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Gesäuse National Park

Plizio editorial teamUpdated: Jun 2026Data Sources

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Gesäuse National Park, established in 2002, is the youngest of Austria's six national parks and is located in the province of Styria. It covers an area of approximately 110 square kilometers, encompassing the dramatic gorge of the Enns River and the towering limestone massifs of the Ennstal Alps. The park takes its name from the rushing sound of the water ('Gesäuse') as it breaks through the narrow valley. The region is celebrated for its extraordinary biodiversity, including numerous endemic plant and animal species that are found exclusively in this area. Beyond its ecological significance, Gesäuse is a historic center for alpinism with a long tradition of mountaineering and rock climbing. The visitor center in Admont and the unique 'Willow Dome' (Weidendom) provide extensive information on the park's geology and ecology. Through targeted conservation efforts, the natural dynamics of the river landscape and primeval forests are preserved, making the park a sanctuary for endangered species such as the European otter and the golden eagle.

Location: Upper Austria, Austria
Top sights: Hochtor · Hochzinödl · Planspitze
Nearby: Liezen (31 km)

Best time to visit & climate

The most pleasant time to visit is Jun–Aug.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg °C	-5	-4	0	5	9	13	15	15	10	6	1	-3
Rain mm	69	59	71	68	129	156	166	166	125	88	68	65

📋 Practical info

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Getting there

The dramatically steep, wonderfully wild landscapes of this spectacular Styrian national park are most commonly accessed securely via winding roads intimately threading completely through the incredibly deep Enns Valley. Several official, highly informative visitor pavilions and clearly marked entry points perfectly provide highly structured, educational gateways directly into the rigidly protected wilderness.

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Best season

The absolute primary hiking and massive exploration season consistently runs from roughly late May firmly through October, definitively offering the safest possible conditions on the notoriously sheer, intimidatingly steep trails. Early spring is also remarkably, heavily popular among highly specialized, incredibly brave whitewater enthusiasts fiercely facing the violently raging Enns river.

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Terrain & paths

This profoundly protected area is globally famously characterized strictly by an exceptionally deeply carved river gorge majestically flanked by towering, near-vertical sheer limestone cliffs of astonishing height. Trails very often demand navigating wildly uneven, intensely root-filled, extremely dense forest paths and violently steep, frequently wet rocky ascents.

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What to bring

Exceedingly high-quality, wildly rugged hiking boots featuring absolutely phenomenal traction are completely non-negotiable for safely tackling the notoriously, relentlessly steep local mountain trails. Visitors simply must also carry totally comprehensive, heavy rain gear and incredibly sufficient hydration, as the trapped summer valley heat can be overwhelmingly intense.

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Parking

Officially designated, heavily regulated national park parking zones are strategically, carefully placed directly near major crucial trailheads, informational safety centers, and specifically authorized riverside rest areas. To aggressively protect the extremely fragile, pristine local environment, visitors absolutely must strictly avoid all illegal parking completely outside these specific authorized lots.

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Safety

The spectacularly wild, utterly unregulated freezing waters of the violently rushing Enns river strongly pose a highly significant, often deadly hazard, and visitors should truly never ever underestimate the insanely powerful invisible currents. Additionally, hikers inherently must be highly proficient, intensely physically fit, and incredibly surefooted when constantly ascending the severe, heavily exposed steep rock faces.

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Time needed

Fully and genuinely experiencing the profound, astonishing scale and biodiversity of this gorge usually forcefully demands at least one entire, exhausting full day of highly dedicated, intense exploration. Many truly passionate nature lovers wisely choose to enthusiastically spend multiple consecutive full days boldly tackling highly different, uniquely challenging sections of the notoriously difficult terrain.