Wimm: Stegenwald hike and excursions near Werfen

From Stegenwald to the Leopold-Happisch-Haus

From the car park by the Gasthaus Stegenwald, the described route first passes the ruined Grünwaldalm. It then leads through the Schotterriesn in the Ofenrinne, via the Vordere Pitschenbergalm and the Windischriedel, to the Leopold-Happisch-Haus. The names refer to successive points along this route; the section over loose scree should be taken into account when planning the hike. The five hours is the stated walking time for the approach, not a guarantee of how long it will take you. If you plan to do this hike, factor in the drive to the starting point and your planned early start when choosing a holiday apartment.

Not all approaches to the hut start in Wimm. The hiking information lists other parking options at the Eisriesenwelt, in the Wengerau, by the Unterholzbauer, and at Pass Lueg. These are different starting points. For the Stegenwald variant, the specific location is Paß-Lueg-Straße 7, 5451 Werfen. Before setting off, match your planned route to the relevant car park: a different trailhead does not automatically take you via the Grünwaldalm and Ofenrinne.

A protected building in Wimm

The Gasthaus Stegenwald at Paß-Lueg-Straße 7 is also a historic building. Austria’s monument register lists it as protected under a §57 mandate decision. The address is therefore relevant both as the start of the hike and to the local architectural history. Its protected status does not indicate whether it currently operates as an inn or can be visited. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, do not mistake the historic inn for a verified current accommodation offer; specific offers and available dates should be checked through the booking search.

Werfen as a destination in its own right

For other activities, Werfen is the wider local area—not a collection of sights within Wimm. According to the local brochure, Werfen grew up around Hohenwerfen Castle: its founding is dated to around 1190, and by 1242 the settlement was already recorded as a market town. The brochure also recalls the expulsion of around 4,000 residents in 1731. A treasure of approximately one thousand gold and silver coins, discovered in the town centre in 1969, had been buried around 1535; it is now on display at the Salzburg Museum, not in Wimm.

The Sound of Music Trail in Werfen combines film history with scenery. According to SalzburgerLand Tourism, it runs about 1.4 kilometres from the town centre to the Gschwandtanger viewpoint; the stated walking time is no more than 45 minutes. The panorama includes the Salzach Valley, Hohenwerfen Castle, and the Tennengebirge mountains. The route is a separate short excursion in the market town, not the start of the five-hour Stegenwald hike.

More activities in the Werfen area

The tourism association describes the Eisriesenwelt as a cave system stretching for more than 40 kilometres, of which around one kilometre is open to visitors. Its general visiting season is listed as April to October; check current opening times and access conditions before travelling. Marked hiking trails towards the Eisriesenwelt start in nearby Tenneck. The ascent from the valley to the cable car is listed as taking around one and a half to two hours. Continuing on foot along the exposed cable-car route is a mountain climb for experienced hikers only and takes approximately another one and a half hours.

For a winter stay, SalzburgerLand Tourism lists the Werfenweng family ski area, around eight kilometres from Werfen, as well as a ski bus connection. Werfenweng is not in Wimm; timetables, snow conditions, and operations vary by season. The 7.5-kilometre tour from Werfen to the Ostpreußenhütte described by the tourism association is also a hike in the Werfen area with its own starting point. This makes it possible to combine accommodation in Wimm with activities in the wider area without confusing the locations of the individual trails.

Discover more destinations

Forstau, Niedernfritz, Wagrain, Schwarzach im Pongau, Iglsbach, Kleinarl, Obertauern, Palfen.

For the overview of the wider area: Sankt Johann im Pongau.