The 6 Best Hikes in Austria in 2026

By Best:in Editorial Team · Updated September 2026

For September 2026, Austria's strongest hikes span the 426 km, 33-stage Adlerweg in Tyrol, the 95 km Glockner Trail circuit in the Hohe Tauern, the 128 km Nockberge Trail in Carinthia, the 160 km Dachstein Rundwanderweg, and two accessible Lower Austria day hikes, Rax and Peilstein, both reachable from Vienna in under two hours.

The 6 Best Hikes in Austria in 2026, ranked

1.

Adlerweg

Tyrol's flagship long-distance trail runs 426 km over 33 stages with more than 30,000 m of altitude gain, crossing five mountain ranges from St. Johann in Tirol to St. Anton am Arlberg. About 75 mountain huts support overnight stages, and the East Tyrol extension brings the route within sight of the Grossglockner.

Best for: Multi-week alpine trekking

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2.

Glockner Trail

This 95 km, 7-stage circuit rings Austria's highest peak inside the Hohe Tauern National Park without requiring glacier travel or roped climbing. Daily stages can gain up to 3,000 m and take up to 8 hours, and the route can start from five different valley towns, making it flexible for shorter or longer itineraries.

Best for: High alpine circuit without technical climbing

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3.

Nockberge Trail

Set inside a UNESCO biosphere reserve, this 128 km, 8-stage route between Katschberg and Lake Millstatt gains about 6,500 m cumulatively over rounded, non-technical summits topping out at 2,336 m. Its gentler terrain and thermal spa stops make it a softer alternative to glaciated Alpine treks.

Best for: Biosphere reserve trekking with spa stops

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4.

Dachstein Rundwanderweg

Looping 160 km over 8 stages through Styria, Upper Austria and Salzburg, this trail circles the Dachstein massif within the 1997-listed Hallstatt Dachstein Salzkammergut UNESCO World Heritage region. It links alpine pastures, huts and lakes, though high sections still demand mountain experience and surefootedness.

Best for: UNESCO World Heritage multi-day loop

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5.

Rax

4.8 / 5 out of 303 Google Maps reviews

Reached by Austria's first cableway, opened in 1926, this 2,007 m plateau in the Vienna Alps offers hut-to-hop routes past the Ottohaus and its 200-species alpine garden without a multi-day commitment. Winter snowshoe trails extend its season beyond the typical summer hiking window.

Best for: Hut-hopping day trip from Vienna

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6.

Peilstein

4.8 / 5 out of 66 Google Maps reviews

A 716 m limestone peak in the southern Vienna Woods, Peilstein pairs a 6 km family adventure trail with climbing-education stations against a 1923-built summit hut and a working climbing garden on its west face. It is among the shortest and easiest entries here, best suited to a half-day outing.

Visitor note (Google Maps) "From the Peilsteinhaus to the summit cross it's only a 2-minute walk."

Best for: Easiest family day hike near Vienna

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What makes a hike one of the best in Austria for 2026?

Editorial ranking here weighs trail scale, technical difficulty, hut infrastructure and regional variety rather than subjective scenery alone. Austria's longest waymarked route, the Adlerweg, covers 426 km across 33 stages and over 30,000 m of altitude gain, while a short family loop like the Peilstein Adventure Trail runs about 6 km with 310 m of elevation gain. That range lets the list cover multi-week treks and half-day outings side by side.

Season also matters for a 2026 plan. Most high alpine stages, including those on the Glockner Trail and the Dachstein Rundwanderweg, are recommended only from June to September, when mountain huts are staffed and snow has cleared from the passes. Lower-altitude days near Vienna, such as Rax and Peilstein, stay accessible for a longer window and even offer winter snowshoe options.

How long is the Adlerweg, Tyrol's cross-country trail?

The Adlerweg's main route runs 326 km over 24 stages with roughly 23,000 m of ascent, tracing Tyrol from St. Johann in Tirol to St. Anton am Arlberg. Hikers who add the East Tyrol extension, 9 further stages covering 93 km and about 8,000 m of climbing from Stroeden to the Lucknerhaus below the Grossglockner, complete the full 33-stage, 426 km version with over 30,000 m of total altitude gain.

The trail's highest point, the Gradoetzscharte at 2,848 m, falls on stage 7, and roughly 75 mountain huts are spaced along the route for overnight stops. June through September is cited as the best hiking window for 2026.

What is the Glockner Trail circuit around Austria's highest peak?

The Glockner Trail is a 95 km, 7-stage hut-to-hut circuit inside the Hohe Tauern National Park, looping around the Grossglockner massif through Carinthia, Salzburg and Tyrol. Stages can start or finish at five valley towns, Uttendorf, Kals, Heiligenblut, Fusch or Kaprun, and daily walking averages up to 8 hours with as much as 3,000 m of altitude change in a single day.

Unlike the technical normal route to the 3,798 m Grossglockner summit, the circuit avoids glacier crossings and roped rock climbing, though it still runs through high alpine terrain that demands fitness and surefootedness.

How challenging is the Nockberge Trail in Carinthia?

The Nockberge Trail crosses the UNESCO Carinthian Nockberge Biosphere Reserve over 128 km in 8 stages, starting near Katschberghoehe at about 1,640 m and finishing at Seeboden on Lake Millstatt at around 590 m. Total elevation gain reaches roughly 6,500 m, and the route's highest point sits at 2,336 m, on the border triangle of Salzburg, Styria and Carinthia.

There are no technically difficult climbing passages on the way, but the cumulative ascent makes it a demanding multi-day trek. Early June to early October 2026 is the recommended window, once alpine huts and accommodation along the route are open.

Which day hikes near Vienna make the cut in Lower Austria?

Rax is a 2,007 m limestone plateau in the Vienna Alps reached by a historic cable car, Austria's first, which opened in 1926 and covers the ascent in about 8 minutes. From the summit station, hikers can hut-hop between stops such as the Ottohaus, home to an alpine garden of roughly 200 plant species, and in winter the plateau offers dedicated snowshoe routes.

Peilstein, a 716 m limestone peak in the southern Vienna Woods, suits families via its Erlebnisweg adventure trail, a themed 6 km loop with about 310 m of elevation gain and climbing-education stations. Its summit hut, the Peilsteinhaus, was built by the Austrian Alpine Club in 1923, and the exposed west-facing cliffs remain a popular climbing garden.

When should hikers plan a 2026 trip on these trails?

High alpine sections on the Adlerweg, Glockner Trail and Dachstein Rundwanderweg cluster their recommended season between June and September 2026, matching typical Austrian Alpine Association hut opening dates. The Nockberge Trail extends slightly later, into early October, since its highest point of 2,336 m is lower than the glaciated peaks further west.

Lower Austria's Rax and Peilstein are workable for a longer stretch of the year, given their lower elevations of 2,007 m and 716 m respectively, and Rax adds a winter snowshoe option once the summer trail season ends. Booking huts early is advisable for July and August, the peak weeks across all five alpine routes.

How is this ranking computed?

  • Trail length and multi-day scope: 25%
  • Elevation gain and technical difficulty: 20%
  • Regional and scenic variety: 20%
  • Hut infrastructure and waymarking: 20%
  • Accessibility and season length: 15%

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