Nockberge Trail: Hiking route stage 3 - NOTE: The Donnerschlucht is currently (status August 2024) closed due to storm damage. A detour has been established.

This stage begins immediately with a highlight: I hike along trail No. 4 eastwards along the beautiful Donnerschlucht up to the beginning of Schönfeld just before the Dr.-Josef-Mehrl-Hütte. To reach the start of the trail, I walk east past the Frühauf and Berghof hotels until a small road with trail marker No. 4 branches off to the left. Here I do not turn north into Schönfeld but choose the gravel road (trail No. 126) following the Kremsbach south; this then becomes a path and leads flat uphill through the very scenic valley floor of the Rosaninalm. Remarkable is the strongly meandering Kremsbach, whose highly winding stream bed results from the very slight gradient. A little later the trail moves away from the creek and the terrain gets steeper. Passing an ecologically valuable swamp area, I reach the silting-up Rosanin Lake at 2,057 m above sea level, which is circumnavigated to the southeast. From the lake, it goes in switchbacks up to the ridge of the northwestern spur of the Großer Königstuhl, where I meet trail No. 125. I follow this to the left up to the summit of the Großer Königstuhl (2,336 m), one of the best-known mountains of the Nockberge.

The next section of the trail particularly showcases the expanse of the Nockberge: from the Königstuhl I take trail No. 125 along the mountain ridge to the somewhat lower Karlnock. On the other side, I descend a few meters and now leave the ridge: I cross west below the Stangnock over the Stangboden to the Stangscharte. Then it continues over trail No. 123 (later No. 126) below the Gregerlnock over the Schneegrubensattel to the Pregatscharte. Now I cross over trail No. 126 north of the Simmerleck to a trail junction at 1,969 m above sea level. Here I choose trail No. 126 downhill to the Winkleralm, which first goes horizontally over the Schafalm and then after a short ascent over the Steinturrach downhill to the Turracherhöhe and the beautiful Turrachersee.

How demanding is the hike on the Nockberge Trail?

Easy to moderate. Technically, the Nockberge Trail is not very difficult. There are no secured or exposed sections that require complete freedom from dizziness. Even though you often move at altitudes up to 2,350 m and include many summits, there are no technical difficulties. A certain sure-footedness – the ability to move confidently and briskly in the terrain – is required.

Important prerequisites for a successful mountain tour, besides careful study of guides and maps, include optimal equipment. Basic equipment includes:

solid, well-fitting mountain or hiking boots with grippy soles water- and wind-resistant mountain clothing in layers, hiking poles sunglasses, sun protection mobile phone and hiking map a first aid kit  as well as enough to drink and a snack

Proper behavior in the mountains

Careful tour planning based on descriptions and hiking maps is essential for a successful mountain tour. Equally important is the correct evaluation of the mountain experience, fitness, sure-footedness, freedom from dizziness, and resilience of all participants. Never leave the marked hiking trails and avoid shortcuts. Inform yourself about the weather conditions before the hike and return to the valley in case of worsening weather. The mountains are there for everyone. Helping to preserve and keep them clean is the responsibility of every hiker. Take your rubbish back into the valley and protect the animal and plant life. Always keep dogs under control and on a short leash. If an attack by a grazing animal is foreseeable, immediately unchain the dog. Austrian farmers play an important role in preserving our alpine landscape. Visitors are asked to respectfully adapt to this beautiful landscape. Treat the people working here, nature, and animals with respect.

Here are the most important emergency numbers in case of an accident in Austria: 

140 Alpine emergency

144 Rescue emergency

112 European emergency number (possible from all networks. Turn off mobile phone and after turning it on dial “112” instead of the PIN)

From the north:

Motorway Munich-Salzburg, A10/Tauern Motorway (Tauern Tunnel) to the Rennweg exit. On the B99 to Kremsbrücke, turn left to Innerkrems

From the east:

Vienna, A2/South Motorway - Graz - Klagenfurt - Villach - Spittal/Drau - exit Gmünd - Kremsbrücke - Innerkrems or Vienna, A1/West Motorway to Salzburg and then as from the north

From the south:

Udine - Autostrada - Tarvisio - Villach - Spittal/Drau - exit Gmünd - Kremsbrücke - Innerkrems

Nockmobil

 As a feeder to public transport, the Nockmobil offers a green alternative to the car as an on-demand call taxi and allows us to flexibly get from stop to stop. We use the Nockmobil to get to the starting point of our hike (from stop number xx) and back again.

For booking a ride with the Nockmobil, we recommend calling about one hour in advance (in summer months the day before). Our ride can also be booked via the app.

Depending on the season and day of the week, different public transport options are available. For current information, please visit the following websites:

http://www.postbus.at/de

http://flug.kaernten.at   

http://www.oebb.at/de

 https://www.bahn.de

Comfortably and directly from the train station to your accommodation with the Carinthia train station shuttle:

https://www.bahnhofshuttle.at

Paid public parking garages and open parking spaces are available.

Further information about the Nockberge Trail can be found at the official trail booking center

at www.bookyourtrail.com.

Dining options along the route

www.innerkrems.at

www.turracherhoehe.at

Further information about the hiking area of the region is available at:

Region Millstätter See - Bad Kleinkirchheim - Nockberge

+43 (0) 4246-37444

info@mbn-tourismus.at

www.seeundberg.at/wandern

The UNESCO Biosphere Park Carinthian Nockberge

 Careful tour planning based on descriptions and hiking maps is essential for a successful mountain tour.

Equally important is the correct evaluation of the mountain experience, fitness, sure-footedness, freedom from dizziness, and resilience of all participants.

Never leave the marked hiking trails and avoid shortcuts.

Inform yourself about the weather conditions before the hike and return to the valley in case of worsening weather.

The mountains are there for everyone. Helping to preserve and keep them clean is the responsibility of every hiker. Take your rubbish back into the valley and protect the animal and plant life.

Always keep dogs under control and on a short leash. If an attack by a grazing animal is foreseeable, immediately unchain the dog.

Austrian farmers play an important role in preserving our alpine landscape. Visitors are asked to respectfully adapt to this beautiful landscape.

Further information about the UNESCO Biosphere Park Carinthian Nockberge is available

at: www.biosphaerenparknockberge.at