Wilderness Trail Beech Trail (Reichraminger Hintergebirge)

The Kalkalpen National Park is the largest beech forest protection area in the Alps and was designated as Austria's first UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in 2017. On the hike along the Beech Trail, you experience up close the return of wilderness in the National Park Kalkalpen. The special feature along the path are the near-natural beech forests, of which there are only a few remnants left in Europe. On the "Wilderness Trail Beech Trail," you always walk gently uphill and downhill, leisurely following the stream course in two stages over the Wilder Graben further to the Klaushütte, which invites you to rest. The return is via the same path or on the gravel road (Hintergebirgs-Radweg), which runs on the opposite stream side.

Stage 1: To Wilder Graben (approx. 1 hour)

Immediately after the barrier at the Anzenbach parking lot, the trail begins to the left in a large loop towards the Hintergebirge. Right at the start, we immerse ourselves in a mix of beech and spruce forest, which gradually turns into a primeval beech forest. After about 15 minutes, we reach the suspension bridge over the stream.

From the suspension bridge, we hike through a mesophilic beech forest, which is well supplied with water and lies moist along the stream. Not far above the bridge, a pumped-storage power plant with two large dams was originally planned for the early 80s. One above the suspension bridge, the second in the area of the Große Klause. Reason prevailed, and today this area has become a recreational space and an Eldorado for wildlife.

Gradually, the stream turns south and southwest. On a ridge in the dense beech forest, we can clearly see about 100 meters below the confluence of the Plaißabach and the Reichramingbach, which from this point is called Großer Bach. Opposite is the hut of the Maierralm and below us a flat area. Once a forester lived here who controlled the rafting operations at the confluence of Plaißabach and Reichramingbach and prevented blockages. In the steep southern slope, relics of usage history become visible as we enter a former spruce forest. Here one can impressively see how deciduous trees grow into the tree layer, numerous spruces standing too densely die off, and the monoculture slowly transforms into a near-natural forest.

The forest structure changes again immediately, as the beech forest grows older, the amount of deadwood increases significantly, and the path winds up old trails to a rock barrier (with information panel about forest types on the Beech Trail). Here the mesophilic beech forest changes into the dry slope beech forest with wild orchids and various mixed tree species such as true service tree and red dogwood.

At some places, the Großer Bach grants a view into its streambed coming from the south. Smaller streams in deeply incised gullies spring after rains in spring but can also become raging wild streams. The slopes become steeper, and the Beech Trail increasingly develops into an alpine trail (caution slippery!).

At a distinctive rock barrier with a view towards the south, vegetation and tree species composition change significantly, and the path turns about 800 meters upstream into the Wilder Graben. It becomes brighter and sunnier, the herb, shrub, and ground vegetation increases noticeably in diversity. Occasionally, the mountain elm appears. Near the stream, moss growth with ferns on the trees becomes stronger, and you feel the coolness and moisture of the Wilder Graben stream.

We cross the Wilder Graben stream on a small wooden bridge. From here, the path goes up towards the Ebenforstalm on one side and down to the second stage of the wilderness trail on the other (walking time to here 1 hour).

Stage 2: Wilder Graben to Klaushütte (approx. 2 hours)

From the wooden bridge, we follow the Wilder Graben gravel road about 100 meters downhill to the entrance of the second stage of the Beech Trail on the right side of the road. The first few minutes go slightly uphill, then the path runs almost constantly at the same level. We immerse ourselves in a thicket of young beeches. Soon we hear the rushing of the Großer Bach again. In spring and autumn, the beautiful view into the valley is free. The forest grows older along the path, notably with a high share of deadwood: lying, rotting trunks covered with fungi and mosses soon become nutrient soil for young trees.

On a terrain edge, a storm in summer 2012 brought down numerous mighty beeches. Sunlight now penetrates the forest floor even in summer, giving a chance for newly emerging, structurally rich, lush ground vegetation where blackberry, raspberry, goat's beard, male fern, nettle, lemon balm, thyme, ragwort, mountain oregano, and many others feel particularly comfortable. Nectar visitors rejoice at the food offer, and soon numerous butterflies will flit again in the forest clearing. Changes are the only constant in nature.

After about half an hour, we cross the first of three water-carrying gullies, which can swell into raging wild streams after rainstorms. With some luck, you can observe a fire salamander here.

The path gradually descends more and more so that we can clearly see the Hintergebirgsradweg on the other side of the stream. Then it rises again briefly until we finally look down into a bend of the stream and the path leads onto a peninsula-like plateau (walking time to here approx. 1 hour from Wilder Graben).

On this plateau, we find some old iron parts and concrete bases, remains of a cableway that led from here to Ebenforst – Taborwald area. This cableway was built in the 1920s after the timber rafting on the Ebenforstbach was stopped. The plateau around the valley station was used as a timber depot. The logs were then rafted by water to Reichraming.

Gradually, the path approaches the stream until after 10 minutes in the area Wasserboden we reach a wooden boardwalk where we comfortably hike along the shore. Interesting here is the large spring originating below the wooden boardwalk. Remarkably, the Ebenforstbach drains here, disappearing on the Ebenforst plateau and then flowing underground.

Immediately after, we cross a second, shorter wooden boardwalk over the Kohlersgraben. Here, the Begsteigersteig leads towards the Ebenforstalm. However, we continue straight on the Beech Trail. The path now always leads relatively close to the stream until it meets the gravel road and continues to the Rabenbach bridge. Here we cross the Großer Bach and hike the last section (about 15-20 minutes) upstream on the Hintergebirgsradweg past the Große Klause to the Klaushütte.

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TIPS FOR ROUND-TRIP VARIANTS

* Alternative Kreuzweg - Rauchgrabeneck - forest road - trail (below Kronsteineralm) - Brunnbach (walking time approx. 2 hours) - parking/stop Brunnbach/Stadl. Tip: During summer months, a small inn in Brunnbachstadl is open from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening and invites you to stop by.

* Combined hiking and cycling tour
By bike from the Anzenbach parking lot on the Hintergebirgsradweg to Wilder Graben. (Walking time approx. 20 minutes, park and lock the bike) - hike Beech Trail stage 2 to Große Klaushütte (walking time approx. 2 hours) - return hike the same way to Wilder Graben - bike back. Alternatively, hike Große Klaushütte on the Hintergebirgsradweg (forest road) back to Wilder Graben - bike back.

* The big bike - hike - variant
Arrange an adventurous Hintergebirge tour with family members, friends, acquaintances:
One group rides from the Anzenbach barrier by bike on the Hintergebirgsradweg to Große Klaushütte (walking time approx. 1 hour), the second group hikes on the Beech Trail to Große Klaushütte (walking time 3.5 hours). There, the teams exchange bikes and hiking shoes and return in the opposite direction back to the Anzenbach parking lot.

Please do not forget to save the route "offline" before you start, as mobile reception in the forest wilderness of the National Park is not always available.

UNESCO World Natural Heritage Beech Forests in National Park Kalkalpen

Download the companion booklet for the trail free of charge: Nature Experience Trail Wilderness Trail Beech Trail