Arthurhaus to Erichhütte Hike In Hochkönig

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The hike from Arthurhaus to Erichhütte in the Hochkönig region of Austria is a scenic and moderately challenging trail that offers hikers stunning alpine views and a taste of Austria’s pristine mountain landscape. Starting at Arthurhaus, a popular lodge and trailhead, the route takes you through lush meadows, rocky paths, and forested areas with panoramic views of the Hochkönig massif.

Along the trail, you’ll pass grazing cows, wildflowers, and dramatic mountain scenery, with frequent opportunities to stop at traditional mountain huts. Erichhütte, your destination, is a cozy mountain hut that provides refreshments, traditional Austrian dishes, and a welcoming spot to rest while taking in the surrounding peaks.

This hike is ideal if you’re looking for a moderate day hike with accessible paths, well-marked trails, and unforgettable views typical of the Austrian Alps. It’s generally accessible from late spring through early fall, with the best weather conditions in June to September.

Arthurhaus to Erichhütte Hiking Stats

Distance – 9.8km

Elevation – 314m

Duration – 3 hours

Starting Point – Arthurhaus, Mühlbach am Hochkönig

End Point – Erichhütte car park

Level – Easy to Moderate. Compared to other hikes in Salzburg the elevation gain is more gradually and the terrain itself isn’t too technical. I carried César on my back during the entire trail and felt confident doing so the entire time.

Parking – You can either park your car at the Arthurhaus parking lot or at the Erichhütte car park.

Best time to visit – June through October, depending on the weather circumstances.

How to reach the trailhead

There are several options when hiking the Arthurhaus to Erichhütte trail in Hochkönig. It’s a one way hiking trail which means that you won’t hike out & back, instead you’ll take a bus to reach the starting point again.

🚌 BUS – Bus #593 runs between Arthurhaus and Erichhütte on an hourly basis. You can find its exact timetable here. The driving time between the two huts is about 45 minutes with frequent stops in between.

Now for those options:

• You can park your car at Arthurhaus – hike to Erichhütte – hike down to the bus stop – take the bus back to Arthurhaus
• You can park your car at the Erichhütte parking lot – hike up to Erichhütte – hike to Arthurhaus – take the bus back to Erichhütte parking lot
• You can park your car at the Erichhütte parking lot – take the bus back to Arthurhaus -hike to Erichhütte – hike down to the parking lot.
• You can park your car at Arthurhaus – take the bus to Erichhütte – hike up – hike back to Arthurhaus

To reach the trailhead at Arthurhaus simply walk behind the mountain hut and follow the trail on your left.

At Erichhütte you’ll have to hike up and once you reach the mountain hut follow the trail on your right.

🚗 Rent a car by using SunnyCars. There’s never any hidden costs with them and free cancellation up to 1 hour before rental start. Their price is transparent and everything is included.

The best time to hike in Hochkönig

The best time to hike in the Hochkönig region is from late June to early September. During these months, the trails are typically free of snow, and the alpine meadows are in full bloom, offering beautiful scenery and comfortable temperatures for hiking. July and August are particularly popular, as the weather is warmest and most of the mountain huts, including Erichhütte and others along popular routes, are open and fully staffed.

Early June and late September can also be excellent for hiking, with fewer crowds and cooler temperatures, though you may encounter some remaining snow on higher-altitude trails in June and occasional rain in September. Outside of these months, snow and unpredictable weather can make hiking challenging, and many huts and facilities close for the off-season.

October can also be an option if the weather permits. Fall colors will be in full bloom, temperatures will be more chilly but you’ll most likely have the trails all to yourself.

💡 TIP – If you’re unsure about the current weather circumstances you can always check the Mühlbach am Hochkönig webcam. Weather in the mountains can always be unpredictable. For instance we went hiking in Salzburg in September and had glorious weather but a day after we left it had already started snowing!

💡 TIP – The Erichhütte is closed during winter and you can check the opening times for Arthurshaus here. Especially if you’re planning on hiking in October you’ll need to bring your own food and drinks on the trail since most mountain huts will be closed.

