Mountain Hike
Langkampfen - Köglhörndl - Buchackeralm - Mariastein

This walk begins with a ten-minute bus ride from Mariastein to Unterlangkampfen (bus route 4068). For information regarding bus times please visit www.vvt.at. It is also possible to park in Unterlangkampfen or to hike the route in the opposite direction, starting in Mariastein and finishing in Unterlangkampfen.

Above the parish church in Unterlangkampfen follow the signed forest road to “Höhlensteinhaus”. Then take the right fork onto a dirt road. A steady climb will take you up through forest until at the end of the trees. You will come out onto wide open alpine meadows, where you will find the Höhlensteinhaus lodge. From there the track steeply climbs through lush forest to the “Köglhörndl” mountain. This is a steady and partly rocky climb through remote and pristine woodland that leads up to the ridge. The walk continues uphill and downhill with a last climb taking you atop the Hundsalmjoch col. Leave the ridge and follow the route opposite the Hundsalmkreuz cross. From there it's a gentle downhill stroll to alpine meadows and pastures. Cut out portions of the walk by taking the left fork from the forest road and walk downhill over verdant meadows until you reach the Almgasthof Buchacker.

From the hut it is another one-kilometre downhill walk on the forest road until the route branches off to the Kaiserhaus lodge. Ignore this fork and continue walking down on the forest road towards Mariastein. In the last sharp hairpin bend to the right follow signage to “Gasthaus Buchacker” and “Eishöhle” (ice cave) and descend on a singletrack until you get to a tiny chapel. Take the fork to the left and follow this 1.8-kilometre-long road that will bring you to Mariastein.

Tip! At the Buchackeralm hut we recommend stopping to enjoy an eagle's eye view of the mountains at the Eagle View Overlook, a special sightseeing telescope viewer that offers breathtaking 360° views of the surrounding ranges.