Description
The Kieneck with the Enzian Hut is a very popular hiking destination that can be reached from both the Piesting and Triesting valleys on many paths. The ascent from Furth is identical to a section of the Viennese Pilgrim's Way. The hiker starting from Furth initially enjoys a flat route along the Furtherbach for 7 km and then through the Staffgraben. Here he is accompanied by the typical dry black pine forests of the region, often interspersed with limestone rocks. Only at the end of the Staffgraben does the path steepen, and with increasing views over the Weißriegel – lastly through shady beech forests – after 2 steep kilometers, the summit of Kieneck with the Enzian Hut is reached. From its terrace, visitors can enjoy a great panorama of the Rax and Schneeberg up to the Ötscher while resting.
On the return path, you cross two more 1000-meter peaks, Almeskogel and Gaisruck, with views, before returning to the Further Valley with its meadows and pastures after a varied hike.
Starting point of the tour
Municipality of Furth an der Triesting, parking lot just after the village center on the right side
Route description To the Enzian Hut on the Kieneck
The starting point of the hike is the parking lot in the village of Furth. From the parking lot, head along the street towards the valley into the Furthergraben and follow the green marking on the lightly trafficked road along the valley floor with the Further Bach. Pass the farm "Kreuzbauer" and the bench "Gaissteinblick", where on the left the Gaisstein (974 m) with its rocky summit appears. After 3 km and about 50 minutes, you reach the "Staff Bridge" (462 m).
Here you leave the road to the left over the bridge to follow the sign Staffgraben-Kieneck, "Viennese Pilgrim's Way – Via Sacra in Lower Austria + Rohr in the Mountains", red marking. For the next 3.9 km (1 hour) you stay in the Staffgraben always beside the stream, initially on a narrow asphalt road through meadows and past some houses.
At Schindlau (481 m) the asphalt road turns into a forest road, the valley narrows and the pine-covered and rock-strewn slopes approach the forest road.
Always following the stream and the red marking, you continue on the forest road further into the valley until a parking lot and a barrier are reached. (Up to here, you could also drive by car).
After the barrier, continue straight ahead along the red marking to a wooden cross (557 m). Here shortly on the forest road to the left, after 50 m the start of the ascent over the Weißriegel is reached.
At the sign "To the Enzian Hut at Kieneck 1 h" and "Viennese Pilgrim's Way – Via Sacra in Lower Austria", you leave the forest road to the right and follow the red marking on a steep path ascending through the forest. Here, on just 2 km path length, 650 meters of altitude are overcome to the hut. On the sunny ridge covered with pines and heather, you climb quickly higher and soon the first view of the goal Kieneck opens. Three flat sections interrupt the steep ascent, signs with altitude information of other mountains offer further variety.
After the 3rd flat section at 855 m, a resting bench offers a beautiful view of Hocheck and Gaisstein. From here, the dry black and red pine forest at the summit slope turns into a moister beech forest. A steep, partly clayey path with some switchbacks leads the summit slope of the Kieneck directly up to the Enzian Hut. (Municipality Muggendorf, Thal 31, www.kieneck.at).
Here, the Viennese Pilgrim's Way – Via Sacra in Lower Austria, Wienerwald long-distance trail 404, International "Marian Pilgrim Way" 123, Piesting valley round hiking trail, and Forest Mark Trail meet.
From the sunny terrace of the hut, there is a magnificent view stretching from Rax over Schneeberg, Unterberg to Ötscher and Gemeindealpe.
The 9.4 km long return path to Furth begins behind (east of) the hut. Follow the gravel path with the sign "Furth over Gaisruck" and the red marking. The path initially descends a bit steeper and stonier through light forest and then always along the ridge to a saddle where the junction of the "Mareschsteig" to Thal and Pernitz (yellow marking) is reached. However, you stay on the red marking (sign "Furth over Gaisruck") and ascend to Almeskogel (1065 m). Along the way, there are beautiful views of Peilstein, Eisernes Tor, Kieneck, and Unterberg.
You hike up and down over another ridge and through clearings until the increasingly steep ascent to Gaisruck (1074 m) with great views leads (cross and resting bench).
From Gaisruck, the path now descends to Atzsattel. Initially through spruce and beech forest, partly stony. From about 1,010 m, the path is blocked due to windthrow (autumn 2010), so you have to pay attention to the pathfinding. Descending further, the path crosses a steep slope where a rocky spot can be unpleasant when wet. Here too, you must watch the partly poorly visible path. Soon you reach the fence of a wildlife enclosure, which you follow to Atzsattel (911 m). The way continues through a revolving door into the wildlife enclosure and on a narrow path traverses the slope through rocky terrain (1 place with rope) until you descend right onto a wide path.
Once you reach a forest road, follow it slightly left for 100 m until a red wooden arrow points right to a initially blocky path. Attention: do not miss this junction! This path leads down to the forest road running along the wildlife enclosure. Follow this left towards the meadows of Himmelsreith. The original path (marking) leads down at the meadow edge; it is better to cross the meadows at the same height and thus reach the new forest road on the other side of the meadow. Here you turn right downhill without marking and follow the forest road past a rock with a cave until the path with the red marking joins from the right again. Continue down the forest road until you leave the wildlife enclosure through a revolving door. Immediately after, you reach the Gaissteiner farm (reporting point for alpine accidents). Cross the orchard meadows on a forest road ascending slightly to the edge of the forest (bench with beautiful views of Gaisstein and Himmelsreith) and follow the red marking on a forest road and then a hiking trail through the forest and along meadows gently descending to the Amöd farm. Pass through a small gate onto the pastures and follow a meadow path – trees are marked – to the lower edge of the pasture. Shortly, a forest road leads back to the village of Furth.
