Hohe Tauern National Park
the largest national park in the Alps
The Hohe Tauern National Park, founded in 1981, covers an area of 1,856 km². This makes it the largest national park in the Alps and an important protected area in the heart of Austria. Its impressive expanse stretches across the provinces of Salzburg, Tyrol, and Carinthia. This unique natural area connects several Alpine regions and is one of the most impressive natural landscapes in Europe.
Hüttschlag has been part of this extensive protected area since 1991 and is thus located in the middle of one of the most unspoiled landscapes in the Alps. The surrounding valleys, rugged peaks, and imposing glaciers have a lasting impact on the landscape.
Visit the Valley Museum in Hüttschlag with its exhibition “Auf der Alm – Zwischen Himmel und Erde” or the National Park Center in Mittersill, where visitors can interactively experience the fascinating nature and mountain world of the Hohe Tauern. This modern information center impressively conveys the special features of Central Europe's largest national park and makes a visit an exciting experience for young and old alike.
In 1913, 1,100 hectares of land were purchased in the Stubach Valley and Amertal Valley in the Hohe Tauern mountains with the aim of establishing a protected area. The model for this was the national parks that already existed in the USA. Dr. August Prinzinger was the initiator, and the Stuttgart-Hamburg Nature Conservation Park Association was the purchaser. This initiative marked the first time that the idea of a national park took root in the Hohe Tauern. However, due to wars and economic crises, it took several decades before the Hohe Tauern National Park was established in the 1980s as the first national park in Austria's history.
Covering 1,856 km², it is the largest protected area in the Alps. The area is characterized by mighty glaciers, pronounced valleys, wide slopes, and spectacular peaks. Austria's highest mountain, the Grossglockner, is also part of this landscape, which attracts hikers and mountaineers from all over the world.
Nature, peaks, and glaciers
in the Hohe Tauern
The Hohe Tauern mountains impress with their extraordinary landscape: from green alpine pastures and wild valleys to mighty glaciers and high alpine peaks. A total of 266 three-thousand-meter peaks tower into the sky and shape the panorama of this unique region.
One of the most famous mountains is the Grossglockner (also known as the Glockner), Austria's highest mountain. These alpine features make the Hohe Tauern National Park one of the most impressive natural areas in Europe.
The Hohe Tauern National Park is a valuable habitat for numerous animals. Golden eagles, bearded vultures, marmots, chamois, and many other species find ideal conditions here.
More than a third of all plant species in Austria grow in this area—from the valley floors up to the high alpine regions.
Experience the national park actively
hiking & mountaineering in the Hohe Tauern
The Hohe Tauern National Park is not only an important protected area, but also a place for intense nature experiences. Numerous hikes lead through unspoiled landscapes, past clear mountain streams, wide alpine pastures, and up to peaks with spectacular views.
Guided ranger tours offer a particularly impressive experience and provide fascinating insights into nature, geology, and wildlife. Visitors to the Hohe Tauern holiday region can enjoy a unique combination of relaxation, exercise, and understanding of nature.
Find out more about guided ranger tours in the Hohe Tauern National Park.
Facts & Figures
Hohe Tauern National Park
- Hohe Tauern National Park is the largest protected area in the Alps, covering 1,856 km², and the biggest national park in Central Europe.
- The National Park spans three Austrian provinces: Salzburg, Tyrol, and Carinthia.
- Salzburg province contributes 805 km².
- The park extends 100 km east-to-west and 40 km north-to-south.
- 266 peaks over 3,000 meters in height
- 130 km² of glaciers
- 550 lakes
- 279 streams
- The core zone features pristine natural landscapes, while the outer zone also nurtures cultural as well as farming traditions.
- Home to golden eagles, bearded vultures, griffon vultures, marmots, chamois, and many other native creatures.
- Over a third of all plant species in Austria grow here.
- Over half of all amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals in Austria live within the park.
- More than 220 different minerals produce a treasure trove of crystals.
- From the valleys up to the highest peaks, you will traverse a full range of elevations and climate zones.
