Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail

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Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail: Austria’s Lake-to-Lake Loop

Published 17 July 2025 Updated 5 June 2026

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Ranked #259 of 974

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HikeList Score

Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail scored 84/100 on HikeList's trail-quality metrics.

Great Hike

See score breakdownHide breakdown

Ideal length 70
Balanced challenge 84
Scenery & wildness 88
Varied terrain 94
Accommodation 83
Food & support 88
Path quality 98
Season flexibility 76

Computed from length, challenge, scenery & wildness, terrain variety, accommodation, food & support, path quality and season flexibility.

The Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail is a 374 km waymarked loop through the Salzkammergut lake district of Austria, starting and finishing in Gmunden on Lake Traunsee. The classic route takes 23 days and links 35 lakes across Upper Austria, Salzburg and Styria. Although many individual stages are easy to moderate, the full loop is hard: expect about 14,135 m of ascent, long cumulative days, lake paths, forest tracks, alpine pastures and higher mountain sections. It suits fit hikers planning a three- to four-week thru-hike or a section-by-section trip.

Route Overview

This is a circular trail, not a point-to-point route to Bad Aussee. Stage 1 leaves Gmunden on Traunsee and the final classic stage returns from Grünau im Almtal over the Grünberg to Gmunden. The loop moves lake to lake via Attersee, Wolfgangsee, Mondsee, Fuschlsee, Bad Ischl, Gosau, Hallstatt and the Hallstättersee, Bad Aussee, Bad Mitterndorf, Tauplitzalm, Grundlsee and the Almtal. Bad Aussee sits roughly mid-route, around stage 13. Boats, local trains and buses can shorten or connect stages, making section hikes practical. If you want a shorter lake-focused option nearby, compare the Attersee Circular Trail; for higher Dachstein terrain, see the Dachstein Rundwanderweg.

History of the BergeSeen Trail and Salzkammergut

The BergeSeen Trail opened in May 2017 as the first long-distance hiking trail in the Salzkammergut. It was created by linking and signposting existing paths into one branded loop, with work by regional tourism associations, Salzkammergut Tourismus Marketing GmbH, the Austrian Alpine Association and Naturfreunde Salzkammergut. The wider region has a long salt-mining history, especially around Hallstatt, and Bad Ischl became closely associated with the Habsburg imperial summer retreat in the 19th century.

Notable highlights

Hallstatt and the Hallstättersee: A UNESCO World Heritage lakeside village known for its salt-mining heritage and classic views across the lake towards the Dachstein. The trail reaches this area around stages 12–13.
Gmunden and Lake Traunsee: The official start and finish on the Salzkammergut’s largest lake, with Schloss Ort on a small island and the final-stage crossing of the Grünberg above town.
Wolfgangsee and St. Wolfgang: A mountain-ringed lake and pilgrimage town, with views towards the Schafberg. It is one of the classic named lake stages on the loop.
Bad Ischl: A cultural waypoint roughly mid-route, known as the former imperial summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph I and home to the Kaiservilla.
Tote Gebirge and Tauplitzalm: The wilder high-alpine heart of the route in Styria, crossing karst terrain and the Tauplitzalm lake plateau. Stage 15 crosses the Tauplitz at about 1,630 m.
The 35 lakes: The route’s defining feature is its chain of lakes, including Traunsee, Attersee, Mondsee, Wolfgangsee, Fuschlsee, Hallstättersee and Grundlsee, plus smaller mountain tarns.

Challenges to expect

The main challenge is scale: 374 km, 23 stages and about 14,135 m of ascent. The classic route is continuously waymarked and generally easy to moderate underfoot, but the complete loop is still a serious multi-week hike. Expect forest, lakeside paths, gravel, rocky trail and alpine pasture. High sections around the Tote Gebirge and Tauplitz need a snow-free window; alpine variants demand sure-footedness, fitness, a head for heights and experience. For another demanding Austrian thru-hike, compare the Eagle Walk (Adlerweg).

259

Ranked #259 of 974

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