The Johnsbacher Almenrunde is a leisurely hike for the whole family. It leads to four alpine pastures with promising views. The route is also partially passable for mountain bikes.
Brief information on the Almenrunde:
- What is the Johnsbacher Almenrunde? The Johnsbacher Almenrunde is a hiking trail approximately 10 km long located in the Gesäuse National Park in Austria. It takes you through the Johnsbacher Almen, which are considered to be among the most beautiful alpine landscapes in the country. The hike is suitable for all age groups.
- Where does it start? The hike starts at the parking lot of Ebneralm (Directions: Gesäuse-Bundesstraße B 146 until the junction to Johnsbach, then approximately 10 km to the Ebnerkreuzung parking lot).
- What can you experience there? You can experience the breathtaking views of the mountain scenery in the Gesäuse, observe the alpine animals, and visit the traditional alpine huts.
- How much time should one allocate? It is recommended to plan at least 3.5 hours to a full day, depending on how much time you spend at the 4 huts along the way.
- When are they open? They are open from June to September.
- What is the Gesäuse? The Gesäuse is a region in Austria, specifically a national park and a nature park. It is renowned for its stunning landscape and diverse flora and fauna.
Tour facts:
- Start: Parking lot of Ebneralm, Address: L127 89-87, 8912, Johnsbach.
- Route: Ebneralm parking lot – Kölblalm – Huberalm – Ebneralm – Zeiringeralm – Parking lot.
- Duration: 3.5 hours.
- Difficulty: Easy.
- Total distance: Approximately 10.2 km.
- Elevation: Ascent: 650 meters, Descent: 650 meters.
- Highest point: 1400m.
- Lowest point: 979m.
- Season: Recommended from June to September.
The Tour
Our tour starts early in the morning at 9:00 AM. We have our 4-year-old son with us, so it will probably take a bit longer than the indicated 3.5 hours. The parking fee for a day pass in Gesäuse is 6€. Once we have validated our ticket, we’ll begin. Right at the beginning, we pass by a waterfall and enter the Teufelsklamm (Devil’s Gorge), an impressive and highly scenic canyon. By the way, during winter, the Teufelsklamm can also be used as a toboggan run. We pass through a rock arch, cross a bridge, and hike uphill along the stream.
After passing through the gorge, there is a small detour to the left into the forest. However, one can also continue following the path along the forestry road. We decide to take the forest trail as it provides some shade. The path gradually ascends, but it is manageable for children as well.
Thirty minutes after starting, we reach the first alpine pasture, Kölblalm.
The Kölblalm
The garden is the perfect place to relax on a sunny day. It is said that Kölblalm has the oldest smoke kitchen (Rauchkuchl) in Styria. They offer a variety of food including bacon bread, alpine snacks (Almjause), Verhackerts (spread made from pork), sheep cheese, cakes, homemade sausages, Kaspressknödlsuppe (cheese dumpling soup), and more. For children, there is a small sandbox and a secured playground area in the back, so there’s no need to worry about the little ones. We spend a whole hour at the hut, enjoying the food and atmosphere, before continuing our journey.
We continue along the path towards Huberalm. It ascends gently on a forestry road, passing by a waterfall. After half an hour, we even encounter some snow, which is not uncommon for the end of May.
The path becomes less varied for children, so I have to carry our 4-year-old for a while. The final ascent of the tour is the most challenging part of the hike. Fortunately, the landscape becomes more diverse again with beautiful meadows and huts. 1.5 hours after leaving Kölblalm, we finally reach Huberalm.
The Huberalm
Actually, Huberalm is usually closed in May. However, the kind alpine herdsman is fortunately present and provides us with some drinks after the hot ascent. To distract us from the heat, he also shows us photos of past winters where the hut was almost hidden under layers of snow.
From now on, the trail is mostly downhill, passing through forests and meadows.
After another 45 minutes, we reach our destination.
The Ebneralm
Ebneralm is part of the Ebner farm where we started our tour. Here, too, we find beautiful seating areas with a view of the mountains. We treat ourselves to three Bauernkrapfen (traditional Austrian doughnuts), which taste absolutely heavenly. Additionally, at Ebneralm, you can find various types of bread, different soups, and pastries (Mehlspeisen).
We spend a bit more time here as our son is happily occupied with the sandbox and the countless toy vehicles in it. This gives us the opportunity to leisurely enjoy a beer.
Von der Ebneralm führt direkt davor der Weg zur abschließenden Etappe unserer Almrunde – der Zeiringeralm. Die Sennerin meint, dass es durch den Wald schneller geht, was bei uns aber dazu führt, dass wir uns verlaufen. So kehren wir nach 10 Minuten zur Hütte um und gehen lieber den gut ersichtlichen Trampelpfad, der von der Ebneralm leicht bergauf in Richtung Wald führt. Von hier geht es dann bergab durch den Wald zur Zeiringeralm.
On the terrace of Zeiringeralm, you can make yourself comfortable and enjoy a hearty snack or a cup of coffee with cake. After walking so much, we deserve something delicious. We decide to order an strawberry tiramisu, just the thought of it makes my mouth water.
The final part of the hike is not particularly exciting. It follows a gravel road for a while and then continues along the road for another 15 minutes until reaching the parking lot. In total, including all the stops, it took us a full 7 hours. Of course, we took plenty of breaks and had a 4-year-old with us, but it’s important to allocate enough time for this beautiful and family-friendly hike. If you prefer a more leisurely experience, we recommend checking out our article “Nationalpark Gesäuse – The Most Beautiful Photo Spots Along the Enns.”
