — it is genuinely large, genuinely remote in parts, and genuinely wild.

For visitors based in Salzburg, the park’s nearest entry points are 1h15-1h45 by car. The key sections accessible as day trips: the Grossglockner High Alpine Road for the high-altitude drive and glacier viewing, Krimml for Europe’s highest waterfalls, and the Zell am See/Kaprun area for the Kitzsteinhorn glacier and reservoir landscapes.

This guide covers the park overview, the best day-hike options, practical access from Salzburg, and what to realistically expect from a one-day visit.

Understanding the park’s geography

Hohe Tauern stretches approximately 100km east-west along the central ridge of the Alps, divided into a northern and southern zone by the Tauern main ridge. The Grossglockner (3798m), Austria’s highest peak, sits near the western end. The Krimml waterfalls drain the western glaciers. The Zell am See basin sits on the park’s northern edge.

From Salzburg, you approach the park from the north. The A10 motorway provides the main access corridor, with exits toward:

• Bruck/Zell am See — for the Grossglockner road (turn south on the B107) or the Zell am See basin
• Kaprun — for the Kitzsteinhorn glacier and Kaprun reservoir
• Mittersill — for the Felbertauern tunnel and access to the park interior
• Krimml — via the Pinzgauer Strasse (B165) from Zell am See

Best day hikes accessible from Salzburg

1. Gamsgrubenweg — glacier path at 2470m

The best non-technical hike directly beside a major glacier, accessible by car via the Grossglockner road (toll applies). From the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe station at 2369m, the Gamsgrubenweg path traverses the mountain face at approximately 2470m with direct views across the Pasterze glacier — Austria’s longest glacier at 7.8km, though retreating significantly.

The path is approximately 3km one-way (return the same route) and takes 1.5-2 hours each way. The views across the glacier to the Grossglockner summit (3798m) are the finest in the park for visitors on foot. No special equipment required, but good footwear essential — the path is rocky and exposed.

Access: Via Grossglockner High Alpine Road (toll 38€/car), open May-October. Park at Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe. Shuttle buses run from the main parking area to the trailhead.

2. Pinzgauer Spaziergang — panoramic ridge walk above Zell am See

The Pinzgauer Spaziergang is one of the classic ridge walks in the Salzburg Alps — a path traversing the ridge above Zell am See and the Saalach Valley with continuous panoramic views. The full route is approximately 25km (one-way, 8-10 hours), but sections make excellent half-day excursions from the lift top stations above Saalbach or Zell am See.

The views from the ridge encompass the Kitzsteinhorn, the Grossglockner group, the Steinernes Meer limestone plateau and the Berchtesgaden Alps. This is a higher-effort hike suited to fit walkers — the ridge section involves some exposure and requires appropriate footwear and clothing.

Access: Cable cars from Zell am See (Schmittenhöhenbahn) or Saalbach (multiple lifts) to the ridge. Self-supported car or taxi required for the one-way route.

3. Krimml waterfall trail — the most accessible park hike

The Wasserfallweg at Krimml is the easiest full-day hike in the park accessible as a return day trip from Salzburg. The path follows the Ache river upstream through the spray zone of all three waterfall stages (380m total drop), taking approximately 1.5 hours up and 1 hour return.

The trail is well-maintained and suitable for families with older children. The lower viewpoints are accessible with a pram; the upper sections require reasonable fitness. Waterproof layer recommended — the spray is significant, especially in May-June at peak snowmelt.

Full details in the Krimml waterfalls guide.

Access: 1h45 from Salzburg by car via A10 and B165 Pinzgauer Strasse. Car park at Krimml approximately 5€.

4. Kaprun reservoir — engineering and alpine scenery

The Kaprun Hochgebirgsstauseen (high mountain reservoir lakes) at 2040m combine a remarkable feat of mid-20th-century engineering with genuine high-alpine landscape. The dams themselves — Mooserboden and Wasserfallboden — are accessible via a combination of electric bus and funicular from Kaprun village, and the dam walkway between the two lakes provides easy flat walking at high altitude with exceptional views.

Hiking trails continue above the reservoir into Hohe Tauern National Park proper. The GlocknerRunde trail circuit is a multi-day route; day extensions from the reservoir reach mountain huts above 2500m.

Full details: Kitzsteinhorn glacier guide includes the Kaprun reservoir access.

Wildlife in Hohe Tauern

The park supports a range of alpine wildlife that you can genuinely expect to see with moderate effort:

Marmots (Murmeltier): The most reliably visible animal in the park. Marmots live in colonies on grassy slopes above the treeline (typically 1800-2600m) and are easily spotted near the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe and the Kitzsteinhorn upper stations. They are most active in the morning hours. The whistle alarm call (actually quite loud) alerts their colony to danger.

Ibex (Steinbock): The reintroduced population is healthy in Hohe Tauern. Ibex are found on rocky terrain above 2000m. The Grossglockner area and the ridge above Kaprun are reliable locations in summer. They are larger than they appear in photographs — adult males weigh 80-100kg and have horns up to 1m long.

Chamois (Gämse): More numerous than ibex and found across the park. Often seen in small groups on mountain slopes in the early morning. More skittish than ibex.

Golden eagles (Steinadler): Present throughout the park. Most visible on thermal currents above ridges in midday. Patience required — scanning cliff faces and thermals with binoculars for 20 minutes often reveals circling eagles.

