Via Alpina Purple A36

The Via Alpina Purple A36 is an approximately 15 km point-to-point hiking stage in Salzburg state, Austria, ascending around 1,040 m from the Salzach valley floor to the Arthur-Haus mountain hut at the edge of the Tennengebirge plateau. Rated moderate to demanding, the stage takes 5–6 hours and delivers sweeping views of the 2,941 m Hochkönig massif while passing within reach of Eisriesenwelt — the world's largest publicly accessible ice cave system.

About the Via Alpina Purple A36

Stage A36 of the Via Alpina Purple Trail links Werfen — a compact medieval market town in the Pongau district — with Arthur-Haus, a staffed alpine hut at approximately 1,502 m on the southern edge of the Tennengebirge massif. It is one of 66 stages that form the Purple Trail, a 2,000+ km long-distance route crossing eight Alpine nations from Trieste, Italy, through Slovenia, Austria, and Germany to Monaco. The Purple Trail is certified by the International Walking Network (IWN) as one of the world's most significant long-distance walking routes.

Werfen sits at around 460 m in the narrowest part of the Salzach valley, squeezed between the Tennengebirge and the Hagengebirge massifs. The town's recorded history stretches to the 12th century, built around a river crossing and the imperial castle that still dominates the skyline. For hikers it combines genuine Austrian character — Gasthöfe serving Salzburger regional dishes, church bells marking each hour, weekly farmers' markets — with excellent rail connections to Salzburg, 55 km to the north.

Stage A36 is described in the official Via Alpina route network as running from Werfen through the Grießl district, continuing uphill through forest to the Mitterfeldalm alpine pasture, and finishing at Arthur-Haus. The route follows well-established footpaths maintained by the Salzburger Alpenverein and is waymarked throughout with the Purple Trail's distinctive blazes.

Arthur-Haus serves as a gateway to the broader Tennengebirge plateau. At its highest point the Raucheck summit reaches 2,431 m, making the Tennengebirge one of the most expansive karst plateaux in the Eastern Alps — a landscape of dolines, dry channels, and sparse alpine vegetation underlain by 300 million years of Triassic limestone. The hut is staffed from late June to mid-October and works as an overnight base for day excursions onto the plateau above.

For those tackling the full Purple Trail end-to-end, A36 falls within the Austrian heartland section where the route passes through some of Salzburg state's most photogenic terrain. Even as a standalone day hike from Salzburg — train to Werfen in the morning, ascent to Arthur-Haus, descent and return train in the evening — it delivers a full Alpine experience without requiring a multi-week commitment. The round trip with descent runs approximately 9–10 hours total.

Route Overview & Stages

A36 gains almost all its elevation in a single sustained push from the valley floor to the high plateau edge. The trail climbs consistently across four natural terrain bands, each with its own character and vegetation zone.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Hohenwerfen Castle (Burg Hohenwerfen) — One of the best-preserved medieval mountain fortresses in the Eastern Alps, founded in 1077 on a 623 m limestone spur directly above Werfen. Visible from the trailhead and for much of the lower forest ascent, the castle reappears dramatically when looking back from the upper switchbacks.
• Eisriesenwelt Ice Caves — The world's largest publicly accessible ice cave system with over 42 km of surveyed passages tunnels into the Tennengebirge above the route. The entrance at 1,641 m is reached via cable car from Wimm near Werfen; guided tours run every 25 minutes during the season and advance booking is essential in July and August.
• Grießl farming hamlet — A quiet cluster of working farms at around 700 m where the trail transitions from valley road to mountain footpath. Timber chalets with geranium-filled balconies, grazing cattle, and clear mountain streams mark this pastoral transition zone.
• Forest section limestone outcrops — The mid-elevation spruce-and-pine forest cuts through exposed Triassic limestone walls streaked with iron-oxide staining. Small solution caves and rock overhangs punctuate the trail, hinting at the karst underworld that defines the Tennengebirge massif.
• Mitterfeldalm — A sweeping alpine pasture sitting, in the words of the official Via Alpina documentation, in a beautiful setting amid the panorama of the Tennengebirge and Hochkönig mountains. Active as a working alm in summer with cattle, dairy farming, and occasional fresh cheese available at the farmstead.
• Hochkönig massif — At 2,941 m, the Hochkönig dominates the eastern horizon throughout the upper half of A36. Its glacier-remnant snowfields and sheer limestone walls are clearest from the Mitterfeldalm and from the south-facing terrace at Arthur-Haus — one of the finest Hochkönig viewpoints on the entire Purple Trail.
• Arthur-Haus alpine hut — The stage endpoint at approximately 1,502 m, offering panoramic south-facing terrace views, hot Austrian hut food (Gulasch, Kasspatzln, Kaiserschmarrn), and reliable overnight accommodation in a traditional timber setting. A long-established waypoint on the Via Alpina Purple Trail.
• Tennengebirge karst plateau edge — From Arthur-Haus the limestone plateau stretches north toward the Raucheck (2,431 m), dotted with dolines and blind valleys formed by centuries of rainfall dissolving the Triassic bedrock — an otherworldly stillness rare in the more trafficked Austrian Alps.

