Bischofshofen: Ore Trail, Waterfall and Mining History
Accommodation in Bischofshofen
The approximately 60 km-long Ore Trail passes through four towns and leads to the visitor centre of the UNESCO Global Geopark Erz der Alpen in Bischofshofen. Other highlights include an easy hike to Buchberg Church and the Gainfeld Waterfall, just a few minutes’ walk from the town centre. If you are considering Bischofshofen as a place to stay, you can base your decision on these different interests.
File:Austria bischofshofen aerial view.jpg
Photo: Arne MĂĽseler via Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0-DE
Ore Trail and Mining History
Admission to the visitor centre is free. Hüttau, Bischofshofen, Mühlbach am Hochkönig and St. Veit im Pongau jointly present an exhibition there on prehistoric and historic ore mining. The exhibition and the trail offer two different ways to explore this subject: the exhibition brings together the four towns at one visitor site, while the Ore Trail is a roughly 60-kilometre route connecting them.
The Ore Trail runs along the slope of Buchberg to Bischofshofen and the visitor centre, which is located in the area of the Paul AuĂźerleitner ski jump. If you are planning a visit, check the current opening hours in advance. This lets you plan the time for the visitor centre separately from your decision about whether to explore sections of the longer trail as well.
On Foot to Buchberg Church and the Gainfeld Waterfall
An easy hike starts at the tennis courts right in the centre of Bischofshofen, passes the St. Rupert Mission House and continues to Buchberg Church. The church is a late medieval filial church built above the Salzach Valley. This named starting point and the stops along the way provide clear directions for anyone interested in this walk with a cultural and historical destination.
The Gainfeld Waterfall plunges 50 metres and is just a few minutes’ walk from the town centre. You can choose between the hike to Buchberg Church and a visit to the waterfall; for the waterfall, the walking distance from the centre is a practical point in its own right. The leisure area in Bischofshofen is also a starting point for several cycling and hiking trails, providing another place to set out on outdoor activities.
Sports and Leisure
The Sepp (Buwi) Bradl Stadium is known for hosting the annual finale of the Four Hills Tournament. Bischofshofen Erlebnisbad has an adventure pool with a water slide, a current channel and a mushroom fountain, as well as a swimming and diving pool and a toddlers’ area. These attractions add more options for planning your day alongside the hiking and cultural destinations. Which focus suits you depends on whether you would rather combine your stay with trails, mining history, the stadium or the adventure pool.
Choose Your Travel and Accommodation Plans
Bischofshofen lies around 50 kilometres south of Salzburg and is easy to reach by plane, car, train, bus and bicycle. The railway station has regular train connections to Salzburg, Innsbruck, Vienna and Graz. As train connections may change, check the timetable for your travel date. The international Alpe-Adria Cycle Route also passes through Bischofshofen, providing a route for arriving by bicycle or going on a cycling tour; it connects Salzburg with Grado on Italy’s Adriatic coast.
This lets you tailor your choice to your own priorities without assuming that the different destinations are equally important for every stay.
Discover more destinations: Pfarrwerfen, Reitdorf, Wagrain, Radstadt, Neuberg, Tenneck, Lammertal, Sonnberg.
Back to the regional travel overview: Sankt Johann im Pongau District.
