Large parts of the municipality of Rosenau am Hengstpaß lie within Kalkalpen National Park. The village is on the Hengstpaßstraße; the road over the pass connects the Garstnertal with the Styrian Enns Valley via the Dambach and Laussa valleys. Both its connection to the protected area and its role as a pass route are important for orientation. Activities range from winter excursions and cross-country skiing to alpine pasture areas, a hike and local cultural history.
Pass Landscapes and Alpine Pastures
The elevations give a concrete impression of the different settings: Laussabaueralm is at 780 m above sea level, Spitzenbergeralm at 1,000 m. Menaueralm is at 1,125 m. Spitzenbergeralm lies within Kalkalpen National Park; its alpine pasture area is botanically interesting. Orchids bloom there in June—a seasonal highlight for anyone interested in plant life.
The location of Laussabaueralm is also precisely specified: it lies within the municipality of Rosenau am Hengstpaß, in Kalkalpen National Park and between Kampermauer Nature Reserve and the Haller Mauern. These named elevations and landscapes provide different points of reference for a visit; they do not have to be combined into one route.
Winter Around the Hengstpaß
In winter, the area around Hengstpass offers many opportunities for snowshoe hikes and ski tours. For cross-country skiing, the Biathlon and Cross-Country Ski Arena Pyhrn-Priel – Rosenau am Hengstpaß is located at the foot of Hengstpass, amid the natural surroundings of Kalkalpen National Park. It has just over 15 kilometres of exceptionally well-maintained cross-country ski trails, some of which are snow-covered.
The locations distinguish between these activities: snowshoe hikes and ski tours take place in the area around Hengstpass, while the cross-country ski trails belong to the arena. When planning your winter days, you can therefore distinguish between tours in the area and the designated trail network without treating the two activities as the same.
Walking Times to Two Different Destinations
The Nationalpark Hengstpaßhütte is right at the pass summit. From the Hengstpaßhöhe car park by the hut, it takes about 40 minutes on foot to reach Menaueralm, which is at 1,125 m above sea level in Rosenau am Hengstpaß. For a different hike, one option is to climb Schwarzkogel (1,550 Hm) from Spitzenbergeralm. The ascent takes about 1¼ hours.
The times refer to different starting points and destinations: the roughly 40 minutes is the walk from the Hengstpaßhöhe car park to Menaueralm, while the approximately 1¼ hours is the ascent from Spitzenbergeralm to Schwarzkogel. This is a useful distinction when working walking times into your day’s plans.
Cultural History and Other Interests
The Rosenau traditional costume was created in 1989. Its inspiration was a depiction of an “Almerin” (a woman working on an alpine pasture) on a shooting target from 1817. The two years mark different periods: the costume was created in 1989, while the image motif dates from the early 19th century. This helps place the local cultural topic in context, with both its creation date and its older inspiration.
Innerrosenau offers a different activity: fishing is possible at the Lamberger ponds. The ponds are on the way to the biathlon centre. So, alongside winter activities and hikes, there is another option for travellers interested in fishing.
Discover more destinations: Rossleithen, Haselböckau, Micheldorf In Oberösterreich, St. Pankraz, Kirchdorf An Der Krems, Steinbach An Der Steyr, Klaus An Der Pyhrnbahn, Leonstein.
Back to the higher-level travel overview: Kirchdorf An Der Krems.
