Nature Park Hohe Wand - Animal Encounters in Winter

Winter walking route from Nature Park Center - Parking lot Animal Enclosures

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Tour dates
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Route: 2,00 km
  • Ascent: 77 egm
  • Descent: 70 egm
  • Duration: 0:45 h
  • Lowest point: 1.012 m
  • Highest point:1.074 m
Features
  • Round tour
  • Suitable for families and children

Details for: Nature Park Hohe Wand - Animal Encounters in Winter

Brief description

In the nature park on the Hohe Wand, you experience winter magic and animal encounters!

NOTE: Attention, this winter hiking trail may not be completely cleared in case of snow and may have slippery spots. Use is at your own risk! Make sure to have suitable equipment such as sturdy shoes, poles, waterproof outdoor clothing, headgear etc. Also, drink enough water even in winter! Pay attention to the early dusk and plan your tour especially carefully!

Description

In the enclosures of the nature park, you can observe wild animals such as deer, ibex or mouflon in their natural habitat. What do the animals eat, how do they communicate with each other? Learning and marveling is very easy in the Hohe Wand Nature Park.
For groups, there are also guided wildlife feedings with the park ranger, llama hikes or forest adventure tours.

At Köhlerplatz, you get information about old traditions of the Hohe Wand residents - lime burning in the lime kiln or charcoal production in the charcoal kiln. The deer in the enclosures are very curious and even eat from the hand. There are red deer, ibex, and sika deer to see. The wooden walkways offer a good view of the enclosure inhabitants. The highest point of the hike is the Bromberg - Hexenhut.

Starting point of the tour

Nature Park Center - Parking lot Animal Enclosures

Destination point of the tour

Nature Park Center - Parking lot Animal Enclosures

Route description Nature Park Hohe Wand - Animal Encounters in Winter

We start the hike at the petting zoo - here the hungry petting zoo animals may be fed with food from the vending machine. Then we continue to Köhlerplatz. Up a small hill, then we walk level through the forest to the deer enclosure. The deer are very curious and even eat from the hand. After these animal encounters, the path goes uphill to the enclosures of the ibexes and sika deer. On the wooden walkways we have a good view of the inhabitants of the enclosures. After the animals, the path leads us a little further uphill to the Bromberg-Hexenhut. Here the highest point of the enclosure circuit is reached, on the wide path we always go slightly downhill back to the starting point. In case of snow, we could sled down.

Directions

1) A2 – Exit Wöllersdorf – right B21 towards Gutenstein – turn off to Dreistetten – Muthmannsdorf – Emmerberg – Gaaden – Stollhof – over the mountain road year-round onto the Hohe Wand plateau
2) A2 – Exit Wiener Neustadt West – Weikersdorf – Winzendorf – Emmerberg – Gaaden – Stollhof – Hohe Wand

From Graz direction

3) From Neunkirchen – Würflach – Willendorf – Höflein – Zweiersdorf – Maiersdorf – Hohe Wand

Parking

Nature Park Center - Parking lot Animal Enclosures, Kleine Kanzelstraße 241, 2724 Hohe Wand
Admission Nature Park Hohe Wand: Adults € 5.50, Children 3-15 years € 2.50 (as of April 2025)

Take the Southern Railway from Vienna or Graz to Wr. Neustadt – and from there continue by regional train towards Puchberg am Schneeberg or by bus to Winzendorf – from Winzendorf you can hike through the Prosset Gorge to Maiersdorf (5km), from where you can hike up to the Hohe Wand in about 1 hour via various ascents.
Or change trains in Wiener Neustadt towards Puchberg am Schneeberg - exit Grünbach am Schneeberg - via the blue-marked Grafenbergweg you reach the plateau to the Wilhelm Eicherthütte in about 1.5 hours.
Furthermore, you can take the Gutensteinerbahn (from Wr. Neustadt station) to Oberpiesting or Waldegg and hike up the Hohe Wand from the rear side.

More information at www.oebb.at and www.vor.at

Equipment

Always take suitable maps with you. Put on sturdy shoes adapted to the route, bring sun and rain protection as well as water and a small snack. Take your mobile phone with you and save the mountain rescue emergency number: 140

Safety information

Your hikes in the Vienna Alps should be a thoroughly beautiful and safe experience. Please note the following:

Preparation

Make sure when choosing the route that it matches your experience and fitness level. Inform yourself in advance about the weather report. The weather can change surprisingly fast in the mountains. Always start equipped accordingly (e.g. rain protection).

Check whether the huts and snack stations you want to visit are open. Inform someone about your choice of route and your planned return before you start.

Map recommendations

freytag&berndt WK5012; WK012

Author's tip

A trip to the Hohe Wand can be well combined with a stay at Schneebergland! Online bookable accommodation options can be found at https://www.wieneralpen.at/unterkuenfte

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