Trailrunning in Wildschönau
Trail running with a view
The Wildschönau offers ideal conditions for trail running: an open, alpine landscape with easy-to-run trails, gentle alpine meadows, and extensive mountain ranges. Instead of extremely high alpine, highly technical routes, the focus here is on the running experience in nature. The routes combine exercise, panoramic views, and orientation on varied trails through alpine pastures, forests, and over ridges with spectacular views.
Instead of extremely high alpine, highly technical routes, the focus here is on the experience of running in nature. The routes combine exercise, panoramic views, and orientation on varied trails through alpine pastures, forests, and over ridges with spectacular views. Thanks to its balanced topography, the valley is suitable for both first steps in trail running and longer, more challenging tours. At the same time, numerous alpine pastures along the routes provide places to stop for refreshments and flexible tour planning. The result is a varied trail running offer that combines sporting challenges, nature experiences, and regional specialties.
Why is the region ideal for trail running?
At certain points, mountain railways can be useful for ascents or descents, which is particularly helpful for beginners or for planning variations.
From very easy routes such as the Thierbacher Kogel route to long, challenging summit routes over ridges and several mountain ranges, the entire spectrum is covered.
Gentle climbs, clearly marked trails, and many non-exposed passages make the region particularly suitable for beginner runners and families.
The routes combine easily runable paths, alpine trails, and ridges with a few more challenging sections. This makes them suitable for beginners as well as experienced trail runners.
Grassy mountains, alpine pastures, and open mountain ranges provide views, orientation, and a varied running experience.
Many routes run along alpine pasture and forest trails at medium altitudes and are therefore often accessible earlier in the year and longer into the fall than high alpine routes.
The routes are spread across Oberau, Niederau, Auffach, Thierbach, and the Schönangeralm area. This means that the entire valley is covered and use is spread out geographically.
There are alpine pastures along almost all routes. They combine sporting activities with regional cuisine and allow for flexible tour planning.
The classification into difficulty levels serves as a guide. However, accurate classification is difficult, especially in trail running, as factors such as running technique—especially uphill and downhill—play a major role in addition to physical condition. Differences in sure-footedness, alpine experience, and personal handling of exposed passages can significantly influence the individual perception of difficulty.
To enable an assessment nonetheless, the routes are divided into three categories:
Easy
Easy-to-run trails with moderate climbs. Ideal for beginners, recreational runners, and anyone who wants to gain their first altitude meters.
Medium
Longer climbs, more elevation gain, and a few more challenging sections. Suitable for active people with some mountain experience.
Difficult
Long routes with a lot of elevation gain, steep climbs, and some technically challenging passages. For experienced trail runners with good fitness and sure-footedness.
High Trail Trophy on October 2nd & 3rd, 2026
If you want to test yourself in a real challenge, the High Trail Trophy is just the thing for you! The route leads from Markbachjoch to Schönangeralm along the scenic Höhenweg trail. New for 2026 is an additional, challenging trail running route. Trail runners can expect distances of up to 30 kilometers in total – ideal for anyone who wants to combine a sporting challenge with an experience of nature.
