Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), drawn by Global Adventurer.
The walk
The walk starts at car park P1, beside the ticket office at the foot of the Kitzlochklamm, a gorge of the Rauriser Ache about 1 km east of Taxenbach. The path is built into the gorge: a footway, steps and wooden bridges climb past the Grosser Wasserfall and a small dripstone grotto, the Tropfsteingrotte, that cannot be entered, then run on walkways beside the Kitzloch, the narrowest part of the gorge. Above the cave called the Einsiedelei the walkway goes on to a memorial cross at its upper end, where a guidepost points on to Maria Elend, Embach and Rauris. The line turns back there to the Einsiedelei, goes through the 30 m Ritzstollen, an old search tunnel, to the Embacher Rast viewpoint, and returns by a gravel track and a path through the wood to the car park.
It is 2.0 km round with 107 m of ascent; allow about an hour. The grade is Easy: it is short, but the path is steps and walkways (the operator counts about 537 steps on the way up into the gorge) and they can be slippery when wet. The operator calls the walk easy to moderately difficult and recommends sure footing and suitable shoes. It is not suitable for prams or wheelchairs, dogs must be on a lead, and children should be accompanied.
An entry contribution is paid at the entrance, in cash only. In 2026 the operator's page gives October hours of 9:00 to 16:00 with the last entry at 15:00, and a winter closure from 27 October 2026 to 16 May 2027; the gorge can also close at short notice in extreme weather, heavy rain, flooding or other safety risks. The Klettersteige, the via ferrata routes in the gorge, are separate and are not used by this walk.
The entrance is at Kitzlochklammstraße 16. P1 at the entrance is charged; the operator lists P2 and P3 just before the gorge as free, a 10 to 15 minute walk from the entrance. Taxenbach-Rauris railway station is about 2.2 km from P1 in a straight line; the operator gives about 50 minutes on foot.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- The Kitzlochklamm is a gorge of the Rauriser Ache about 1.5 km long, with a height difference of over 100 m; a secured path of walkways, bridges and steps runs through it
- Its operator gives the gorge walk as about 1.7 km and 1 to 1.5 hours, with some 537 steps on the way up; the way back is through a small wooded area to the car park
- An entry contribution is paid at the gorge entrance, in cash only; the gorge is open seasonally and can close at short notice in extreme weather
- A memorial cross at the top of the walkway recalls the eight schoolgirls who died when a bridge in the gorge collapsed on 29 July 1974
Getting there
Start: Taxenbach, Kitzlochklamm car park P1 · Pay and display. 47.28936, 12.97591
Directions to the start
By train: Taxenbach-Rauris station is 2.2 km from the start.
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Taxenbach: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line is drawn along OpenStreetMap paths and the figures are worked out from it; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.