Hainzenberg: Gerlossteinwand, Trails and Maria Rast

Hainzenberg lies at the foot of the mighty Gerlossteinwand. The valley station of the Gerlossteinbahn cable car is also located at the foot of the wall and offers a clear reference point for orientation. The cable car, a tandem circulating lift, takes guests to an altitude of 1,650 m; at the mountain station, they can set off directly on a hike or mountain tour. When choosing a hotel in Hainzenberg, you can first consider what you would like to focus on during your trip: trails at higher elevations, cultural history, or both. The places and activities below bring these themes to life through specific routes, building history and local production.

Hiking Trails, High-Altitude Trail and Via Ferrata

From the mountain station of the Gerlossteinbahn, hiking trails lead to Brandberg, Mayrhofen and Ramsau, as well as towards Gerlos. The Gerloser Höhenweg has a more precisely defined route: it starts at the mountain station in Hainzenberg, crosses alpine meadows to the Heimjöchl and continues to the Brandbergjoch. This gives you several destinations to choose from, as well as a route with named waypoints. The Gerlossteinwand via ferrata offers a different focus: it runs along the wall, is around 400 m long and leads to an impressive summit at an altitude of 2,166 m. For the high-altitude trail, the starting point and intermediate destinations are specified; for the via ferrata, the route along the wall, its length and the summit elevation help you assess the tour. These distinctions are useful if you want to plan your outings based on specific route features.

Toboggan Run and Almflieger

Another clearly described route is the illuminated Gerlosstein natural toboggan run. It is about 7 km long and leads from the Gerlossteinbahn mountain station to the valley station in Dörfl. It thus explicitly connects the two stations; the length is approximate. The Almflieger Gerlosstein can be described in different terms: it has four routes, each up to 738 m long, and reaches a maximum speed of 50 km/h. While the toboggan run is defined by its route between the mountain and valley stations, the Almflieger’s number of routes, maximum length and top speed provide useful points of reference. This lets you compare the different activities based on the features specified for each one.

Maria Rast: Building History and Pilgrimage

The Maria Rast pilgrimage church combines a specific building history with a pilgrimage tradition upheld every year. Construction of the present-day church began in 1738, replacing a small wooden chapel. In 1748, it received a Rococo altar by Stefan Föger. The dates mark two separate stages: the start of construction and the later addition of the altar. At the same time, many people from near and far make an annual pilgrimage to the Madonna of Maria Rast. Alongside the church’s historical development, the recurring pilgrimage is another distinctive point of interest during a stay in Hainzenberg.

Cheese Production and Historic Equipment

Another local highlight is the Hochzeller Käsealm in Hainzenberg. There, traditional recipes are used to make mainly cheese, as well as bacon, smoked sausages and schnapps. The cheese museum at the Käsealm is housed in an alpine hut, over 150 years old, that has been rebuilt true to the original. It displays restored old equipment that is still in working order. This place brings together the tradition of production and the museum’s focus on craftsmanship.

Discover more destinations: Buch in Tirol, Hippach-Schwendberg, Zellberg, Maurach, Schwaz, Stummerberg, Fügenberg, Weerberg

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