Leitenkammerklamm to Zittauer Hut Hike

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Get ready for an adventure to remember as we hike to the Zittauer Hut! Nestled in the heart of Austria’s rugged Austrian Alps, the journey to this mountain hut is a spectacular blend of alpine meadows, rushing waterfalls, and jaw-dropping views.

Starting from the scenic Wildgerlostal valley, the trail will lead you past glittering glacial lakes, rocky terrains, and lush, green landscapes that feel straight out of an Austrian fairy tale. Known for its cozy, rustic atmosphere and unbeatable mountain panoramas, the Zittauer Hut is a perfect reward at the end of a challenging yet exhilarating hike.

Lace up your boots, pack some snacks, and get ready to experience a slice of alpine heaven on the way to this iconic Austrian hut!

Zittauer Hut Hiking Trail Stats

Distance – 13.5km

Elevation – 910m

Duration – 6hours

Starting Point – Alpengasthof Finkau Parking Lot

End Point – Alpengasthof Finkau Parking Lot

Route – Alpengasthof Finkau – Leitenkammerklamm – Zittauer Hut – Unterer Gerlossee – Leitenkammerklamm – Alpengasthof Finkau

Parking Fee – €5

Level – Moderate. Be aware that if you have a fear of heights that there is a ridge line on this trail which is exposed on both sides, followed by a steel ladder across the steepest part of the mountain.

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

How to reach the trailhead

The trail to the Zittauer Hut starts in the Wildgerlostal valley at the Alpengasthof Finkau Parking Lot.

If you’re driving from Mittersill you’ll pass by the Gerlos Alpenstraße, a 12km toll road with a fee of €9 per vehicle. The fee for the Gerlos Alpenstraße is included in the Hohe Tauern Sommercard.

In order to be able to enjoy the holiday region Hohe Tauern National Park with its diverse offer, the National Park SommerCard is available from 1 May to 31 October.

All guests staying at participating partner establishments receive the National Park SommerCard from their hosts. If you want to use the card before check-in, please contact your booked accommodation for the digital sending of the card!

60 attractions such as sights, museums and natural spectacles, leisure and sports facilities as well as cable cars can be visited and used with this card. In addition, the card offers maximum mobility.

💡 TIP – You’ll only drive on the Gerlos Alpenstraße for a few minutes so if you’re not eligible for the Hohe Tauern Sommercard you can also take a small detour to avoid paying the toll fee. If you’re coming from Mittersill take a right after Wald im Pinzgau to avoid driving on the toll road.

🚗 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 to the Zittauer Hut

The best time to hike to the Zittauer Hut is from mid-June to early September. During these summer months, the trails are mostly clear of snow, and the weather is typically warmer and more stable, allowing for safe and enjoyable hiking conditions.

In this season, alpine meadows are in full bloom, glacial streams are flowing, and you’ll get those classic blue-sky days with panoramic views of the Austrian Alps.

July and August are especially popular, as temperatures are at their warmest, and the hut is fully operational, offering food, drinks, and overnight accommodations. Early June and late September can also be beautiful, though there’s a higher chance of encountering snow patches, especially at higher elevations, and cooler temperatures.

Outside of this period, snow and challenging weather conditions can make the hike difficult and less accessible, and the hut may be closed.

💡 TIP – The Zittauer Hut is open from the start of June until the start of October.. So if you’re planning on hiking from the second week of October and onward do know that there won’t be any facilities at the top of the mountain and that you’ll have to bring your own food and drinks.

Where to stay

The first 3 nights we based ourselves in Stuhlfelden, a very small town next to Mittersill and perfect to discover the hikes located in the Hohe Tauern National Park!

🏨 We stayed at Hotel Flatscher, a cute little 3 star family run hotel that also offers dinner at a fair price.

The hotel is located right next to the main road which makes for shorter driving times.

Hiking to the Zittauer Hut 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. Since this was a pretty strenuous hike with a lot of elevation gain Christof carried César up and down. And both of them did it like a champ. Honestly we are extremely blessed when it comes to taking our baby with us on adventures. He either looks around in awe or he is sound asleep.

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.

Zittauer Hut Trail – Step by step guide

The hiking trail up to the Zittauer Hut consists of several stages. Below I will guide you through all of them so you know what to expect along the way!

The trail starts at the Alpengasthof Finkau Parking Lot. With the lake on your left walk through their playground and follow the markers towards the Leitenkammerklamm. The first part fo the trail follows a gravel road which is also suitable for mountain bikers.

After 15 minutes you’ll reach the forest where the trail forks off to the right. You can also keep on following the gravel road but I don’t recommend doing so cause then you’ll miss all the fun!

For the next 20 minutes you’ll walk through the forest and past the Leitenkammerklamm and all its different viewpoints!

The trail continues through the forest and in the distance you can already see the Reichenspitze. Next you’ll be walking through the Wildgerlostal and might bump into a couple of friendly cows grazing next to the road.

This is also where the forest trail ends and where you rejoin the mountain bikers on the gravel road. This section is long but pretty easy. And as you keep on walking the mountains get closer and closer and the views simply get better with every step you take. The path follows a river stream and you’ll see waterfalls all around. Near the end of the gravel road there’s a short push uphill to the Materialseilbahn Zittauer Hütte Talstation. This is where all the bikes get left behind and the trail becomes rockier.

The hiking trail continues on the left over rocky terrain and according to the signs it’s only 1 hour left to the Zittauer Hut. There are some narrow sections and at one point you’ll need to use a ladder to walk up.

If you’re afraid of heights this part might be a little bit tricky.

After that comes the last part of the hike where there’s nothing left to do but follow the trail markers up along the solid rocks. And then finally, after 3.5 hours of hiking you’ll reach the stunning Zittauer Hut and be reward with the most amazing view of the Unterer Gerlossee.

After resting for a while and enjoying some local delicacies it was time to make our way back down. The rocky part was pretty tough on the knees but once you reach the gravel road you can hike back pretty fast. On the way down we decided to skip the forest trail and simply kept on following the mountain bike path down. Just make sure to walk a bit on the side so the bikers can safely pass.

I hope you’ll love this hike as much as we did! If you have any questions feel free to drop them below in the comments!

More information on Salzburger 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

Arthurhaus to Erichhütte Hike In Hochkönig

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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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