Discover St. Pankraz: Hiking, Lake Elisabeth and Culture

St. Pankraz combines mountainous scenery, the Teufelskirche natural monument and a long-established cultural heritage. Those planning a trip involving hiking, water and historical discoveries will find a variety of options for planning their days here. A holiday apartment in St. Pankraz can serve as a base for combining the area's trails and sights with your own excursions.

Rock Arch, Lake and a Special Night Sky

One of the area's striking natural features is the Teufelskirche in the Vorderes Rettenbachtal valley near St. Pankraz. The rock arch is made of Jurassic limestone and is 16 metres wide and 12 metres high. The Teufelskirche has been designated a natural monument since 1984. Karst springs rise beneath the rock arch. This makes the site an impressive natural attraction without needing to explain its significance through exaggerated descriptions.

Lake Elisabeth is also part of the landscape around St. Pankraz. It lies amid the mountainous scenery of the Pyhrn-Priel region, and swimming is permitted in the lake. To travel to Lake Elisabeth, you can take Postbus route 430 or the Riedler Bus route 431 to the Steyrbrücke stop. From there, it is about a five-minute walk. Since 17 March 2026, the Eisenwurzen Dark Sky region has been certified as a Dark Sky Reserve.

Church, Rectory and Poachers' Museum

The parish church of St. Pankraz is a late Gothic church built by Spital Abbey. It was consecrated in 1462. The listed Baroque rectory complements the historic appearance of the village. Before its renovation as part of the 1998 provincial exhibition, it was in an exceptional and valuable original condition.

Another cultural trail leads to the Poachers' Museum. After the provincial exhibition ended, it was moved to a purpose-built extension of the Steyrbrücke inn. Together with the parish church and rectory, it offers a different perspective on St. Pankraz: the travel experience is shaped not only by the landscape but also by the history of the village.

Hiking, Pilgrimage and Cycling

There are several different routes for active days. One hiking route leads from St. Pankraz through the Teichltal valley and the rear Redtenbachtal valley to Windischgarsten. The route passes the Rohrauergut, an old farm with a mill and grain store. Those looking for a route with a spiritual connection can plan stage N09 of the Benedict Trail. It leads from Hinterstoder via the Flötzersteig or Salzsteigweg trail to St. Pankraz, then continues along the Fischersteig trail beside Lake Klauser to the dam.

Cyclists will also find a clearly defined section: the R8 Steyrtal Cycle Route includes the stretch between Klaus and St. Pankraz. A pilgrimage on foot from St. Pankraz to Frauenstein has also taken place for many years. Depending on your interests, you can therefore focus on hiking, cycling, water-based activities, local history or a traditional pilgrimage route.

Choose the Right Base

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house in St. Pankraz, it is worth deciding on your preferred focus for the trip first. If the stay is to centre mainly on a hiking route, the trails to Windischgarsten and the Benedict Trail offer specific destinations. For a day by the water, Lake Elisabeth with its bus connection is an option in its own right. Those interested in culture can include the parish church, the Baroque rectory and the Poachers' Museum in their plans. Families wishing to combine different ideas for their days can thus choose accommodation according to the planned rhythm of their trip without limiting themselves to just one type of experience.

If you would like to broaden your search, you can also take a look at the pages for Schweizersberg, Leonstein, Schlierbach, Steinbach Am Ziehberg, Vorderstoder, Micheldorf In Oberösterreich, Klaus An Der Pyhrnbahn and Steyrling.

For the overarching travel overview: Kirchdorf An Der Krems.