Natural Environment
The unique landscape of the Hohe Tauern.
Alpine Nature
of superlatives
Hohe Tauern National Park
From the valley regions to the summits of the mighty 3000 metre peaks, the oldest and largest protected area in Austria preserves habitats of rich biodiversity. With 342 glaciers, the internationally recognised wilderness area of the Sulzbach valleys and traditional cultivated landscapes, the Hohe Tauern National Park is an area of extraordinary nature as well as research and adventure.
Size
The largest National Park in the Alpine region has an area of 185,600 ha and covers the provinces of Carinthia, Salzburg and Tyrol.
Structur
54% glaciers, rubble heaps, rock faces and dwarf shrub meadows
32% subalpine/alpine lawns and pastures
9% forest
4% alder and mountain pine shrubs
1% water
Roots
The National Park Hohe Tauern was founded in 1981 and was recognised by the IUCN as a protected area under category II in 2001.
Good to know
With 15,000 animal species, the protected area is home to around one third of the fauna found in all of Austria.
Natural Environment Hohe Tauern
The highest and most famous summits in Austria and the largest glacier areas in the eastern Alps dominate the face of the natural environment, as well as stunning waterfalls, silent mountain lakes and roaring glacial streams.
With its four altitude levels, ranging from valleys at 600 to 700 metres above sea level to the highest level beyond the 3,000 metre mark, the high mountain landscape forms a mosaic of diverse habitats and climatic regions. Crossing it is equivalent to a 4,000 km long journey from Central Europe to the Arctic.
In addition to untouched wilderness, the Hohe Tauern, which extend over 100 km of the Austrian Central Alps, is also home to traditional cultivated landscapes, such as alpine pastures and mountain meadows.
Fauna
The fauna of the Hohe Tauern is extraordinarily diverse.
Fauna of the Hohe Tauern
The fascinating world of fauna found at the Hohe Tauern is truly magnificent. In addition to imposing birds of prey and large mammals, the protected area also provides a home to tiny animals, such as the smallest native songbird (goldcrest) and genuine “masters of survival” (such as the rock ptarmigan).
Bearded vultures, golden eagles, alpine ibex, chamois and marmot are known as the “Big Five” of the Hohe Tauern and it’s hard to imagine the protected area without them. However, in light of the fact that there are 15,000 animal species represented here, they are only a small part of the extremely diverse fauna.
Having almost completely disappeared from the Alpine mountain range at the beginning of the 19th century, the alpine ibex only returned to the habitat of the Hohe Tauern from the 1960s. Thanks to intensive and successful reintroduction efforts, the population now stands at around 1,100 animals.
With a wingspan of up to 2.9 metres, the bearded vulture is one of the most impressive birds of prey in the Hohe Tauern. The fact that the “king of the skies”, which disappeared in the 19th century due to hunting and drying up of food sources, is now circling over the National Park area once again is the result of a costly reintroduction programme.
The brown trout is widespread in Austria. However, the type typically found in the Danube (the autochthonous brown trout) is threatened with extinction as it has been displaced by other trout over the past 40 years, such as the Atlantic salmon. The native trout population of the Hohe Tauern therefore enjoys special protection and has become a subject of scientific research.
Flora
The flora of the Hohe Tauern is remarkably rich in species.
Flora of the Hohe Tauern
With around 3,500 species of plants (including lichens and algae), the Hohe Tauern National Park could also be called a “Noah’s Ark” from a botanic perspective. Whether it be larch-pine forests, belts of dwarf shrubs, mountain meadows, lichens, fungi or flowerage: the “garden” habitat of the Hohe Tauern is highly diverse and includes even the rarest of plants.
Many of these species have had to become “specialists” at adapting to extreme soil and climate conditions. They react especially sensitive to changes to their habitat related to climate change.
The strictly protected edelweiss flower symbolises alpine flora like no other plant. Its white-felt surface protects the button-like flower heads and upper leaves from cold, dehydration and UV radiation – and this means it can adapt perfectly to the harsh conditions of the high mountains.
The rusty alpenrose (also known commonly as the alpine rose) covers the early summer mountain slopes of the Hohe Tauern in bright pink. However, the plant doesn’t take its name from the colour of its flower, but rather the rusty brown scales on the underside of the leaf. It can be found in particular on humus-rich, acidic soils.
The rare Saxifrage Rudolphia can also be seen in the National Park territory: the plant forms compact cushions and can hardly be missed thanks to its purple flowers. The fact that the Saxifrage Rudolphia holds up very well in rocky crevices and on high alpine rubble heaps can be attributed to it’s very long roots.
