From Altenmarkt to the alpine Hocheck, 1,037 m

Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 14,42 km
Duration: 5:00 h
Ascent: 707 m elevation gain
Descent: 708 m elevation gain

The market town of Altenmarkt is located in the Triesting valley, which also forms the southern border of the Vienna Woods Biosphere Reserve. This is the largest closed deciduous forest area in Europe. To the north of the Triesting, hiking opportunities typical of the Vienna Woods therefore predominate over gentle hills, through deciduous forests, across meadows and past individual farmsteads. The best starting point for these well-developed hiking trails is on the Hafnerberg. To the south of the Triesting rises the steep, wooded northern flank of the Hocheck, the easternmost one-thousand-meter peak in the Alps, offering hikers a longer tour to the viewing tower. In addition to the enjoyment of nature, it is also the sacred buildings along the Via Sacra that attract many visitors to Altenmarkt. Three pilgrimage churches (Klein Mariazell, Hafnerberg and Altenmarkt) are located in the municipality and are connected by a scenically varied hiking trail. Around Hafnerberg and Nöstach there are many mystical places, places of power, which are also worth a visit and some of which can be hiked individually.

Starting point of the tour: Altenmarkt on the Triesting
Tour destination: Altenmarkt on the Triesting

Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 14,42 km
Duration: 5:00 h
Ascent: 707 m elevation gain
Descent: 708 m elevation gain

Fitness level required:
5/6
Overall experience:
5/6
Scenery:
6/6

Lowest point382 m
Highest point1025 m

Round tour
Nice views
With refreshment stops

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Description

The steep wooded flanks of Gemeindeberg, Mittagskogel and Hocheck rise to the south of the Triestingtal valley. On this hike, you first cross these slopes in the lower section, ascending on the Wieshofer Steig, before reaching the saddle between Mittagskogel (862 m) and Hocheck on a forest road and then a forest path. Continuing uphill towards Hocheck, you soon enter the east ridge of Hocheck, which offers great views. Along meadows and pastures, you can already enjoy beautiful views, especially to the south and east.

A little further on through windswept, bizarre beech forests, you finally climb up to the Ausschichtsturm at 1,037 m. The F. Meyringer Warte (Austrian Tourist Club, built in 1974) rewards the hiker with a 360° panorama that extends over Schneeberg - Rax - Schneealpe - Ötscher - Schöpfl - Tullner Feld - Peilstein - Wiener Becken all the way to Lake Neusiedl.

The way back first leads along the ascent path back to the saddle, and from here on a beautiful hiking trail along the "Matrasweg" through forests just south of the Mittagskogel past the ridge of the Kienberg. This takes you to Tasshof, where you choose the asphalted Triestingtal cycle path no. 42 for the way back to Altenmarkt. This results in a beautiful, varied circular hike, which is crowned by a unique panorama.

Equipment Normal hiking equipment
Route description From the car park on the main road, head west (sign: Via Sacra / Kaumberg) and walk through Altenmarkt along the B18, past the "Cafe an der Via Sacra" and Raika. After 250 m, turn left into an alley (sign: Mittagskogel, WWW 404), follow the alley and cross the Triesting on the "Reischerbrücke". On a gravel road, you will then cross the disused Triesting Valley railway and follow the forest road leading left into the woods uphill (arrow).Passing a meadow, continue steeper on the forest road until a steep path (marking) branches off straight ahead. This path shortens a bend of the forest road and rejoins it after 100 m. On the forest road, flatter (600 m) turn right until another path branches off again to the right (sign "Hans Wieshofer Steig", 404). This rejoins the forest road after 300 m. Shortly to the right to a hollow with a high seat. Immediately after, do not miss the left-branching path (marking, 404, Hocheck). Follow this partly narrow trail crossing the slope uphill through dense forest to the wooden sign "Hans Wieshofer Steig". Before the sign, take a clearing to the left in the young forest, ascending to reach the next forest road with the "Doppelreiterruhe" (viewpoint, resting bench). From here, follow the forest road to the right! (unobtrusive Hocheck sign), flat across a lumber storage area until a junction is reached. Here, the blue marking and WWW 448 from Thenneberg converge. Now follow the red and blue markings uphill on the forest road to a bend. Follow the path further to the right, passing the "Wildenauer Brunnen" (drinking water and resting bench) 500 m after the bend. Continue on the forest road to a scenic fork. Here sharply turn left following the arrows on the rock, past a barrier, and follow the continuing forest road uphill to reach the saddle between Mittagskogel and Hocheck. Keep right, going uphill on a forest road (red, blue) until you leave the forest at the ridge of Hocheck, and the path leads scenic along the meadow edge towards the summit. A stretch of beech forest still has to be crossed on a stony path before the hut comes into view. The observation tower F. Meyringerwarte (1,037 m) is located a few meters behind the hut.Then follow the ascent route back to the saddle between Hocheck and Mittagskogel. Here, choose the path continuing straight ahead (448=descent Weissenbach and yellow marking = Matrasweg). On a beautiful path through the forest, you soon reach a meadow, which is crossed slightly downhill to its lower edge (Large Fir, markings red and yellow). After a section of a flat and slightly undulating path, you reach a junction where the straight-ahead yellow marking (sign Tasshof bus stop) is chosen (red leads down to the right to Eberbach). Always staying on a beautiful path along the ridge, you hike over a small hill to a forest road, which you follow further downhill. At some storm-battered beeches, leave this forest road (yellow marking) to the right onto a forest path that leads shortly and steeply up to the Kienberg. Continue on the path, now partially somewhat steeper downhill, until the path leaves the ridge to the right and descends steeply below an abandoned quarry. Continue flat leftwards following the yellow markings (partly hard to see) downhill (from the right, the blue marking 06A from Eberbach merges) to a cross with a bench. 20 m later, leave the forest road to the right and descend over a meadow on a grassy path (yellow, blue marking on electricity mast).At two houses and the bus stop Tasshof, you reach the Triesting Valley cycle path, which you now follow 2 km back to Altenmarkt. Cross the Triesting on a bridge at the outskirts (after the tennis courts) and after 200 m along the B 18, you reach the starting point.
Parking Car park in the center of Altenmarkt (municipal office)
Getting there A2 South Motorway exit Leobersdorf, on the Hainfelder federal road B 18 to Altenmarkt
Editor’s tip Be sure to also visit the Kulturbahnhof Altenmarkt-Thenneberg and other beautiful excursion destinations in the Triesting Valley. More information can be found here! There are the following dining options:Inn Zum Schwarzen Adler

Recommended period

Wienerwald Tourism
Hauptplatz 11, 3002 Purkersdorf
Tel.: 02231/621 76
E-mail: office@wienerwald.info
Website: www.wienerwald.info

Leader Region Triestingtal
Leobersdorfer Straße 42, 2560 Berndorf
E-mail: office@triestingtal.at
Website: www.triestingtal.at

Letzte Änderung: 16 Mar 2026