The trail starts at the Seebergsattel parking lot, located above the village of Seewiesen. The road here leads from the town of Mariazell. Parking is free.

Description of the hike

We set off from the parking lot at the Seebergsattel pass and joined Trail 855 just past the road. The trail then climbs around Seeleiten up to the ridge at the Turnau–Seewiesen signpost. The trail leads through the forest at first, then we passed through dwarf pine scrub and reached the saddle on the ridge. We continued along the ridge on Trail 853 to just below Krautgartenkogel, turned sharply left below it, and climbed across the plateau to the summit.

On the way back, we descended diagonally back to Trail 853 and then to the turnoff for Gamsteig, where the descent begins. The trail descends steeply through a cirque into the valley, passing the Bruchtal Quelle spring along the way. Then, lower down in the forest, it joins a wide forest road and continues down to the parking lot. You should bring sturdy hiking boots, a windbreaker, a raincoat, food, and water. Trekking poles are especially useful during the descent.

Difficulty

A hike with 900 meters of elevation gain and 900 meters of elevation loss. The trail follows a path frequently crossed by the roots of large spruce trees, and at higher elevations, you’ll occasionally need to climb over rocks. Overall, the ascent is quite steep. No safety equipment is required. It will be slippery when wet—caution is advised. You’ll need good hiking boots, a windbreaker, a raincoat, and a hat.

Water availability

Bring 1.5 liters of water per person. On the way down, there’s a spring called Bruchtal Quelle at the bottom of the trail. I drank from it and everything was fine.

Mountain peaks

From the summit of Krautgartenkogel, there are magnificent views of the eastern part of the Hochschwab Mountains and the surrounding mountain ranges—the Veitsch Alps, the Ybbstal Alps, and others. Along the way, we made a detour to Seeleiten and signed the summit logbook. There were stunning views all around.