My personal hiking highlight is the Obersulzbach Valley on the loop trail in Neukirchen, where nature is at its most untouched. This is the only stage that takes you into the core zone of the national park – a place where the raw power of nature can truly be felt. The glacier trail leads through scree fields and rocky terrain, following a wild mountain stream as it climbs along the cliffside to the glacier lake – an absolutely breathtaking spot! Experienced hikers can take on the demanding path over smooth, glacially polished rock to reach the upper glacier lake. The small Sulzbach Lake, nestled below the flanks of the Großvenediger, is covered in thick ice for much of the year and only thaws in the summer. You’ll often see lingering chunks of ice – a quiet reminder of the eternal glacier. Beyond this point, you’ll need climbing or glacier equipment to continue.
From the gray-blue ice fields, the trail descends deep into the valley, where fragrant hay meadows await. As you look back while making your way downhill, the view will leave you speechless. The landscape is so diverse, powerful, and ever-changing, shaped entirely by nature’s own rhythm. Information panels along the path explain the Sattelkar, an area constantly transformed by erosion and natural forces. There’s no human interference here – everything follows the course of nature. Farther down, the alpine pastures appear, and a traditional Pinzgauer Brettljause at the Berndlalm is an absolute must. Well-fed and recharged, the return to the village is just a short stretch from there.
