Hike to the Schlosskogel through the Kaltenbach wilderness on Traunsee lake in Salzkammergut

The Kaltenbach wilderness is always suitable for a great and lovely walk after work – this time we combined the walk with the Schlosskogel. ⛰️

We were recently at the summit Surprise, which can also be reached via the Kaltenbach wilderness and is a real insider tip – you can find the blog post about it here: A real surprise: hike to the summit cross Surprise at the Kaltenbach wilderness

On the way down, I then saw some people at the Schlosskogel who were enjoying the sunset, which made it clear to me that my next hike would be to the Schlosskogel. Many hikers even combine both tours and go via the Kaltenbachwildnis first to the Überraschung and then to the Schlosskogel (or vice versa), thus having three great destinations with two summits on the tour. 🤩

The Schlosskogel is a very small peak with little altitude gain and is better suited for less energetic people than the Surprise. The combination with the Kaltenbachwildnis and the Schlosskogel is also ideal for people who want a summit experience but don't want to tackle many metres of altitude. It is also possible to hike only the Kaltenbachwildnis or only the Schlosskogel to save a few more metres of altitude.

Despite this, the Schlosskogel is strenuous and sure-footedness is absolutely essential! I wouldn't do this tour with inexperienced dogs that would need to be lifted in two places. 🐾

Beware of ticks in the Kaltenbach wilderness!

Ticks are a real nuisance in the Kaltenbach nature reserve, especially on the path to both peaks (Schlosskogel and Überraschung). I've never seen or experienced anything like it, and the community has also informed me multiple times about the sheer number of ticks. After the hike, I spent three hours removing around 100 ticks from Shaggy's fur – and that's no exaggeration!.

Therefore, my tip is: definitely wear long trousers and thoroughly check yourselves, children and dogs. There are also many nymphs, which look like a 1mm speck of dust, around.

Tips from the community

I've started a community survey and the most mentioned tip to protect Shaggy preventatively from ticks has been coconut oil. I'll definitely be testing this out and will update on social media about how well it works.

⚠️ Warning: Before you use anything for ticks on your dog, research it thoroughly and ask your vet. I'm only sharing my experiences here and not providing medical advice – obviously. 😊

You absolutely have to watch my Reel about it on Instagram:

The hike up the Schlosskogel through the Kaltenbach wilderness on Traunsee (Gmunden in Salzkammergut)

The hike up the Schlosskogel is ideal as an after-work round. As mentioned in the introduction, this summit is also suitable for beginners with good sure-footedness (as it is already partly exposed or has narrow paths). You also get a bit of a ridge feeling at the top, as you can walk along for a few metres at the highest point.

We started from the free car park right on the road (see my Komoot tour at the end of the post) and went first through the Kaltenbach wilderness and then up to the Schlosskogel.

The path to the Schlosskogel is unmarked and unsignposted. Only the beaten track is visible.

The key details are the total distance, including Kaltenbachwildnis and Schlosskogel. If you only want to do one of them, you can roughly halve the altitude gain.

Key Data for the Hike to Schlosskogel

✅ 4 km
✅ 350 meters
✅ Around 1.5 hours
✅ It's best to bring your own snacks
⚠️ Children and dogs must be very experienced – it's a bit of a scramble and I had to lift Shaggy 🐾 up and down in places (it's very narrow and precipitous in these spots)
⚠️ Requires very good stamina
⚠️ Footwear safety strictly required
⛔️ Not suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs

⚠️ ATTENTION: We expressly point out that we accept no liability for accidents or possibly closed trails. Before hiking, check the availability of the trail and reflect on your own fitness.

Getting there and parking at Lake Traunsee near Kaltenbachwildnis

We travelled by car and like to park directly on the street at the entrance. Parking spaces are very limited and in summer, during the day, only allowed for a maximum of 3 hours (beware, checks are carried out daily and regularly). Other options include the car park at the turning circle (with public toilets), which however costs quite a bit, or possibly at Hoisn Wirt (unfortunately I don't know the conditions here).

At the end of your Komoot tour, you can directly start navigation back to the starting point by clicking the "Directions" button.

Public transport is also an option.

Check out public transport right here:

Places to stop for refreshments during the hike

There are no refreshment stops with vegetarian options on this hike. If this changes, I'd be happy to be informed so I can update it immediately. ⛰️ It's best to simply bring your own good snack and a fine coffee in a thermos flask – then you're definitely on the safe side. 🥪☕️

My conclusion on the hike

I don't think it's been a secret for a long time that I'm an absolute fan of the Kaltenbachwildnis. There are already a few posts about it here on the blog, and I feel like I post Reels of it multiple times on social media 😄 I think these hikes around the Kaltenbachwildnis have something magical about them, and this time too, it’s a great hike that might even be possible for less-fitter people who don’t want to start straight off with the big peaks.

Be careful of the ticks only, but otherwise definitely recommended. 🤩

Komoot tour to follow yourself

Further recommendation

Did you like this post? Then I have another great hiking tip for you! 🤩 Have a read here: A real surprise: hike to the summit cross Surprise at the Kaltenbach wilderness