Best Time to Hike the Via Alpina Purple A36

The reliable hiking window for A36 runs from late June through early October. Snow lingers on the upper Tennengebirge approaches and near Arthur-Haus well into June in most years, and early autumn snowfall above 1,200 m can arrive as soon as late October. The lower forest section and Werfen starting point remain accessible year-round, but Arthur-Haus closes for the season by mid-October at the latest.

August is the single best month to hike A36 in 2026. The Mitterfeldalm alm is in full summer operation, wildflowers carpet the limestone meadows above 1,200 m, and daytime temperatures run a comfortable 18–22 °C in the valley and 14–18 °C at Arthur-Haus. Afternoon thunderstorms are possible from around 2 p.m. — an early start from Werfen before 8 a.m. puts you at the hut before any weather builds. Nights at Arthur-Haus drop to 5–10 °C, so carry a warm insulation layer.

July offers near-identical hiking conditions with slightly longer daylight (sunrise before 5:30 a.m. in Salzburg) but higher hut occupancy and more frequent afternoon convective storms. Book Arthur-Haus at least one week in advance in July, and aim to pass the Mitterfeldalm before 1 p.m. September rewards those who prioritise solitude: crowds thin after 1 September, daytime temperatures settle around 10–16 °C at the hut, and the larch trees on the lower forest section start their golden transition from mid-September onward. As of 2026, the Salzburg Alpenverein confirms Arthur-Haus typically remains open through early October.

Avoid a June visit without first checking conditions directly with Arthur-Haus — snowfields on the upper section occasionally persist into the first week of July in heavy-snow years and may require microspikes not worth carrying on a summer alpine hike.

Practical Information

Accommodation

The natural overnight stop is Arthur-Haus at approximately 1,502 m. The staffed hut offers Matratzenlager (dormitory) beds for approximately EUR 26–34 per person per night, with private Zimmerlager rooms from EUR 52–68. Half-board — dinner and a hot breakfast — adds around EUR 19–22 per person and is strongly recommended since self-catering above 1,500 m in the Tennengebirge is impractical. Book at least one week ahead for July–August stays; peak-season weekends can fill two to three weeks in advance.

In Werfen at the trailhead, several Gasthöfe and a small hotel offer B&B rooms from EUR 55–90 per night. The town has a supermarket, two bakeries, and a sports shop for last-minute provisioning. A seasonal campsite operates on the valley floor between Werfen and Pfarrwerfen, roughly 2 km from the station, at approximately EUR 12–16 per tent pitch per night.

Getting There & Back

Werfen is one of Austria's best rail-served hiking trailheads. Werfen Bahnhof sits on the Salzburg–Bischofshofen corridor with ÖBB regional trains running at least once per hour through the day. Direct services from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof take 40–45 minutes; from Innsbruck, change at Schwarzach-St. Veit for a total journey of around 75 minutes. Check current ÖBB timetables before travel, as 2026 engineering works on regional lines can occasionally affect departure times.

By car, take the A10 Tauern Autobahn south from Salzburg to the Werfen exit (junction 56), approximately 55 km and 40 minutes in normal traffic. Roadside parking is available near the train station and at the Eisriesenwelt cable car station. For a one-way ascent without backtracking, a local taxi between Arthur-Haus and Werfen can be pre-arranged through the hut. Stage A37 continues from Arthur-Haus toward Abtenau for those extending their Purple Trail section.

Permits & Fees

No permit is required to hike A36. The trail follows publicly accessible footpaths and is free to walk. A detour to Eisriesenwelt Ice Caves costs approximately EUR 16 per adult in 2026, including the Wimm cable car and guided tour; advance booking is recommended in July–August when tour slots sell out by midday. Austrian Alpine Club (ÖAV) membership earns reduced hut rates at Arthur-Haus — typically EUR 5–8 off per night — and pays for itself quickly on any trip involving multiple hut nights along the Purple Trail.

