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From 2026, our blog posts will be exclusively vegan! This means: we emphasise vegan-friendly places and refreshment stops to actively support vegan activities and vegan leisure tips. Hike to the Geisswand - viewpoint on the Baalstein is one of my top excursion destinations. Tarmac, steps, a gravel path and a great forest path lead you to the viewpoint. One of the most varied tours I know. Perfect for me to go on a nice hiking trip with my 12-year-old dog.
Early in the morning I set off with Emma and my family on this great tour, the hike up the Geisswand - viewpoint on the Baalstein. A really great excursion in Traunkirchen. Perfect for a not too long but challenging tour. After just one hour and almost 2.5 kilometres, you will be rewarded with a fantastic view.
Directions and parking facilities
By car:
From here, take the A1 motorway in the direction of either Salzburg or Linz/Vienna as far as the Regau exit. Continue towards Gmunden for about 5 kilometres until you reach the traffic lights at McDonald's. Take the left-hand lane in the direction of Bad Ischl/Ebensee. Follow this lane along the Traunsee for about 10 kilometres until just before the Geisswand Tunnel. Turn left here onto Seestraße towards Traunkirchen. Only just under 1.5 kilometres separate you from your destination - the P1 Harrachbach car park, where your journey up the Baalstein begins.
By public transport:
Easier than you think. First stop, Attnang Puchheim railway station. From here, a regional train or regional express runs to Traunkirchen Ort every 1-2 hours. 30 minutes without a change on the regional train and 45 minutes with a change if you opt for the REX. If you prefer the regional express, you have to change to a bus at the station in Gmunden, which has almost 20 stops in store for you. The price here is €6.50 each way, i.e. €13 for a return journey.
Car parking facilities:
The P1 Harrachberg car park was my option for parking my car. Around 25-30 cars can park here for a fee. Not only have I had no problems getting a space here so far, but I also think the prices for the hike up the Baalstein are completely reasonable. The first 15 minutes are free, the first hour costs €1, and every additional half hour costs another euro. So, if you want to be on the safe side, „feed“ the parking machine with €5 and you can park your car for 180 minutes. This is definitely enough time to get to the summit, have a rest and enjoy the view to the full.
Route description and key data for the hike up the Geisswand - viewpoint on the Baalstein
As already mentioned, the hike to the Geisswand - viewpoint on the Baalstein is very varied. You start at the P1 Harrachberg car park, where you walk the first few metres along the Traunsee lake on a paved footpath. Then it's a „step-by-step“ ascent - literally. Over the next 500 metres, you cover 100 metres in altitude via steps. I'm not a fan of stairs on hiking trails, but on this tour the stepped section is perfectly acceptable.
After this section, you can follow a forest road or opt for a narrow „forest path“ that runs parallel to it. The whole thing goes on for about half a kilometre and you have already left the next 100 metres of altitude behind you. Now comes the beautiful, but also strenuous part of this route. Just over a kilometre and around 250 metres in altitude separate you from the Geisswand summit cross. A steep, beautiful forest path leads you over hill and dale closer and closer to your destination. On the last section, you have to overcome rocks and crampons until you are rewarded with a wonderful view.
Viewpoint on the Baalstein
On the way back, we visited the viewpoint on the Baalstein, which is around 500 metres and 50 metres further down. Of course, you can also visit it on the way out, take a short break and recharge your batteries before continuing on to the Geisswand. Or you can tackle just one of the two destinations and shorten your hiking trip. You can organise this adventure however you like and that's exactly why I love the hike to the Geisswand - viewpoint on the Baalstein so much.
The path is clearly recognisable and always well marked. In MY OPINION, it is almost impossible to take a wrong turn here. There is signposting to the Baalstein, but for people like me - who are often a bit lost in thought or simply enjoy it - it might be easy to overlook. There is a sign with an arrow pointing to the left hanging on a tree slightly above - „Aussichtspunkt am Baalstein“. The only thing I personally noticed was the signposting at the end to the Geisswand. There is no signpost and the red-white-red flag marking the correct route is very difficult to recognise. This makes the last section to the summit cross a little more difficult.
Key data
- ✅ Höchster Punkt 875 m
- ✅ Distanz 5,2 Kilometer
- ✅ 410 Höhenmeter
- ✅ 2 – 2,5 Stunden Hin- und Rückweg
- ✅ Einkehrmöglichkeit vorhanden
- ✅ Kein Weidevieh
- ✅ Very varied
- Suitable for children
- Suitable for dogs
- ✅ Bademöglichkeit vorhanden
- ⚠️ Sturdy footwear
- ⚠️Trittsicherheit
- ⚠️ Not possible with a pushchair
- ⚠️ Schwindelfreiheit – bei den Aussichtspunkten leichte Absturzgefahr
⚠️ 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.
Refreshment stops and what else awaits you
From the car park to the actual starting point, there are two places to stop for refreshments after the hike to the Geisswand - viewpoint on the Baalstein.
Klosterstube Traunkirchen
In summer you can enjoy the day in the guest garden, close to the shore of Lake Traunsee, and in winter the cosy interior, lovingly decorated with lots of wood, invites you to linger. Have I aroused your interest? Then browse through the Menu and look forward to hours of enjoyment after this great tour in the Klosterstube Traunkirchen.
Opening hours (as of March 2024)
- Wednesday and Thursday from 16:00 - 23:00
- Friday and Saturday from 12:00 - 23:00
- Sunday from 10:00 - 19:00
- Monday and Tuesday day off
The boathouse
A gourmet restaurant to feel good in, without any frills and proof that sophistication and simplicity do not contradict each other but harmonise perfectly - as the owners describe it on their website.
Opening hours (as of March 2024)
- Thursday to Sunday from 18:00
- on Sundays and public holidays additionally from 12:00 - 14:00
But it's not just a gourmet restaurant, it also offers overnight accommodation. The boathouse belongs to the „The Traunsee - The hotel on the lake„, which also gives you the chance to spend a few extra days visiting Traunkirchen and its surroundings.
In summer
For me, the opportunity to cool down and refresh myself afterwards is always a huge plus point on a hiking tour. After the tour, you are already directly at Lake Traunsee, where you can look for a nice spot and round off the day properly. Just before the P1 Harrachberg car park, there is a lovely public bathing area that you can use for this purpose.
My summary of the hike up the Geisswand - viewpoint on the Baalstein
Straight to the point, a really great tour. I always go hiking with my dog, a Jack Russell Terrier lady - 13 years YOUNG and in great shape, but not every tour is possible with her. However, the hike to the Geisswand - viewpoint on the Baalstein is perfect for this. It's very varied, there are easy but also challenging passages and this tour is not at all overcrowded.
For me, it's simply one of my absolute favourite tours. Now that I know the route to the Geisswand, I would always do this hike in the same way and visit the Baalstein on the way back. I don't need to say much about the view over Traunkirchen and Lake Traunsee, it's simply marvellous. Although there is no hut at the summit, there are great places to stop for refreshments in Traunkirchen after the tour. There is a public bathing area on the route, which is perfect for cooling off in summer.
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