Open

Through the Bärenschützklamm to Breitenau

Accessible by public transport

Train (within 15 minutes walking distance from starting point)
Public bus (within 15 minutes walking distance from starting point)

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium

Route 10,0 km

Time 4:30 h

Uphill 920 hm

Downhill 815 hm

Highest point 1403 m

The trail leads through the Bärenschützklamm up to Schüsserlbrunn and then - with or without the Hochlantsch summit - down to St. Jakob.

This trail takes you "over the mountain" from Mixnitz to Breitenau. The ascent through the Bärenschützklamm gorge is impressive: the gorge is bordered by limestone walls up to 300 metres high, into which the Mixnitzbach stream has "eaten its way" over thousands of years and formed this unique gorge. 164 bridges and ladders with a total of 2500 wooden rungs were painstakingly installed and make this natural monument tangible for sure-footed mountain hikers.

The next highlight is the small pilgrimage church "Schüsserlbrunn", which has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries and is still visited by many pilgrims and hikers today. Then it is time to decide whether to climb to the Hochlantsch summit or to descend to Breitenau.

With the "Guten Hirten" (Good Shepherd) and the "Steirischer Jockl" (Styrian Jockl), two wonderful refreshment stops await hikers along the way. You can only pay with cash in these two huts.

Attention: A gorge maintenance fee must be paid at the entrance to the gorge! You can pay in cash or with card.

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

More information

Mixnitz, Bärenschützklamm

"Bärli-Express" Shuttle to the Starting Point of the Bärenschützklamm Gorge

The Bärli-Express takes visitors to the starting point of the hiking tour during the Bärenschützklamm season.

The shuttle operates from Thursday to Sunday every 30 minutes:

08:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
01:30 p.m. – 06:00 p.m.

PLEASE NOTE: The Bärli-Express will be out of service from 25 June to 1 July 2026. Regular service resumes on 2 July 2026.

Fares:

One-way ticket: €3
Round-trip ticket: €5

Tickets can be purchased directly from the shuttle driver on site. Advance reservations are not available.

From Monday to Wednesday, special shuttle services can be arranged for groups of 15 or more people.

Contact: +43 650 86 68 668

We start at the car park of the Bärenschützklamm and walk uphill on the long-distance trail no. 702/745 for approx. 1 hour.
We pass the cascade fall and continue in the gorge-like valley to the Hans-Kerl-Hütte.
At the Hans-Kerl-Hütte or "Kassierhütte" we enter the gorge. Now the trail goes steeply uphill via ladders and paths.
After the shelter hut we immediately reach the large waterfall with a drop of approx. 50 metres.
Cross a last stream and continue steeply uphill to the exit of the gorge and then along a forest path to the "Guten Hirten" inn.
Continue on trail no. 746 up to the "Steirischen Jokl" inn.
198 steps down, the well-known pilgrimage church "Schüsserlbrunn" awaits us.
From here we follow trail no. 740 down to Breitenau/St. Jakob.

Variants:

To the Hochlantsch summit

If you are still fit, you can start the ascent from the "Steirischer Jockl" inn:330 metres of ascent2.5 kilometresDuration: approx. 1.5 hrs. additional-

We take trail no. 740 to the Hochlantsch summit cross and the same trail back down to Breitenau.

Priest Kelz pilgrimage trail

This trail connects the two pilgrimage churches of St. Erhard and Schüsserlbrunn, the trail is about 1.5 kilometres longer:

At the junction above the "Zirbisegger" we change to trail no. 5 and walk past the mining area to St. Erhard.

Frequently Asked Questions:

When is the Bärenschützklamm open?
> The gorge is open daily from May 1 to October 31, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

How much is admission to the Bärenschützklamm?
> A fee of €10.00 for adults, €8.00 for ÖAV members, and €6.00 for children aged 6 to 16 is charged to help maintain the gorge.
> Payment can be made in cash or by card.
> There are NO group rates.

How far is the ticket booth from the gorge entrance?
> From the parking lots in Mixnitz, it takes about 1 ½ hours to walk to the gorge entrance.
> From the premium parking lot at the Grassauer snack bar, it’s only about an hour’s walk to the ticket booth.

Where can I park?
> There are three paid parking lots available in Mixnitz; parking lots 1 and 2 are located directly in Mixnitz. The premium parking lot offers 40 spaces and is located next to the Grassauer snack bar.
> All parking lots accept card payments only.
> A full-day parking ticket costs €6.00 for parking lots 1 and 2 and €9.00 for the premium parking lot.

Are children and dogs allowed in the Bärenschützklamm?
> Children are welcome in the Bärenschützklamm, but please note that the hike is challenging and can be dangerous for small children in some places. It is recommended to only take children aged 7 and older on the hike.
> Parents or accompanying adults are responsible for the children!
> Dogs are NOT allowed in the gorge.

How long does the hike take?
> Depending on which route you choose, the total duration of the hike can range from 4.5 to 9 hours.
> The path through the gorge itself takes about an hour.
> Check the weather conditions in advance. Bring enough food and water. Check in advance for places to stop for refreshments along the way.

The food alone is worth a stop at the "Steirischer Jockl", but the view from the terrace is also incredible!

Timetables and travel information can be found at the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) or at Verbundlinie Transport Information. For local transport we recommend the SAM shared taxi East Styria.
SAM stop: BM3516 Mixnitz - Bärenschützklamm

Parkplätze in Mixnitz: 6,00 € (all day), 3,00 € (15–17 Uhr), 2,00 € (16–17 Uhr)
Premium-Parkplatz (near the gorge): 9,00 € (all day), 5,00 € (15–17 Uhr), 3,00 € (16–17 Uhr)

All information about the region, the places to stop and stay overnight and the excursion destinations can be found at

Eastern Styria Tourist Board
Naturpark Almenland Office
Fladnitz 100
8163 Fladnitz an der Teichalm
T: +43 3179 23000
www.almenland.at | www.oststeiermark.com

C urrent weather
Mobility Eastern Styria with shared taxi SAM

Find out about maps, hiking brochures and other tour tips at the tourist office. You can also order information material on our website from the comfort of your own home.