Where to stay

We stayed in the valley of Wagrain at the 4 star Berghotel Alpenklang. A family run hotel where both breakfast and dinner are included and a beautiful terrace with a view over the valley and surrounding mountains.

Other plus points:

• We got a family room so César had his own separate bedroom which is a blessing for a good night’s sleep.
• Dinner could be served at our own pace which was ideal with a fussy 1 year old who loves nothing more than to throw everything on the ground in the evening.
• Ideally located in between all of the different area’s that we wanted to go hiking during our Salzburg itinerary.

Hiking the trail with a baby

We used the Thule Child carrier for all of our hikes in Salzburg and Christof and I switched carrying César depending on the length and difficulty of the trail.

I would love nothing more than to carry him all the time but my height and strength are not sufficient enough to do so unfortunately.

Nevertheless it was possible for me to carry him all the way on this particular trail due to the low incline gradient.

A big advantage of the Thule Child carrier is that it can also serve as a chair when resting. Most mountain huts won’t have any amenities for a baby. So we made sure to always bring his food preheated in a container and bring enough water and snacks. You really don’t want to deal with a hangry baby on the trail.

Arthurhaus to Erichhütte Hike – A step by step guide

We arrived in Hochkönig around 11am, parked our car at Arthurhaus and went on our way. The hiking trail starts behind the Sennerei Schweizerhütte at the foot of the Hochkönig mountain range. Take a left and follow the hiking trail towards Windrauchegg Alm. On the way you’ll pass through meadows and pine forest, all the while overlooking the majestic peaks of the Hochkönig mountain range. We decided not to stop here but to continue straight on.

When you reach Windrauchegg Alm simply pass it on the right side and continue walking towards the west. You’ll pas through green pastures and might even encounter some cows on the hiking trail as well.

This is also where you’ll encounter the steepest decline and incline and one of the most beautiful parts of the trail called the Riedingtal Valley. In the distance you can see the Riedingalm but you can ignore that mountain hut.

After the Riedingtal Valley the trail leads up again over some rocky terrain and will lead you straight to the Vier Hütten. When we were there only 1 out of 4 was open but we did enjoy some local delicacies, kaiserschmarren and a cold beer.

From here it’s about 2 more hours of hiking before reaching Erichhütte. The trail goes gradually up and down and for most of the time now you won’t be walking next to the base of the mountains anymore. But the views in the distance more than make up for it!

After reaching the Erichhütte you can check the bus timetable to see when the next bus will arrive. It takes about 20 minutes to hike down to the bus station. When we arrived we had just missed the bus so we decided to stay up a little longer and enjoy another Austrian beer (can never have enough of those :p). Afterwards we hiked down, jumped on the bus and got 40 minutes later we arrived back at Arthurhaus.

If you have any questions about how to tackle this hike, or you wish ti share your own experience, let me know in the comment section below!

More information on the Salzburg region in Austria

The Perfect Salzburg 1 Week Travel Guide

How To Visit The Grossglockner High Alpine Road In Austria – Tips & Epic Viewpoints

Visiting Sigmund Thun Klamm – A Complete Guide to Kaprun’s Most Scenic Gorge

Visiting Krimml Waterfalls – A Complete Guide to Austria’s Tallest Waterfalls

The 10 Very Best Hikes In Salzburg In Austria – Including Map & Tips

Visiting Liechtensteinklamm – A Complete Guide to Austria’s Most Impressive Gorge

Hiking from Hofpürgl Hut to Sulzenalm – A Scenic Alpine Trail in Filzmoos, Austria

Hiking to Tappenkarsee – A Stunning Alpine Lake Trail in Salzburg, Austria

Hiking to Hochkeil – A Scenic Summit Trail in Salzburg’s Mountains

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Charlotte

Hi! We’re Charlotte, Christof & César!

Armed with our cameras & drone we’re always on the lookout for the next adventure!
We’ve been traveling together since 2020 and the best adventures are yet to come!
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