Heilbronner Circular Trail

Family-friendly hiking trail at the Dachstein plateau

The family-friendly Heilbronner Circular Trail is particularly ideal for families and children who like walking. The extensive trail lends itself to comfortable walking across its entire length and there are plenty of things to explore along the trail for young people in particular.

The highlight and popular photo point on the Heilbronn Circular Trail is the Dachstein shark, a detour to the Krippenstein ice cave (cave #4 :-)) and to the small lake Hirzkarsee is worthwhile and there are fossils from the fossilised prehistoric seabed to marvel at along the way.

TIP: In the Onlineshop you get all tickets (cable car, caves, combined ticket) at a reasonable online prices!

The Dachstein shark

The shark - inside accessible with a panoramic view

From the Krippenstein mountain station, the karst nature trail leads you along a well-marked hiking route to the first highlight on the Heilbronn Circular Trail, the Dachstein shark.

The 8 metre long Dachstein shark is accessible from the inside. Visitors can look out of the Dachstein shark's mouth via a ladder, which not only offers a fantastic view, the shark is also a popular photo point :-)

Dachstein shark

Hiking trail

Heilbronner Circular Trail

  • Starting point = mountain station Krippenstein (cable car, section 2)

  • End point = station Gjaid (cable car, section 3)

  • Walking time = approx. 3 hours

  • Difficulty = easy hike, suitable for children

From the mountain station of the Dachstein Krippenstein cable car, you hike along the extensive Heilbronner Circular Trail in the direction of Heilbronner Kreuz to the Dachstein shark.

Tip: The Krippenstein ice cave (cave #4) and the lake Hiazkarsee are located near the Dachstein-Hai - a detour is worthwhile - please take into your tour planning :-)

From the Dachstein shark continue your hike along the Heilbronner Circular Trail and hike via the Heilbronner Cross to the station Gjaid (cable car, section 3), from where you can comfortably return to the Krippenstein.

Due to the gentle gradients, the Heilbronner Circular Trail is also suitable for less experienced hikers and children - the family hiking trail on the Dachstein plateau.

Krippenstein ice cave

The small cave "Krippenstein Eishöhle" is the fourth cave on the Dachstein Krippenstein, freely accessible and you should definitely visit it on a hike at the Heilbronn Circular Trail. Even in summer you can still marvel at ice in the small ice cave.

Where is the ice cave located?

The ice cave is well signposted! Near the Dachstein shark you leave the circular hiking trail no. 661 and follow the hiking sign "Krippenstein Eishöhle" - ​​in less than 5 minutes you will reach the cave entrance. A short detour ;-)

Have a breakEnjoy the panorama

A lot to discover

Primeval time: fossils, crustaceans

During a hike on the Heilbronn circular trail, from the mountain station for the Dachstein Krippenstein cable car which takes you up to 2100 metres altitude, right up to the Dachstein shark, there are still a lot of fossils, fossilised crustaceans and deposits in the rocks from the primordial ocean today, giving visitors a glimpse into the pre-historic past of Dachstein and how it came into being.

Information boards located along the Heilbronn circular hiking trail provide interesting information on the formation of fossils and karst rock on the Dachstein Plateau.

Heilbronner Cross

The Heilbronn Cross is a simple wooden cross that was erected on the spot where the tragic mountain accident involving a group of schoolchildren from Heilbronn took place in 1954.

Don’t forget to make your mark!

What is the point in a visit to the summit cross without leaving behind an entry in the logbook? You will also find a ‘summit book’ at the Heilbronn Cross – those who come after you will enjoy reading your entries!

Lake Hirzkarsee

The idyllic mountain lake on the Heilbronn Circular Trail

The idyllic lake Hirzkarsee on the Heilbronn Heilbronn Circular Trail lies in a karst depression and until the 1960s consisted of a small group of lakes with three pools (Vorderer, Mittlerer & Hinterer Hirzkarsee). The Vorderer and Mittlere Hirzkarsee have silted up - today there is still the Hinterer Hirzkarsee.

The Hirzkarsee has a diameter of 25 metres and there is a low moor zone around the lake with carnivorous sundew and large marsh marigolds!

A very idyllic place, perfect for a short hiking break!

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