Neualmscharte - Steirischer Bodensee | Schladminger Tauern Trail: Stage 05

From Preintalerhütte and Waldhornalm, this tour takes you to Hans-Wödl-Hütte in the Seewigtal valley of Haus via the "Höfertsteig" trail. Along the route, you pass by several mountain lakes: the Wildlochsee lake on the ascent to Neualmscharte gap, as well as Obersee, Hüttensee and Steirischer Bodensee lakes during the descent to Forellenhof and Seewigtalstüberl inns in the Seewigtal valley.

You start your tour at Preintalerhütte and Waldhornalm, where you cross over the creek and follow Höfertsteig #782 towards Neualmscharte/Planai. At the trail junction "Höfertsteig" you keep right (staying on trail #782), now hiking uphill towards Neualmscharte gap. Approximately after 2 hours you reach the gap, providing a great view throughout the Seewigtal valley with its 3 lakes. From there, the narrow trail at first descends through a steep chute. Eventually the trail gets a little less steep and the scenery becomes greener shortly before you reach the Obersee lake - the first of 3 lakes in the Seewigtal valley. You walk out of the valley along the shore and further down via another terrace and through clear forest to the Hüttensee lake.

Passing by along the slope above the lake you reach Hans-Wödl-Hütte where you can enjoy some refreshments. After taking a break at the hut you continue your way down into the valley along the well-maintained hiking trail. Shortly before reaching the Steirischer Bodensee lake you can make a small side-tour to the waterfall. Along the shore of the Bodensee you walk to Forellenhof inn (directly at the lake) and further out to the trail head and car parking at Seewigtalstüberl inn, from where the bus takes you back to Schladming.

This tour is an alternative route for the 5th stage of the Schladminger Tauern High Trail. For accessing the starting point of the 1st stage at Hochwurzen, we recommend taking the Planai buses to the valley terminal of Gipfelbahn Hochwurzen cable-car