Totes Gebirge

The Totes Gebirge is a mountain range in Austria’s Northern Limestone Alps, straddling parts of Upper Austria and Styria. Its highest summit is Großer Priel at 2,515 metres.

The range is dominated by extensive limestone plateaus and steep escarpments rather than dense forests, so routes tend to be open and exposed. Popular activities include multi-day hikes, summit ascents and alpine scrambling on marked trails that cross pastures and rocky terrain. Mountain huts and designated routes provide access to the main ridges and peaks.

The mountains are part of the Northern Limestone Alps formed during the Alpine orogeny; human use has been primarily for alpine grazing and later recreational mountaineering. Infrastructure such as marked trails and mountain huts developed during the 19th and 20th centuries as alpine tourism grew.

The range lies in central Austria within the Northern Limestone Alps, spanning Upper Austria and Styria, north of the Enns valley. The Totes Gebirge sits inland from the Salzkammergut region and is accessible from nearby alpine towns and trailheads.

• Karst terrain: Characterised by a broad karst plateau of exposed limestone with sinkholes and fissures, making navigating off marked trails potentially hazardous in poor visibility.
• Seasonal access: Best visited in summer for hiking; snow and alpine conditions can persist at higher elevations into late spring and return in autumn.

What to See #

• Großer Priel: A high limestone peak reaching 2,515 metres that is the range's highest point and a common objective for hikers and mountaineers.