| Coordinates | 47.3333, 13.8167 |
|---|---|
| Category | Hiking, Hiking, Scenic |
| Nearest city | Schladming |
| Region | Styria, Austria |
| Sources | geonames |
Hochwildstelle Hiking & Travel Guide
Hochwildstelle is a mountain in Styria, Austria. The nearest service base is Schladming, roughly 12 km away.
Hochwildstelle at a Glance
- What it is: mountain (Hiking)
- Where it is: Styria, Styria, Austria — coordinates 47.3333, 13.8167
- Why it is listed: a source-verified entry in the CollabsTravel master database, matched against official gazetteer and geographic records before publication
- Time needed: two to four hours
- Best season: late spring to early autumn
Quick Facts
| Place type | Mountain |
| Primary category | Hiking |
| Also good for | Hiking, Scenic |
| Region / state | Styria |
| Country | Austria |
| Nearest city | Schladming |
| Coordinates | 47.3333, 13.8167 |
| Nearest base town | Schladming (12 km) |
Why Hochwildstelle Is Worth Visiting
Hochwildstelle earns its place in this guide for a simple reason: it is a verified hiking in Styria, Austria,. Its position 12 km from Schladming also makes it an easy add-on rather than a detour that costs half a day. Visitors book it for hiking, scenic as much as for hiking. And unlike listicle recommendations, everything on this page - coordinates, category, sources - was checked against official records before publication.
About Hochwildstelle
In plain terms, Hochwildstelle is a mountain in the Styria area of Styria, Austria that travellers book around hiking trips. Beyond its main draw, the record tags it for hiking, scenic too, so it rewards more than one kind of visit. Functionally it belongs to Schladming - the town most maps and locals will reference when describing how to reach it. Everything stated on this page comes from that verified record; where background history is quoted, the source is named at the end of the section.
The Story of Hochwildstelle: History & Background
The Hochwildstelle or Hohe Wildstelle is a mountain, 2,747 m (AA), and the second highest peak in the Schladming Tauern as well as the highest mountain entirely on Styrian territory in Austria. Its summit is near the tripoint of the three municipalities of Aich, Michaelerberg-Pruggern and Schladming.
The step-like summit block with its mighty rock faces dominates the edge of the mountain range along the Enns Valley, before the range climbs even higher still to the summit of the Hochgolling on the main chain of the Alps.
The knife-edged south arête drops away, immediately south of the summit cross, down to the col of Wildlochscharte (2,488 m) and then climbs again to the summit of the Himmelreich (2,500 m), before dropping into the valley and the Preintaler Hut from the peak of Schneiders (2,328 m).
The ridgeline, which is relatively sharp for a crystalline mountain range runs roughly north to south. The region is very well watered. Even in the vicinity of the very high massif there are several mountain lakes and two large waterfalls.
Two waymarked routes run up the Hochwildstelle:
From the col of Neualmscharte (2,347 m) via the Kleine Wildstelle and the northwest arête taking 1 hour, UIAA grade I. The Neualmscharte may be reached from either the Hans Wödl Hut or the Preintaler Hut on marked footpaths in about 2 – 3 hours.
From the col of Wildlochscharte (2,488 m) via the south arête in 1 hour, UIAA grade I. The Wildlochscharte may be reached on signed paths in 2 hours from the Preintaler Hut or the Breitlahn Hut (1,100 m).
The first ascent was by M. Reiter in 1801.
Lead passage from the Wikipedia article "Hochwildstelle", reused under CC BY-SA 4.0 with a coordinate-verified name match; the source article carries the full referenced history.
The Beauty of Hochwildstelle
What people mean when they call Hochwildstelle beautiful is usually elevated, unblocked views - the kind of layered landscape that photographs badly from the road and perfectly from the first viewpoint. The light does most of the work: mid-latitude light gives the place two looks: clean blue summer noon and a low amber angle in spring and autumn. The seasons restyle everything around it - wildflower spring, deep-green summer, gold-and-rust autumn and, above the snowline, a winter version of the same scene. And the beauty compounds with context: with 8 other verified places nearby, the Styria area reads as one continuous landscape rather than a single viewpoint, which is worth more than any filter on the photos you take here.
