Biking in Upper Austria
With its unique natural landscapes and more than 400 km of signposted cycle paths, the Salzkammergut is a cyclist's paradise. Only here can breathtaking mountain bike trails running between imposing mountains on the one side and crystal-clear on the other lakes be found.
The region boasts a wide range of cycle paths and mountain bike trails such as the round-the-Dachstein trail, which passes through 3 different regions of Austria; the Rettenbach valley trail; and the round-the-Hornspitz trail – high above Gosau and going from alp to alp...
Around the Jainzenberg (short but intensive)
Total length of the cycling route 6 km or approx. 7 km
This tour, probably of greater interest to mountain bikers, begins at the Kaiser-Therme. Leave the hotel and turn left towards the bus terminal. Cross the street and cycle between the "Peugeot" car dealership and the shop called "Schafleitner" towards the Rechensteg footbridge. Cross the footbridge and cycle uphill through Kaiserdörfl.
Before the road goes downhill again, move to the right lane (1km). Soon the road becomes very steep. Pushing the bike, or pedalling if you're fit enough, you will soon reach the Doppelblick. Keep to the right and continue until your reach the former Peasants Column (2.5 km). Turn right at the chapel into the hiking trail. Now go right through the romantic Jainzental. After 3.5 km you will reach the Rudolf Monument (with a small bench). Continue cycling past some old farms until you see some new houses on the right. Now take the road on the right and carry on straight ahead with the Kater mountains in front of you. Once at the next houses, cycle straight ahead onto the hiking trail. After going up and down for a short distance, you will reach the main road. Cross the Johannis Bridge to reach the bus terminal again.
The following route offers a more leisurely ride:
At the Rechensteg footbridge car park turn left onto the main road. After cycling for 2 km, turn right over the Heininger Bridge, go past the Gasthaus Hobl and continue through the village of Jainzen.
Shortly before reaching the old alpine agricultural college, you can rejoin the original route. This alternative route is approx. 7 km long.
Route duration approx. ¾ hour
Lauffen – Pilgrimage Church of Maria im Schatten
Total length of the cycling route approx. 13 km
From the centre of Bad Ischl, go to the bus terminal and turn right into Götzstraße. Go straight ahead at the crossroads, turn left and go across the Steinfeld Bridge. After the bridge, make a sharp turning right beneath the railway bridge and go along Maxquellgasse. Follow this road for 1.2 km until you reach the main road crossroads and turn left towards Café Nandl. Continue cycling until your reach the former railway bridge (approx. 2.4 km), cross the bridge and turn left through Kaltenbachau. Go through the so-called Engleiten past the Kaiserjagdstandbild monument (3.5 km) and the Villa Blumenthal (5 km) until you reach the village of Lauffen (6.5 km).
In Lauffen you can visit the pilgrimage church built around 1450 and the old salt traders' houses on the Traun.
Return along the regional cycling route than runs alongside the main road until you once again reach the small railway bridge. Turn left across the bridge and then turn right. Soon you will see the sign "Radweg" (cycle path) to Bad Ischl. Follow the sign and continue along the path until you reach Café Zauner. Here you will need to push the bike for a short distance. Cross the road at the main bridge and carry on straight ahead along the Stifterkai: At the footbridge on the left go up to the pump room and turn left into Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Straße. Turn right and head down to the bus terminal and your original starting point, the Kaiser-Therme.
Route duration approx. 1 hour
Along the Traun
To Offensee, the Langbathseen (approx. 53 km) or Traunsee
Total length approx. 22 km
Leave the Kaiser-Therme in the direction of the bus terminal and turn right into Götzstraße. At the crossroads, go straight ahead, past the Salzkammergut Touristik office. On your left you will see the Steinfeld Bridge. Cross the bridge and cycle along the Traun towards Ebensee (approx. 17 km). When you reach the Lahnstein district you can either cycle up to Offensee and the "Jagdschloss Offensee" restaurant or cycle around the lake. Return to Bad Ischl using the same route.
Alternatively you can carry on cycling to Ebensee and go from there to the Langbathseen. In the centre of Ebensee follow the signs to "Langbathsee", turn right at the Kaiserbrücke and follow the road along the Langbath brook. Go past the base station of the Feuerkogel cable railway, after which you will need to cycle fairly slowly up an asphalt road. After around 4 km you can turn off left and cycle along a forest road to reach the front lake.
You can either walk or cycle around the two lakes. Return to Bad Ischl using the same route.
The third possibility is to ride alongside Traunsee. Starting from Ebensee, you can ride on a dedicated cycle path through Traunkirchen, Altmünster and Gmunden, and to "Hoisn", where the path ends. Apart from a short 0.5 km section between Ebensee and Traunkirchen, the cycle path is complete. Where the path is incomplete, you will need to use the main road instead.
When you reach "Hoisn" you can catch a boat back to Ebensee or cycle back on the same route.
Route duration approx. 1,5 hours.
Schwarzensee
Total length of the cycling route approx. 17.2 km
Schwarzensee near St. Wolfgang is a real nature lover's paradise. The round-trip around Schwarzensee starts at St. Wolfgang, leads around the lake and after another uphill stretch rewards cyclists with a magnificent view of Wolfgangsee, before returning to the starting point again.
