Passing through the town center of Bad Hofgastein, the route heads towards Planitzengut and continues along the trail to Poserhöhe. From there, a steep descent follows via the Zwergalweg down to Hoteldorf Grüner Baum before tackling the first long climb towards the Graukogel mid-station. A forest road winds through dense woodland, leading up to the mid-station. From here, the highest point of the loop, Tischkogel, is already visible, but there are still several kilometersâand significant elevation gainâto go.
Turning right, the trail leads toward Bad Gastein. A series of steps take you into the historic town center, past the famous waterfall, and into the Merangarten. Next comes a short but very steep asphalt section.
The route then follows the Böcksteiner Höhenweg towards Böckstein and Hotel Rader. From here, the real climb begins: approximately 6 km and 1,300 meters of elevation gain to reach Tischkogel. The trail narrows, winding steeply uphill, passing scenic alpine pastures such as Böckfeldalm and Zittrauer Alm. The final ascent to Tischkogel is rocky and demanding, but the summit rewards runners with stunning views over the Gastein mountains.
Following the ridge, the route descends slightly before another short climb along a forest road to Stubnerkogel. The final stretch is about 14 km to the finish, with the majority being downhill: technical trails and ski slopes lead into Angertal. A final 100 meters of elevation gain remain before the beautiful downhill section (partly along the bird-themed educational trail) brings you back to the Alpenarena.
