At an altitude of 871 metres, Puchenstuben, together with Gösing and Wastl am Wald, lies at the entrance to the 170 km² Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park. The town offers a range of options to help you plan your trip: hikes with stated walking times, cultural history and seasonal winter sports. You can weigh up whether to plan a longer route to Trefflingfall, a shorter loop on the Planet Trail or a winter cross-country ski trail.
Hiking between waterfalls and rock formations
The hike from Puchenstuben via the Treffling Nature Park entrance to Trefflingfall is 8.8 kilometres long and takes around three and a half hours. Trefflingfall lies in the Vorderen Tormäuern area of Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park, where the Trefflingbach plunges up to 120 metres into the Erlauf. The waterfall is considered the highest in the region. As trail conditions can change, it is advisable to check them before setting out.
Another route leads from Sulzbichl via Trefflingfall and Toreck to Trübenbach. It starts right by the Sulzbichl adventure village and passes the Teufelskirche, a pyramid-shaped, hollowed-out rock tower. Toreck is a 100-metre-long gorge and the narrowest point of the Erlauf in the Tormäuer. The striking rock formations give this route a different focus from the hike starting in Puchenstuben.
For a shorter route with a stated walking time, consider the Puchenstuben Planet Trail: starting at the Klauser Observatory with the Sun, this educational trail runs 4.5 kilometres to Neptune in the Sulzbichl adventure village. The walk takes about an hour and a half. Expert nature guides also lead tours along the Planet Trail; check availability before travelling if you would like a guided tour. Other local options include the Geological Trail, hiking, mountaineering, mountain biking and horse riding. Some activities may be seasonal.
Local history and cultural routes
The Baroque St. Anne’s Church was completed in 1728 and has remained almost unchanged to this day. The Mariazell Railway reached Puchenstuben in August 1904. This difficult stretch of the line included the Puchenstuben and Gösing stations, as well as the 2.4-kilometre-long Gösing Tunnel. If you are interested in a hike connected with the railway, the Railway Hiking Trail runs from Puchenstuben to Wienerbruck and starts at Puchenstuben station.
The location on a saddle between the Erlauf Valley and the Natterstal, also known as the Pielach, is associated with an older route: the pilgrims’ path from the Danube Valley to Mariazell ran here. The Legends Hiking Trail leads from Frankenfels via Puchenstuben and St. Anton an der Jeßnitz, sharing stories about the formation of the valley as well as relics from times past. In Trübenbach, the Woodcutters’ Museum in a barn tells the story of the lives and work of woodcutters in the forested area around the Ötscher, using original tools. Another local memorial is the high relief commemorating peasant leader Christian Haller, installed at the Hallerhof in 1977.
Winter trails and other options
The Turmkogel winter sports centre has a drag lift, a platter lift, a ski school, a ski kindergarten, a tobogganing area and a children’s area with a magic carpet and ski carousel. Winter operations are seasonal and depend on snow conditions. The Puchenstuben-Turmkogel cross-country skiing centre lies in the nature park at an altitude of 1,000 to 1,250 metres; its scenic network of trails covers around 40 kilometres. A shorter, clearly defined option is the five-kilometre Silbergruben trail, groomed for classic cross-country skiing. It offers panoramic views and starts and ends at the Berghaus Turmkogel. Operations and trail grooming are seasonal.
There are also specific places to visit beyond the hiking and winter sports trails: the Puchenstuben open-air pool is a heated swimming pool at an altitude of 891 metres. TrefflingfallhĂĽtte serves hikers hot and cold snacks, homemade pastries, coffee, ice cream and drinks to take away. Its offering is seasonal, and opening arrangements may change.
Places to stay in Puchenstuben
The Sulzbichl adventure village in Sulzbichl, Puchenstuben, has seven stilt houses with sleeping space for up to 36 people. The village is right by the entrance to Trefflingfall; the hike via Trefflingfall, Toreck and TrĂĽbenbach also starts there. This means you can pair this specific place to stay with a nearby, named hiking trailhead when planning your trip.
Discover more destinations: Reinsberg, Strohmarkt, Sankt Anton An Der Jessnitz, Scheibbs, Schliefau, Göstling An Der Ybbs, Lunz Am See, Großegg.
Back to the main travel overview: Scheibbs.
