Forstau: Winter Trails, Fageralm and Culture
Accommodation in Forstau
The church, chapel and seasonal Bauernherbst programme also offer further ways to explore the village. The differences below can help you plan your trip around the activities you want to include.
Winter Trails and Activities on the Fageralm
Forstau has more than 20 km of cleared winter hiking trails. Trail conditions can change, so check the latest information before setting out.
The Fageralm is on a sunny high plateau at an altitude of 1,600 to 1,885 m. It has three themed trails for children: Luna Loop, Funny Fox and Chilly Joe. The Resch ski school on the Fageralm in Forstau also offers children’s ski lessons with supervision over lunchtime. If you are planning a lesson, check the details and dates for your travel period directly with the provider.
Summer Hiking and Themed Trails
In summer, there are more than 50 km of hiking trails in and around Forstau. This figure includes trails in the village and the surrounding area. One specific route is Forsti’s Fitness Trail: it is about 3 km long and has 11 fitness stations.
The Bachweg also combines different themes: it has a Kneipp trail with several Kneipp stations and an educational medicinal herb trail. It therefore focuses on both Kneipp activities and sharing knowledge about herbs. When planning your day, you can compare this thematic focus with the general hiking trails or the fitness trail.
Cycling Routes and Tours
The Zaimberg-Runde mountain bike loop passes the Langeggteich nature reserve. The Forstauwinkl-Tour (SW 12) follows a different route: it leads from Forstau along a forest road into the head of the Forstauwinkl valley. The routes therefore differ in their descriptions: the Zaimberg-Runde is associated with the nature reserve, while the head of the valley is the destination of SW 12.
Church, Chapel and Seasonal Programme
The Catholic parish church of St. Leonhard in Forstau was built in 1742 and has a Baroque columned high altar. A high altar is the main altar of a church; in a columned high altar, columns form part of its design. This offers a specific architectural point of interest if you want to include local architectural history in your trip alongside the trails.
The Lourdes Chapel contains stalactites from Lourdes and a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. The chapel is also a popular pilgrimage site. These religious features differ from the sporting activities and give a visit to the village its own cultural focus.
The seasonal Salzburger Bauernherbst programme in Forstau includes weekly organised hikes, bread baking and butter churning. Dates and individual activities may vary, so check the programme for your travel period.
Choose Accommodation Based on Travel Dates and Interests
Your travel dates are a useful starting point when looking for accommodation in Forstau. In winter, you can take the cleared trails and activities on the Fageralm into account; in summer, you can choose from hiking trails, themed paths and cycling routes. If a children’s ski lesson or the Bauernherbst programme is part of your plans, factor in the relevant dates and details. This way, you can choose where to stay based on the activities that really matter for your trip.
Discover more destinations: Bad Gastein, Sankt Johann Im Pongau, Palfen, Dorfgastein, Werfen, Flachau, Obertauern, Goldegg.
Back to the main travel overview: Sankt Johann im Pongau District.
