Discover Gaißau: Trails, Mountains and Winter Experiences

Gaißau is a versatile starting point for days spent among forest trails, mountain peaks, cycling routes and regional history. The place name is documented as early as 1241 as “Gaizzouwe”. Today, several trails lead from Gaißau into the landscape of Krispl-Gaißau, while the Stampfbichsteig offers a special insight into traditional craftsmanship with its blacksmith’s hammer and the small blacksmithing museum inside the Troatkasten.

Hiking between Mörtelbach and the peaks

The Krispl-Gaißau hiking area caters to different needs: easy walking paths are complemented by challenging high-altitude hikes on Schmittenstein, Schlenken and Wieserhörndl. This allows you to plan your day according to your preferred pace, without every hike having to offer the same experience. The hiking area provides panoramic views of the Salzach Valley, the Alpine foothills and the Berchtesgaden Alps.

For a straightforward route choice, the two trails starting at the Gaißau municipal centre are particularly interesting. The Looswand circular hiking trail no. 75 follows the Mörtelbach towards Looswand. The Knogl-Schlenken route no. 71 also runs along the Mörtelbach, then continues via forest and forestry roads towards Schlenken and is also suitable for bicycles and e-bikes. Those travelling on foot can therefore choose a different hiking option from guests who would like to explore a route by bicycle or e-bike.

Combining cycling, forest and craftsmanship

The TG26 Gaißau-Hintersee mountain bike route begins in the centre of Gaißau. It leads through the alpine pasture areas of Spielbergalpe and Anzenberg to Hintersee. At the same time, Gaißau also leaves room for slower-paced discoveries: at the Stampfbichsteig, you will find not only the blacksmith’s hammer but also the small museum in the Troatkasten.

Those travelling with children can include the forest adventure trail in Krispl-Gaißau in their plans. It features play and puzzle stations about the forest, animals, meadows and nature. This thematic combination makes the trail an excursion idea in its own right, while the hiking trails with their varying levels of difficulty offer different focal points. This allows you to include active and playful activities in your travel plans without committing the day to a single pursuit.

Winter trails and natural toboggan runs

Krispl-Gaißau also offers concrete options for planning your day in winter. The winter ascent to Wieserhörndl leads from Gaißau to Spielbergalm and onwards to the summit of Wieserhörndl at 1,567 m. Anyone planning a winter mountain tour therefore has a clearly defined destination and can incorporate the route into their personal itinerary accordingly.

There are also groomed natural toboggan runs in Krispl-Gaißau. These include the route to Spielbergalm, with a descent through snow-covered forests and an opportunity to stop for refreshments. This adds a winter option to the hiking and cycling experiences. When choosing a holiday apartment in Gaißau, it helps to first decide on your preferred travel focus: Should the day begin in the village centre or at the municipal centre with a signposted route, should peaks and panoramic views take centre stage, or should a natural toboggan run be part of your winter plans? The starting points and types of experiences mentioned above provide concrete guidance for this.

If you would like to continue your search beyond Gaißau, you can also explore Sankt Margarethen, Hallein, Gseng, Adnet, Krispl, Kuchl, Oberalm or Steuer.

To the higher-level travel overview: Hallein.