Vienna itself is full of sprawling green parks like Prater Park, Danube Park, or Lainz Game Reserve, but there’s one thing you won’t find there: natural waterfalls! If you’re a nature lover and have enough time to explore outside of Vienna, a day trip to Myra Waterfalls (Myrafälle in German) is definitely worth considering. It’s good to know that the Myra Falls aren’t particularly massive, but the entire area is wonderfully green, peaceful, and pleasant.
You can choose between two routes: the shorter trail just around the waterfalls, or the longer trail that combines the waterfalls with the Steinwandklamm (Stone Wall Gorge).
The Short Hiking Trail at Myra Falls – A One-Hour Walk
Near the small, tranquil village of Muggendorf, nestled in a green valley, you’ll find charming waterfalls that have long become a popular regional attraction. The hiking trail around the falls is well-maintained, clearly signposted, and quite straightforward, making it easy to enjoy even with young children.
Along the trail, there are 11 different stations, each a short distance from the next. The waterfall trail is marked in yellow and takes about an hour to walk.
The trail begins at the foot of the waterfalls, where you’ll find a large restaurant and a visitor center. Close to the starting point, there’s also an old water station, established in the 19th century, which used to generate electricity for the nearby city of Wiener Neustadt.
After you’ve paid the entrance fee at the ticket office (details on costs are below), you can begin your walk along the waterfalls. The first part of the trail features many wooden bridges and steps, and it’s an uphill climb. This ascent takes about 10 minutes up the waterfalls, and it’s the section where you can capture the most stunning photos of the falls.
See the Myra Falls
Once you’ve completed the ascent alongside the waterfalls, you’ll walk along the stream, beneath the tall forest trees. In this section, you’ll find ancient remains of an old water station and the dam that was used to control the water flow. At the edge of the forest, you’ll reach a road surrounded by large grassy areas and a children’s playground. This is an ideal spot for a family picnic in nature.
If the short trail was enough for you, you can return the same way back to the visitor center.
The Long Trail – Steinwandklamm (Stone Wall Gorge) – A Four-Hour Walk
If you love hiking and the short Myra Falls trail wasn’t quite enough for you, you can continue on the circular route that passes through an impressive gorge in the heart of the hills (in German, the gorge is called Steinwandklamm). After you reach the top of the falls and the small road nearby, you’ll need to cross the road and continue along the yellow trail uphill. Initially, the uphill walk is directly on the road (cars sometimes pass by), but after about 10 minutes, you’ll return to the trail in nature. The uphill slope isn’t steep, and at its highest point, you’ll be at an elevation of 705 meters above sea level. At the highest point, there’s a small restaurant with a wonderful view of the highest mountain in the area, Schneeberg. You can stop here for refreshments and a warm lunch.
From there, you’ll continue along the yellow trail until you reach the point where the blue trail begins. From this point, the trail becomes rockier and more wooded, and this is essentially the Steinwandklamm. To start the gorge trail, you’ll need to use the entrance ticket you purchased near the waterfalls.
The gorge is impressively beautiful, even though the water flow is minimal during some seasons of the year. Along the gorge, you’ll walk on wooden bridges and climb several ladders. In the middle of the gorge, there’s a split to the red trail. This is a shortcut that requires good physical fitness. The red trail is the most challenging part of the entire route, and you’ll need to climb ladders at least 30 meters high. The ascent is very steep, but in our opinion, it’s the most enjoyable part of the entire trail. Towards the end of the gorge walk, there’s a small cave where locals hid during the Turkish invasion, hence the cave is called “Turkenloch” (Turks’ Hole in German).
See the trail along the gorge:
After you make your way back on the blue trail, you’ll reach the restaurant where you stopped earlier and can once again enjoy the beautiful mountain views. From there, you’ll need to walk another 30 minutes downhill until you return to the Myra Falls visitor center and parking lots.
The circular trail takes about 4 hours of leisurely walking.
Essential Information for Visiting Myra Falls
Opening Hours:
Closed during the winter months (you can pass the gate during this period without an entrance ticket, but it’s crucial to be careful as the trail can be dangerous due to ice and snow). Throughout the season (starting early April), it’s open from 8:00 AM until dusk.
Entrance Fees:
- Entrance to the Falls:
- Adult (ages 15+) – 7 Euro
- Child (ages 6+) – 3 Euro
Official Website
Purchase Tickets in Advance Online
Address
- Myrafälle 1, 2763 Muggendorf
How to Get to Myra Falls?
The most convenient way to reach the falls is by car. The drive takes about an hour. You’ll need to drive south via the highway. There are plenty of parking spaces near the falls. On busy days, additional parking lots are opened in the nearby village of Muggendorf, and from there, it’s about a 10-minute walk to the falls.
You can reach the falls from Vienna by public transport, but the journey is a bit longer (about two hours). From Vienna, take a fast train from the main railway station (Wien Hauptbahnhof) or the southern railway station (Wien Meidling) to Wiener Neustadt station. There, you’ll need to change to a train heading towards Pernitz-Muggendorf and get off at Gutenstein Bahnhof.
From this train station, you’ll need to walk about 40 minutes to the falls. Alternatively, you can take a taxi or use the free bus to the falls (operates only on Sundays and public holidays). The bus ride takes about 5 minutes.
You can plan your journey using the railway website:
Map:
If you’d like to combine your visit to the falls with another nearby attraction, you could visit the spa town of Baden, located close to Vienna. Alternatively, you can continue to another fantastic nature site featuring wild animals and plenty of activities for children. This place is called Sparbach Nature Park.
