Venediger Höhenweg light – 5 day hut hike in the Virgental in Austria
Level: T2, with some parts T3
Period: Late June – mid September
This 5-day hut-to-hut hike follows a significant portion of the Venediger Höhenweg in Austria’s Virgental valley. It offers breathtaking alpine scenery, glacier views, and varied terrain. The hiking times provided are adjusted for families with kids. Please note that conditions may change due to rockfalls, so it’s essential to verify your route before departure.
Day 1: The first stage begins at Parkplatz Ströden (1450 m) and follows a wide and well-maintained path into the Maurertal valley. Initially, you pass through forested areas before reaching the Ochsnerhütte (2,068 m). From here, the trail ascends via a former moraine in zigzags, leading to the Essener- und Rostocker hütte (2.208m) – 5,5 km, 3:00, ↑ 800 m. The hut offers stunning views of glaciers and surrounding peaks. Level: T2
Day 2: Essener- und Rostocker hütte (2.208m) to the Johannishütte (2.121 m) – 7,6 km, 4:00, ↑ 600 m, ↓ 700 m. Level T2 and some parts T3.
The trail follows the Schwerinerweg deeper into the Maurertal valley before ascending steeply in switchbacks to the Türmljoch pass (2,772 m). This section is more demanding, as the descent from Türmljoch is initially gradual but gets steeper as you go down. The path is well-marked with cairns, but caution is advised in foggy or wet conditions. See website of the Johannishütte for more info on this leg. You stay the night in the Johannishütte (2.121 m), one of the oldest mountain huts in the region.
Day 3: Johannishütte – Eisseehütte (2421m): 5:00, 5,5 km, ↑ 800 m, ↓ 450 m. Level T2 and T3, with some cables.
This is one of the more challenging sections of the hike, with a mix of grassy meadows and rocky terrain. Leave the hut eastwards and ascend in a few serpentines to a prominent “Steinmann”. From there, walk in an easterly direction across wide mountain meadows of the “Zopat” to the junction of the “Kreuzspitze” (2750 m) and continue in an easterly direction along the foot of the Zopetspitze to the Zopetscharte. The first 100 metres of the descent are steep hairpin turns (secured with ropes). These hairpin turns lead to the valley floor of the “Kleinitzalm”. After crossing the Timmelbach, you reach the Eisseehütte, named after the nearby glacier-fed Eissee, that is worth a short detour. See website of the Johannishütte for more info on this leg.
Day 4: Eisseehutte – Bonn Matreier hütte (2750m): 7 km, 4:00, ↑ 600 m, ↓ 370 m. Level: T2
As you walk away from the Eisseehüttehütte, the route remains almost at the same altitude. You are also surrounded by mountain peaks, such as the Großer and Kleiner Hexenkopf, Säulkopf and Rauhkopf. You pass under the Wunwand and climb steeply between the Wunalm and Wunspitze to the Eselrücken. From there it is not far to the Bonn-Matreier Hütte.
Day 5: Bonn Matreier hütte (2750m) – Niljochhütte (1990m). 5 km, 2:30, ↓ 770 m. Level: T2
Hike on from the Niljochhütte to Prägraten (4,5 km, 1:00, ↓ 300 m) or parkplatz Bodenalm/Wallhorn (4,5 km, 1:00, ↓ 300 m), both level T1/T2. Once at Parkplatz Bodenalm/Wallhorn, hikers can take the Venediger Taxi back to Parkplatz Ströden, completing the circular trek.
Please note: This is one of our hiking plans. This hike has not been checked by ourselves. Please recheck the route if you plan to do this hike.