Winter hike from St. Gilgen to the Zwölferhorn on Lake Wolfgangsee in the Salzkammergut region

This time, we once again travelled up the Zwölferhorn in the beautiful Salzkammergut region, starting in St. Gilgen am Wolfgangsee

I had been planning to hike up the Zwölferhorn for a long time - and more in winter, as the crowds here are still limited. So it's a real insider tip if you want to enjoy the peace and quiet at the summit. We were also lucky, as the cable car was not in operation - so it was particularly quiet at the summit that day. 🫠 You can find my hike at the end of the blog post for you to follow yourself. ⛰️

Another advantage in winter: There are no grazing animals - this is always a point that I take into account when I go hiking, as I simply feel more comfortable with Shaggy when we don't have to go through any pasture.

Be sure to check out my reel on Instagram:

The hike from St. Gilgen am Wolfgangsee to the Zwölferhorn

90 % of my blog consists of hikes in the Salzkammergut - and this time we also went to a summit in the tourist area of the Salzkammergut.

We started in St. Gilgen and first headed towards Nora and Margarethenhöhe with a great viewpoint. ⚠️ Caution: This section is only for experienced hikers and is actually somewhat dangerous in winter - including the risk of falling due to possible avalanches. If you are unsure, you should definitely use the forest road instead.

After that, we headed uphill through small sections of forest and forest tracks. You can find my tour in detail at the end of this post. Once we reached the Lärchenhütte, we turned off in the direction of Stubenbach to visit the Zwölferhorn photo window before reaching the summit. After a short break, we continued on to the summit and then back down again.

Key data for the hike to the Zwölferhorn

✅ approx. 14 km
✅ approx. 1100 hm
✅ Around 4.5 hours including photo and snack breaks
✅ Suitable for very fit children and dogs
✅ Basic fitness is an urgent requirement

⚠️ Difficulty in winter: difficult
⚠️ Difficulty in summer: medium
⚠️ No cattle grazing in winter
⚠️ Risk of slipping and falling in places

⛔️ 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.

Approach to St. Gilgen to the Zwölferhorn

We travelled by car again this time - but the public transport connections here are also relatively good thanks to the buses. We drove to Mondsee on the motorway and then took the main road to St. Gilgen for about 15 minutes.

We parked directly at the public car park near the valley station (see start of the tour at the bottom of the Komoot map). A day ticket for parking here currently costs € 4.50 for one car.

Check out public transport right here:

Refreshment stops on the Zwölferhorn

Unfortunately, I couldn't find out whether any of the nearby places to stop for a bite to eat also offer plant-based dishes. 🌱 That's why I won't make a specific recommendation here. It's best to simply bring a good snack and a nice coffee in a thermos flask - then you're definitely on the safe side. 🥪☕️ What a shame - so many huts up there and not a single plant-based option - maybe this will change soon. 🫢

My summary of the hike up the Zwölferhorn

I can highly recommend this hike. It was challenging and there are a few metres in altitude to conquer, but if you're an enthusiastic mountain hiker, it's a really great tour. We took a small diversions, but it was definitely worth it. During the tour, you are rewarded time and again with truly fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and Lake Wolfgangsee. 🤩

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: Hike to the Kleiner Sonnstein in the Salzkammergut