A leisurely hike up Großer Königskogel

An easy hike to Großer Königskogel near the town of Mariazell

Starting point

A bend on a wide forest road at the gate near the Schöneben farm. The turnoff to this forest road is off the road leading from the town of Mariazell.
 

Description of the hike

Because of the condition of my knee, I chose to climb Großer Königskogel for my first trek in the Alps this year, as it is one of the easiest hikes you can do in these mountains. The elevation gain isn’t significant, and the vast majority of the route follows a wide trail that’s also used by cyclists.

From the gate on the forest road, I set off up this wide path through the woods. The ascent is gentle, which is true for essentially the entire trek. After about 1 km, I found myself in beautiful alpine meadows dotted with mountain huts. Right at the start of this meadow, I left the red hiking trail and continued along the wide path. It also leads past a spring where you can refill your water supply. Along the way, I climbed up to the Dürrieglalm hut. Here, views opened up not only of my destination, the Großer Königskogel, but also of the surrounding mountains. Beyond the hut, the path stopped climbing; instead, after a short while, it descended slightly into a saddle. Beyond that, however, the gentle ascent continues along a switchback. I reached the Königsalm hut.

Beyond this hut, I left the wide path and continued across the meadow through open terrain to the saddle between the Kleiner Königskogel and Großer Königskogel peaks. I climbed to the summit itself again through open terrain, up a slightly steeper slope. The trail isn’t very visible here, but it isn’t necessary either. From the saddle, the ascent is very short. From the summit, the surrounding mountain ranges are beautifully visible—Veitschalpe, Schneealpe, Raxalpe, Hochschwab, and others. After resting, we then returned to the car via the exact same route.
 

Difficulty

A very easy route by Alpine standards. The vast majority of the trail follows a wide path. Only the final stretch runs through open terrain across Alpine meadows. The climb to the summit itself is a bit steeper, but not dangerous. The total elevation gain is also modest by Alpine standards. Suitable for beginners or families with children.
 

Water availability

The water source is located near the mountain huts, about 2 km from the start of the hike. The Dürrieglalm and Königsalm huts were closed, and there was no water there. Therefore, you must bring your own water.

Sleeping options

I was staying in the town of Mariazell, which is about a 20-minute drive from the start of the hike.
 

Mountain peaks

From the summit of the Großer Königskogel, there are beautiful views not only of the Mürzsteg Alps themselves, but also of the surrounding mountain ranges—the Veitschalpe, Hochschwab, Schneealpe, Raxalpe, and others.
 

Danger

The route is very easy and even beginners can manage it. The only section where you need to be careful is the final climb to the summit. There is no clear trail here, and the slope is quite steep. However, since you’re walking on a grassy slope, the climb isn’t too difficult.
 

Food

There are no mountain huts along the route. I don't think the alpine pastures serve food in the summer either. That's why it's important to bring a snack with you.