Hallstatt Skywalk by foot
If you feel like you should earn to have a beautiful view, walking up Hallstatt Skywalk by your foot would be a good choice. The trail is suitable for everyone and it offers you amazing views along the way.
Hallstatt Skywalk is one of the best viewpoints in this area. It is a place you really cannot miss while you are spending time here. It offers the most spectacular views over the lake and the nature around. Skywalk lays over the Hallstatt in height 840 meters above the sea. The Hallstatt Lake is in the height of 504 meters above the sea. The walking route up is really short and steep. But don’t worry, everyone can make it, so if you are traveling with a family, it is totally suitable for children too. But do not underestimate the situation and pack a good shoes and clothes for your trip. If you didn’t pack all necessities, there is a possibility to rent all kind of sport equipment in the Janu Sport Shop in the center of Hallstatt.
This panoramic viewpoint allows you to enjoy the view in almost 350 meters above the roofs of Hallstatt and the lake. The area of the Hallstatt lake is approximately 13 km². From Skywalk you will see the southern side which is the widest and there are two coastal towns -Hallstatt and Obertraun. Obertraun is the place, where the River Train flows into the lake. The viewpoint itself is a triangular platform. If you stand on the top of it, the mountains are all around you.
Hiking trail to Hallstatt Skywalk by foot
The trail up to the Skywalk is not a long one. It starts right in the center of Hallstatt. You have two options of route you choose – shorter (1,9 km) and longer (2,4 km). The longer one will take you to a walk through the town first, around the Catholic Hallstatt church. Then you will come to the green trail “Salzkammergut Soleweg” which will lead you to “Hallstatt – Plassen” trail. This trail is leading all the way up to the Plassen mountain through the Salzberg valley. The Skywalk viewpoint lays right on the edge of the Salzberg valley.
Elevation of your walk is almost 350 meters – the trail contains stairs and narrow paths. It is walkable all the time of a year. Be careful if it is raining or snowing, it would be slippery and can be closed by the town officials. Always have a steady shoes for the hiking. It takes sometime over an hour to go up. Be prepared that in good weather there may be a lot of people going this route, so it will take you a little longer
Dear fellow hikers, please be aware that the hiking path to the Salzberg, known as the “Serpentine Trail,” will be closed from October 7 to November 11, 2024, for construction and renovation. If you plan to hike to the Skywalk or Plassen, you’ll need to take an alternate route through Echerntal valley. Be sure to allow extra time for your hike, as the detour will add approximately 60 minutes to your journey.
- “Gorgeous hike, if you dreamt of hiking in the Alps then this is a great entry level hike for you. The hike has lots of great information signs explaining some history of Hallstatt, this is paired with some gorgeous views.”
Viewpoints during the way up – Hallstatt Skywalk by foot
The way up to the Skywalk will offer you many viewpoint while walking. There are several platforms on the way from where you can see the lake bellow you. You will go pass the Kaiser Franz Josef Stollen, which was a drift formerly used in the course of salt mining. The trail is also educational – a lot of information boards are along the way. You can discover history about the Salzkammergut area, the Hallstatt town, the salt mining and other.
When is the best time to go hiking this trail?
The hike is possible in every season of the year. It has its pros and cons in all the times. In winter it has amazing views on the clear white nature all around. But it could be slippery and harder to go up. Also the weather isn’t always good. Sometimes the route is closed due to too much snow. In spring and fall you may expect a lot of rainy days, maybe even snow, so it could make the hike and the views worse. In
summer it would be really great because of the temperature, sun and views. But it is also the time that is the most busy, so you have to be prepared for a bigger amount of people on the way.
Reviews on the view and hike
The hike up to the Skywalk and the viewpoint itself have a great reviews. It is truly one of the best places to see in this area. The Skywalk viewpoint has a free entry so when you hike up by yourself and don’t use the cable car, this trip will cost you nothing.
- “One of the most beautiful places in Hallstatt. Worth the visit.”
- “I hiked to the skywalk instead of the funicular and what a stunning hike it was. The views of Hallstatt town, lake, and surrounding mountains were mesmerizing. Highly recommended!”
- “Definitely go in the morning. Enjoy the sun. The sooner – the better. And by feet from the lower station is the best.”
Surroundings of the Skywalk
When you are going to visit the Skywalk viewpoint, there are other things you shoudn’t miss while you are there. One of them is the Rudolfsturm building. It is right next to the Skywalk and there is a restaurant inside. The restaurant will offer you some of the traditional Austrian food and drinks together with the beautiful view. You may enjoy the view on the lake while you are eating inside or at the panoramic terrace.
Another continuing to your trip could be the Hallstatt Salt mine. Since Hallstatt is a place with a great history of salt mining, the tour through the mine is an interesting experience. When you walk up to the Skywalk, you will continue around the Rudoflsturm and go up through the Salzberg Valley. After a while, you will reach a building Knappenhaus where the tour starts. You can buy the tickets for your tour online.
Summary
There are many options what to do in Hallstatt. When you decide to walk up to the Skywalk by yourself, you can make it an all-day trip with other places added. If you are in Hallstatt just for one day and you don’t have much time, you can simply just come up, enjoy the view and continue with whatever are your priorities in this area. However the Skywalk should be one of them, it is one of the best places you can visit in Hallstatt.