Gear & Packing List

Stage A36's 1,040 m of sustained elevation gain calls for a pack that balances load-carrying comfort with mobility on steep terrain. For an overnight at Arthur-Haus, a 35–50 L capacity is ideal. The Deuter Aircontact Lite 45+10 is built for demanding alpine day-to-hut itineraries — its ventilated Airstripes back panel keeps you cool on the hot lower forest section and its robust hip belt carries load efficiently on the long switchbacks to the Mitterfeldalm.

For ultralight hikers tackling A36 as a fast day stage, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Windrider weighs under 500 g and holds up well in the afternoon thunderstorms common on the Tennengebirge. Those carrying multiple days of gear for a longer Purple Trail section will appreciate the Osprey Aether 65, which provides the volume and load suspension needed for a four or five-day stretch between resupply points. For a full comparison of pack options for alpine multi-day hiking, see Best Ultralight Backpacks of 2026.

Beyond the pack, the essentials for A36 are: trekking poles (the steep forest switchbacks and the knee-loading descent both reward them), a hardshell waterproof jacket, sun protection for the open upper section above the treeline, 2 L water capacity with a filter option (reliable spring sources thin out above the Mitterfeldalm), and a headlamp for early starts or late arrivals. For energy planning on the 5–6 hour ascent, How Many Calories Do You Need Hiking a Full Day? explains how altitude and sustained climbing meaningfully increase your energy demand above a flat-day baseline — useful when deciding how much to carry versus what to order at Arthur-Haus.

Similar Trails You Might Like

Hikers drawn to A36's valley-to-alpine structure, limestone scenery, and staffed-hut culture will find equally compelling options across Austria. The Adlerweg traverses all of Tyrol in 35 stages with a comparable mix of dramatic limestone panoramas, well-signed waymarks, and a mountain hut at the end of each day. The Stubaier Höhenweg pushes higher, looping through the Stubai Alps at a consistent 2,500–3,000 m with glacier views and more technical terrain than A36. For a Zillertal classic, the Berliner Höhenweg Zustieg Ahornbahn is the main approach route into the Berliner Höhenweg high-level circuit. Those seeking a full Austrian long-distance traverse can explore the JK01 or JK02 — both 720 km routes spanning the country's mountain backbone from east to west. For adventure beyond the Alps, the Theth to Valbona hike in Albania offers similarly dramatic point-to-point mountain hiking with frontier hospitality in an increasingly popular destination.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike Via Alpina Purple A36?

August is the single best month: Arthur-Haus is fully operational, the Mitterfeldalm alm is active, wildflowers peak on the limestone meadows, and snow is completely cleared from all sections. The full reliable season runs late June through early October. Check hut opening dates with Arthur-Haus directly before booking travel — late-season snowpack years can push the opening into the first week of July. As of 2026, the standard opening is late June.

How difficult is the Via Alpina Purple A36?

A36 is rated moderate to demanding. The challenge is the 1,040 m of sustained elevation gain from Werfen at 460 m to Arthur-Haus at approximately 1,502 m — the gradient is continuous with no extended flat sections. All terrain is on waymarked footpaths with no scrambling or exposed ridgelines involved. Hikers who regularly walk 4+ hours on hilly terrain should manage it comfortably. Trekking poles are strongly recommended for both the ascent and the knee-loading return descent.

How far is it per day and how long does it take?

Stage A36 covers approximately 15 km one-way with around 1,040 m of elevation gain and minimal descent. Moving time at a moderate hiking pace is 5–6 hours. Budget an additional 30–45 minutes for breaks and a meal stop at the Mitterfeldalm. Adding an Eisriesenwelt ice cave detour extends the day by a further 2.5–3 hours — plan on a full 9-hour outing if visiting the caves and returning to Werfen the same evening.

Where do hikers stay on Via Alpina Purple A36?

Arthur-Haus at the stage endpoint (approximately 1,502 m) is the standard overnight stop, with dormitory beds at around EUR 26–34 per person and private rooms from EUR 52–68. Half-board is recommended. In Werfen at the trailhead, Gasthöfe offer B&B rooms from EUR 55–90 per night. Both options fill quickly in July and August — book Arthur-Haus at minimum one week ahead, two to three weeks for peak-season weekends on the Purple Trail.

Do I need a permit or pass to hike A36?

No permit is required for the trail itself. Via Alpina Purple A36 follows publicly accessible footpaths and is free to hike. If you add a detour to Eisriesenwelt Ice Caves, entry including the cable car and guided tour costs approximately EUR 16 per adult in 2026. Austrian Alpine Club (ÖAV) membership earns discounts at Arthur-Haus and most other staffed huts along the Purple Trail, making it worth considering for anyone planning multiple Via Alpina stages with overnight hut stays.