Dürrenstein Wilderness Area
Austria · Lower Austria · 900 m
Description
The Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area protects the Rothwald, the largest remnant of primeval forest in the entire Alpine arc and a spruce-fir-beech woodland that has never been logged. It became Austria's first UNESCO natural World Heritage site in 2017, and an extension on the Styrian side in 2021 brought the protected area to some 7,000 hectares. Access is deliberately restricted. There are no marked trails into the core zone, and the forest can only be entered on a small number of guided expeditions that have to be booked well in advance. The Haus der Wildnis visitor centre in Lunz am See explains the ecosystem for those who cannot get inside, and the surrounding Ybbstal Alps offer open hiking around the Lunzer See.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 2 days (optimal 1 day)
Travel season
Best time to visit: June – September
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Rothwald Primeval Forest
- Haus der Wildnis Lunz am See
- Guided Wilderness Expeditions
- Lunzer See
- Dürrenstein Summit
- Thousand-year-old Yew Trees
- Ural Owl Reintroduction Project
- Wildlife Watching
- Obersee & Mittersee
- Lunz am See Village
- Lunzer Seebad
- Ybbstal Alps Hiking Trails
- Night Discovery Tours (June - September)
- Alpine Flora Tours (June - July)
- Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park(Day trip)
- Ötscher(Day trip)