Eventful
Diversity
More than 300 mountain peaks of over 3,000 metres above sea level and rich biodiversity make the Hohe Tauern National Park a first-class area of learning and adventure.
Trailer Hohe Tauern National Park
Discover nature
The entire richness of the National Park
Innergschlöss Glacier Trail
The Innergschlöss glacier trail takes you on a journey into the “eternal ice” of the core zone. On the tour to the Schlatenkees glacier (at the foot of the Grossvenediger), visitors will find out about the landscape-forming force of the glaciers and the consequences of climate change. This one-day alpine hike has more to offer apart from the “ice giants”, other rewarding discoveries include the Felsenkapelle cliff-side chapel, Almdorf Innergschlöss and Auge Gottes lake. The glacier trail starts in Gschlöss valley, continues over the Salzbodensee lake and ends at the glacier mouth of the Schlatenkees.
Hike to the Krimmler waterfalls
Moderately difficult hike parallel to Europ's largest waterfalls with numerous viewpoints. The Krimmler Ache is a typical glacial stream with an extensive catchment area, which leads to a large water mass of an average of 5,6m³ of falling water per second. This together with the extraordinary drop height of 380m and its location at the head of the valley, makes the Krimmler waterfalls a particularly impressive natural spectacle.
Seebachtal Hike
Easy hike along the valley trail with educational stations on nature. The natural spectacle Lake Stappitzer at the entrance of the valley is a unique high mountain steppe lake and an important stop off for migrating birds. One of the largest birds capable of flight, the bearded vulture, also feels at home here. Starting from the Ankogel funicular valley station the easy hiking trail leads along the almost flat valley floor to Lake Stappitzer.
The Best Start
to Experiencing Nature
Accessible all year round and 24 hours a day, the Hohe Tauern National Park can be reached from various side valleys of the Pinzgau, Pongau, Lungau, Isel valley, Lienz valley, Möll valley and the Malta valley. The visitor and information centres of the National Park federal states offer an overview of the many possibilities for exploration.
Visitor Centre Mallnitz
The “univerzoom nationalpark” exhibition and “rangerlab” workshops invite visitors to the Mallnitz visitor centre (open seasonally) to explore Hohe Tauern’s natural environment. Secrets of nature, such as the Auernig landslide and survival strategies of the fauna are explored here, as well as climate change, the water cycle and native herbs.
BIOS National Park Center Mallnitz
Contact
Mallnitz Visitor Centre
Mallnitz 36, 9822 Mallnitz
Tel: +43 (4825) 6161
National Park Centre Mittersill
Largest National Park visitor centre in Central Europe
National Park Centre Mittersill
The National Park Worlds are an ideal introduction for all visitors to the National Park. In eights worlds – from 3D cinema to the formation of the Alps right up to the world of glaciers – visitors will learn about the largest protected area in the Alps, its inhabitants and their habitats.
360-degree panoramic world: State-of-the-art HD projection technology has created a spectacular nature and peak experience about the Hohe Tauern National Park.
The National Park Worlds in Mittersill bring the unique Alpine world surrounding the highest peak in Austria (Grossglockner 3,798 m) and the other 266 three-thousand metre peaks with 342 glaciers and one of the world's most powerful waterfalls under one roof. With ten stations that lead you from one natural space to another as if hiking through the national park, you will learn and understand about the area's extraordinary diversity.
National Park Centre Mittersill
Contact
Mittersill National Park Centre
Gerlosstraße 18, 5739 Mittersill
Tel.: +43 (6562) 40849-33
National Park House Matrei
Spektakular 360°-Videos of the Hotspots
National Park House Matrei
With its interactive “Momente des Staunens” exhibition, the Matrei National Park House (open seasonally) provides a comprehensive introduction into the habitats of the protected area. Spectacular 360° videos of National Park hotspots and six adventure spaces set the mood for experiencing nature in an authentic way and for going on tours into the National Park territory. During the summer months, special exhibitions that change each year are great additions to range of information on offer.
Contact
Matrei National Park House
Kirchplatz 2, 9971 Matrei in Osttirol
Tel.: +43 (4875) 5161 10
Contact and Directions
National Park administration Carinthia
Döllach 14, 9843 Großkirchheim
Tel.: +43 (4825) 6161 0
nationalpark@ktn.gv.at
National Park administration Salzburg
Gerlosstraße 18, 5730 Mittersill
Tel.: +43 (6562) 40849 0
nationalpark@salzburg.gv.at
National Park administration Tirol
Kirchplatz 2, 9971 Matrei in Osttirol
Tel.: +43 (4875) 5161 - 0
npht@tirol.gv.at