Getting There
Hochwildstelle sits at 47.3333, 13.8167 in Styria, Austria. Most visitors reach it by car, regional rail or local transit; pin the coordinates above rather than only the name - Hochwildstelle names repeat across regions, and rural entries often lack street addresses.
Base yourself in Schladming and make this a half-day trip; services, fuel and lodging are easiest there. The run from Schladming is about 12 km (7 mi) each way, so allow Schladming as your anchor for the day.
Best Time to Visit
Late spring to early autumn (May to September) brings the warmest and most reliable conditions across Austria. Shoulder months just before and after that window trade a little weather for noticeably lower prices and thinner crowds.
Hochwildstelle Season by Season
- Summer (Jun-Aug) - peak season: the warmest, longest days and everything open, which also makes it the priciest and busiest window
- Autumn (Sep-Nov) - shoulder season: crowds drain away, the light turns photographic, and lodging rates typically fall
- Winter (Dec-Feb) - off-season: cheapest beds and empty viewpoints, but check for closures, snow or rain before committing
- Spring (Mar-May) - rebuild season: wildflowers, newborn wildlife and reopened facilities - the best balance if the weather holds
Things to Do
Planning what to actually do at Hochwildstelle comes down to the setting it sits in:
- Arrive with the exact coordinates (47.3333, 13.8167) pinned in your maps app — rural place names repeat across states
- Walk the shortest signed loop first, then decide how far to push on with the lightest pack
- Check sunrise/sunset times before setting out; carry water for double the distance you plan
- Photography stops at the first viewpoint are usually the best framed ones
- Chain the stop with what is nearby — see the list below before fixing your day route
None of this needs a rigid schedule - the honest pattern at Hochwildstelle is one anchor at the trailhead or first viewpoint, one longer stop, and the rest of the time left for whatever looks better from the car window. That flexibility is what separates a good half-day from a rushed one.
A Perfect Day in Hochwildstelle
Morning (start early). Have breakfast at Schladming and roll out before mid-morning - the light is softer, parking is open, and Hochwildstelle is at its quietest before the day-trippers arrive. Give the main stop its full due first rather than saving it for later.
Midday. From Hochwildstelle, Pulverturm is only 1 km away - pair the two rather than driving home for lunch; a picnic beats a reservation near most of these spots.
Afternoon. Keep going to Gruberberg (2 km) if the group still has legs; it is the standard second half of this loop.
Golden hour. End at the main viewpoint, waterfront or main street as the light drops; this is the hour Hochwildstelle is genuinely famous for locally, and it costs nothing.
Evening. Sleep at Schladming unless the road out is long - leaving at dusk is the one mistake that can flatten an otherwise perfect day.
Know Before You Go to Hochwildstelle
- Save the pin (47.3333, 13.8167) offline - reception in Styria is exactly as good as it needs to be and no better
- Check the official source listed at the bottom of this page for current hours, fees and closures before driving out
- Carry more water than the plan says; shade is usually optional on these routes
- Tell someone the turnaround time - help arrives slower than it looks from the trailhead
Nearby Places Worth Combining
Hochwildstelle does not sit in isolation - these verified places are all within a short hop and combine into a full loop:
- Pulverturm — hiking, about 1 km (1 mi) away
- Gruberberg — hiking, about 2 km (1 mi) away
- Placken — hiking, about 2 km (1 mi) away
- Höchstein — hiking, about 3 km (2 mi) away
- Waldhorn — hiking, about 4 km (2 mi) away
- Greifenstein — hiking, about 4 km (2 mi) away
- Pleschnitzzinken — hiking, about 4 km (3 mi) away
- Greifenberg — hiking, about 4 km (3 mi) away
Planning More of Your Trip
See everything in Austria on the Austria country hub, browse the full Hiking Austria collection, or take in the whole Styria region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hochwildstelle worth visiting?+
Yes, if you are in the area for more than a single day. Hochwildstelle is a verified mountain in Styria, Austria that most drive-by lists miss, and the official-record provenance behind this page means the location, name and access facts are checked rather than guessed. Give it two to four hours.