Bearded vulture (Bartgeier): Reintroduced in the 1980s. The Hohe Tauern population is now self-sustaining. Distinctive silhouette (narrow, pointed wings) differs from eagle. Rare but increasingly seen.

Practical planning

Car access is essential

Unlike the Salzkammergut lakes (where some bus services exist) or Salzburg city attractions, Hohe Tauern is genuinely difficult without a car. The main hiking trailheads are 15-30 minutes by car from the nearest town. Public buses exist between valley towns but do not serve most trailheads.

The Salzburg with or without car guide covers rental options. For the Hohe Tauern, a car for at least one day is the difference between accessing the park or seeing it from the motorway.

What to wear and bring

For any hike above 2000m in the Alps:

• Sturdy boots with ankle support (not trail runners for rocky terrain)
• Wind and rain jacket (mountain weather changes within minutes)
• Sun protection — UV radiation at altitude is severe; SPF 50 and sunglasses mandatory
• Water (1-2 litres for a half-day hike)
• Food — mountain huts (Almhütte/Schutzhaus) are present on major routes but not everywhere
• Navigation — paper map or offline GPS (mobile signal is unreliable above 2000m)

Weather in the high Alps is fastest-changing in the Alps. A clear morning can become a thunderstorm by 14:00 in summer. The general rule: be off exposed ridges by noon in July and August.

Mountain huts

The national park has an extensive network of Schutzhütten (mountain huts) on major trails, run by the Austrian Alpine Club (ÖAV). Most serve hot food and drinks and many offer overnight accommodation (bring sleeping bag liner). DAV/ÖAV membership provides significant discounts on overnight stays.

Key huts accessible on day trips from Salzburg:

• Glocknerhaus (2132m, above Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe): accessible by foot from the Grossglockner road
• Rudolfshütte (2311m, above Uttendorf): base for routes toward the Weißsee glacier
• Enzingerboden (1480m, above Uttendorf): lower entry point for the Rudolfshütte area

The honest picture on glacier retreat

Every glacier in Hohe Tauern is retreating. The Pasterze — Austria’s largest, visible from the Grossglockner road — has lost approximately 3km of length over the past century and continues to retreat at 20-30 metres per year. The Kitzsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun has lost roughly 30% of its mass since records began.

This changes the hiking experience in ways worth acknowledging:

• The Gamsgrubenweg path alongside the Pasterze passes moraine markers dated 1950, 1970, 1990, 2010 — each marking where the glacier stood. The exposed rock and debris between each date marker shows decades of retreat in a single glance.
• Summer glacier skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn has reduced in area as the ice contracts.
• Alpine lakes are appearing where glacier ice melted — new Gletscherseen that did not exist 30 years ago.

None of this makes the park less worth visiting — it makes it more urgent. The Hohe Tauern glaciers are still impressive, still skiiable, still worth seeing. But the honest advice is to visit sooner rather than later. The alpine landscapes here will look different in 20 years. Visit the Gamsgrubenweg, stand beside the Pasterze, and read the moraine markers. It is one of the few places in Europe where climate change is visible, dated, and scaled in a way that the human eye can comprehend.

Combining park entry points into a circuit

The three main entry points from Salzburg — Grossglockner, Krimml, and Zell am See/Kaprun — form a natural circuit through the northern edge of the park. A 3-day Hohe Tauern circuit from Salzburg:

Day 1: Grossglockner road Drive to the Grossglockner toll road from Salzburg (1h30 to the gate). Full day on the road including the Edelweissspitze (2571m), Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe, and the Gamsgrubenweg walk. Return to Salzburg or overnight in the Zell am See area.

Day 2: Zell am See and Kitzsteinhorn Drive to Kaprun (1h15 from Salzburg or 20 minutes from Zell am See). Morning on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier cable car (3029m). Afternoon at Zell am See lake. Option to add the Kaprun reservoir system for a full Kaprun valley day.

Day 3: Krimml waterfalls Drive west from Zell am See on the B165 to Krimml (45 minutes). Full morning on the Wasserfallweg waterfall trail (3 hours return). Drive back to Salzburg in the afternoon (1h45 total).

This structure covers the park’s three main zones without feeling rushed and provides genuine variety: an alpine toll road, a glacier cable car, and a free waterfall hike. See the 5-day lakes and mountains itinerary for a full version with lake days added.

Multi-day hiking options

A single day in Hohe Tauern scratches the surface. For visitors staying in Salzburg for a week or combining with a regional road trip, multi-day options:

GlocknerRunde: A 7-day circuit around the Grossglockner group, crossing from Salzburg province into Carinthia and back. Mountain huts available throughout. One of the classic long-distance routes in the Eastern Alps.

Salzburger Almenweg: A lower-level route through Alpine meadows (Almen) across the Salzburg Alps — less technical than the Hohe Tauern high routes, but covering significant distance with accommodation in Alpine dairies.

Kaprun-Grossglockner traverse: 3-4 days from Kaprun to the Grossglockner group via mountain huts. Suitable for experienced hikers. Guides available.

For multi-day trips based in the park, Zell am See is the best practical base — good hotel infrastructure, central location, and access to the Kitzsteinhorn cable car for adjusting to altitude before higher routes.

See the Salzburg lakes and mountains 5-day itinerary for a structured trip incorporating both the park and the city.

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