Starting point: the car park in front of the St. Wolfgang bypass tunnel - cycle east along the country road - Schwarzenbach crossroads: go straight ahead - cross the bridge over the Schwarzenbach and turn right - turn left and the cross Grabner Bach and Rußbach - turn left, go straight ahead towards Schwarzensee - Schwarzensee (716 m) - right lakeshore - Bacherlalm - turn left and cycle along the lakeshore towards the Seerestaurant Lore - shortly before reaching it turn right and cycle along the Schwarzenbach - cycle up the path leading to the saddle - downhill run - Holzerbauer snack bar - back to the starting to point (beginners' route)
Route duration approx. 1 h 40 min
Wolfgangsee
Total length of the cycling route approx. 39 km
Leave the Kaiser-Therme in the direction of the bus terminal, cross the road and continue towards the Rechensteg footbridge. Once past the car park, turn left onto the main road. Keep to the right and after 1 km you will reach the Heiningerbrücke. Cross this bridge and carry on through Kreutern. After 3.2 km you will reach a small bridge. Once past this bridge, turn right and cycle through Pfandl and on to the old Wolfgangseestraße until you are past the DIY store Eisl (4.8 km). Turn left into Michael Pacherstr. and after 6 km you will reach the golf course. Once past Aschau, turn right through Weinbach. Follow the road for 9.3 km, then turn left across the Steinbrücke. Cycle through the village of Weißenbach and turn onto the Strobl cycle path at the sign indicating the end of the village. Leave Strobl in the direction of the sports grounds (slight left). Now cycle along Bahndammweg (Salzkammergut Radweg) until you reach Abersee. Here you can catch the ferry to St. Wolfgang if you want to, and return along the Wolfgangseestraße.
Alternatively you can return to Strobl, keeping left through the centre towards St. Wolfgang. Just after you have turned left onto the main road, turn right and right again onto the high street. Cycle along the high street for approx. 200m, then turn left again. Cross a number of slightly uphill meadows, and after short descent through a forest, turn left at Konsum to reach the village of Weinbach. Return to the hotel on the same route as you came.
Route duration approx. 3 hours
Rettenbachtal – Blaa Alm – Altaussee – Bad Goisern
From the centre of Bad Ischl, cycle towards the bus terminal and turn right into Götzstraße. Go straight ahead at the crossroads and past the Salzkammergut Touristik office before turning left across the Steinfeldbrücke towards the Rettenbach. Once you have crossed the Rettenbach, cycle along Hubhanslauweg to the Gasthaus Rettenbachmühle tavern. Continue along the gravel road for 6 km, going slightly uphill through the Rettenbachtal until you reach the Rettenbachalm.
Duration of this section approx. 40 minutes
To reach the Blaa Alm continue along the forest road through the Rettenbachalm, past the old saltworks and along the Rettenbach. A number of uphill climbs then follow, with the section slightly uphill throughout.
The highlight is the Rettenbach pass. When going through the approx. 100 m-long tunnel, get off your bike, as the stones that lie around in the tunnel could otherwise cause you to fall. Shortly before you reach the alp, you will need to climb up the Blaa Almbühel - the steepest climb of the whole route.
Duration of this section approx. 45 minutes
Cycle along the gravel road that leads from the Blaa-Alm. Once past the Loser, move onto the asphalt road (various inclines) to Altaussee. Once at Altausee, follow the "Salzbergwerk" sign and cycle along the road for approx. 5 km (various inclines). Approx. 300 m after the salt mine is a saltworks building with a very good source. 1 km past the Salzberg, you will reach the highest point on the route. From this point onwards the route goes downhill across meadows and through woods on a forest road. After 10 minutes you will reach the Waldgraben, the alp that is home to the famous tavern "Sarsteinblick". Cycle one kilometre further until you reach the junction that leads to "Leisling". Turn right to reach a wooded mountain valley. On the downhill forest road, follow the route to St. Agatha by cycling on the cycle path next to the main road. Follow the path through Bad Goisern until you reach the starting point in Bad Ischl again.
Duration of this section approx. 5 hours
To Hallstätter See
Total length of the cycling route approx. 50 km
Ride along the cycling route towards the bus terminal, keeping to the left, until you reach Café Zauner on the Esplanade. Here you will need to push the bike for a short distance. Then carry on along the Traun to the Kaltenbachau. Go through the Engleiten, past the Kaiserjagdstandbild monument and the Villa Blumenthal. After 6.5 km you will reach the village of Lauffen. Here you can visit the pilgrimage church built around 1450 and the old salt traders' houses.
Continue along the regional cycle path (R2) until you reach Bad Goisern. Turn right at the Billa supermarket into Dr.-Löckerstraße, cross the spa gardens until you reach the sign pointing to the centre. Turn right onto the country road and cycle to the crossroads with the main road. Another cycle path begins here that leads to the village of Au. Continue cycling along the Salzkammergut cycle path via Steeg until you reach the Gosauzwang. Turn left here towards Hallstatt and cycle along the main road for a while. Keep to the left in front of the Hallstätter tunnels (do not go through the tunnels) and cycle directly to the centre.
Alternatively you can take the boat over to the other side of the lake to Hallstatt station, and cycle on the forest road to Au. From Au you can return the same way to Bad Ischl.
A third possibility is to carry on cycling along Hallstätter See to Obertraun, and to return from the other side of the lake to Au, before once again returning the same way to Bad Ischl.
Route duration approx. 5 ½ hours