Where exactly is Hochwildstelle?+
Hochwildstelle is in Styria, Austria, at coordinates 47.3333, 13.8167. Use the coordinates rather than the name alone - place names repeat across regions, and a map pin beats a keyword search.
How far is Hochwildstelle from the nearest city?+
Hochwildstelle is about 12 km (7 mi) from Schladming, which is an easy out-and-back day trip - most visitors base themselves in Schladming and make the run in well under an hour each way.
What is the best time to visit Hochwildstelle?+
late spring to early autumn. Book the shoulder months either side of that window for the same scenery at lower prices, and check seasonal closures before fixing dates.
How long do you need at Hochwildstelle?+
Plan on two to four hours for a first visit - the highlights at a normal pace without rushing. Add another half day if you want to combine it with the nearby places listed above.
Is Hochwildstelle good for families with kids?+
With kids, judge Hochwildstelle by the shortest signed loop rather than the headline route - if the first viewpoint holds their attention, extend; if not, leave early and nobody is disappointed.
Does Hochwildstelle cost anything to visit?+
Most public places like this have no entry fee, but parking, guided programs and seasonal shuttles are the usual small costs. Confirm current fees with the official source cited on this page - they change more often than guidebooks do.
What is near Hochwildstelle?+
The closest verified neighbour is Pulverturm; the nearby list above has the full set with distances, and combining two or three of them is the standard way to fill a day around Hochwildstelle.
Is Hochwildstelle open to visitors, and do you need a permit?+
Public places listed here are visitable by default; the permit exceptions are usually specific activities (backcountry camping, drones, commercial photography) rather than the visit itself. Check the cited official source for anything activity-based.
Should you visit Hochwildstelle in bad weather?+
Rain reshapes rather than ruins the day - viewpoints become cloud-scapes and trails get muddy. Keep Hochwildstelle as a fair-weather item on your trip and swap in the covered alternatives from the regional list when the forecast turns.
What makes Hochwildstelle different from other places like it?+
Its exact combination: a mountain in Styria, Austria with verified coordinates and, where listed, an official designation. The difference is usually the setting and the access pattern rather than the category label - the facts table on this page shows that specifically.
Can you visit Hochwildstelle as a day trip?+
Yes - at two to four hours on site, a day loop is realistic: morning at Hochwildstelle, one nearby stop, and home by evening. The Perfect Day section above has the hour-by-hour version.
What is Hochwildstelle known for?+
In the wider record, mountain-class place: The Hochwildstelle or Hohe Wildstelle is a mountain, 2,747 m (AA), and the second highest peak in the Schladming Tauern as well as the highest mountain entirely on Styrian territory in Austria. This guide adds the practical layer - verified coordinates, access, seasonality and what to combine it with.
What is the most beautiful thing about Hochwildstelle?+
The honest short answer is in The Beauty of Hochwildstelle section above, but distilled: what people mean when they call hochwildstelle beautiful is usually elevated, unblocked views - the kind of layered landscape that photographs badly from the road and perfectly from the first viewpoint. Come for the light and the setting rather than a single checklist object.
Is Hochwildstelle crowded?+
Hochwildstelle sits below the headline-name tier in its region, so crowding is an event-and-weekend problem rather than a standing one. Weekday mornings in the shoulder season are the quietest version of the visit.
What is the history of Hochwildstelle?+
The sourced background above places documented events for Hochwildstelle around 1801 at the earliest point its article dates; for the full timeline with references, the linked Wikipedia article is the primary trail and this guide keeps the practical travel layer on top of it. ## Source Verification This guide's facts come from official public datasets: [Geonames record 2775891](https://www.geonames.org/2775891). Location data is reviewed in per-state batches before publication.
Nearby destinations
Pulverturm
Mountain · Styria
Gruberberg
Mountain · Styria
Placken
Mountain · Styria
Höchstein
Mountain · Styria
Waldhorn
Mountain · Styria
Greifenstein
Mountain · Styria
Pleschnitzzinken
Mountain · Styria
Greifenberg
Mountain · Styria