Dr Vogelgesang Gorge

Brief information:

• Where is the Dr. Vogelgesang Gorge? The Dr. Vogelsang Gorge is about 30 minutes northwest of Gesäuse National Park. Address: Grünau 10, 4582 Spital am Pyhrn
• How long does a hike through the gorge take? About 1.5 hours
• Is there an entrance fee for the Dr. Vogelgesang Gorge? About 5,7€, you can buy tickets on site or here in advance
• Opening hours? May to 31 October
  Weekdays: 7.30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. From November 1st to the end of April the gorge is closed during the winter!
• How difficult is the hiking trail through the gorge? The hike is easy to moderate and also suitable for children. The route offers a family-friendly environment for discovery and exploration. The path is not suitable for strollers. It is also accessible for dogs, but owners should be aware that some dogs may have difficulty with the open wooden steps.

General

The Dr. Vogelgesang Gorge is the longest gorge in Upper Austrias and the second longest in Austria! It offers a fascinating natural spectacle with rushing water in a wild, romantic rocky gorge. The gorge has around 30,000 visitors per year.

getting there

To get to the Dr. Vogelgesang Gorge, take the Spital am Pyhrn exit on the A9, the Pyhrn motorway, and turn left. Drive through the town of Spital am Pyhrn. About 100 meters after the end of the town, just before the Panorama indoor swimming pool, turn right into Sandstraße. Follow this road along the Trattenbach to the Grünau district, about 2 kilometers away, and follow the signs.

Alternatively, you can take the B138 from Windischgarsten towards Spital am Pyhrn. After the panoramic indoor swimming pool, turn left into Sandstraße and follow the Trattenbach to the Grünau district. Here you will also find the signs to the Dr. Vogelgesang Gorge.

If you prefer public transport, you can take the ÖBB Postbus (line 911) or the Postbus (line 430) to the Spital am Pyhrn Hauptplatz stop. From there, the walk to the gorge entrance takes about 30 minutes.

There are 150 parking spaces available, including 3 bus parking spaces. You can park your vehicle comfortably and start your exploration tour through the Dr. Vogelgesang Gorge. We drove directly to the last parking lot #1.

The hike

From the car park, a wide, gravel forest path about 1.2 km long takes you to the ticket office, where the 1.5 km long gorge begins. You don't need to worry about getting lost, there is only one path.

An impressive waterfall awaits you directly behind the ticket office. The hiking trail winds along in an elegant curve before disappearing between the rocks. The rock walls move closer together and create a fascinating natural landscape. On your way up you will climb around 500 wooden and stone steps, which offer a unique hiking experience.

The gorge is suitable for hikers with good fitness and experience, but children and older people can also manage it as long as they are good walkers. The path leads almost constantly uphill, but the beauty of the surroundings is truly impressive.

At the end of the gorge, another beautiful waterfall awaits you before you reach the gorge exit on the long-distance hiking trail E 601 via Alpina.

You have two options for the way back: you can either go back through the gorge or along the asphalt access road, which can be shortened in some places. We chose the second option. Since the day is still young, we visit the Gleinkersee, which is only 20 minutes away.

The story

The Dr. Vogelgesang Gorge was named after the commitment of Dr. Moritz Vogelgesang, the former municipal doctor of Spital am Pyhrn and chairman of the beautification association. The gorge was partially made accessible as early as 1906, but was destroyed by a flood in 1908. Between 1926 and 1927, the entire rocky gorge was opened up to hikers by the municipality of Spital am Pyhrn. The stairs and footbridges were carefully constructed to ensure a safe and impressive experience for visitors. In 2006, the gorge celebrated its 100th anniversary.