Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HOHE TAUERN NATIONAL PARK
If you thought Mother Nature pulled out all the stops in the Austrian Alps, think again:
Hohe Tauern National Park was her magnum opus. Welcome to Austria's outdoor wonder-
land and one of Europe's biggest nature reserves (1786 sq km), which straddles Tyrol,
Carinthia and Salzburgerland and is overshadowed by the 3798m hump of Grossglockner,
the country's highest peak. Try as we might, no amount of hyperbole about towering
snow-clad mountains, shimmering glaciers, impossibly turquoise lakes and raging water-
falls can quite do this place justice. Go see it for yourself.
History
The Austrian Alps once formed the boundary between the more-established southern Ro-
man territories and their newer, less stable conquests to the north. The main trade route for
pack animals ran along the pass at the end of the Tauern Valley, but few settlements were
established due to the Romans' distrust of the treacherous climate (tales of malevolent
snowy spirits abounded) and difficult mountainous topography. In 1971 the provinces of
Carinthia, Salzburg and Tyrol agreed to the creation of a national park; regions were added
in stages between 1981 and 1991 until it became Europe's largest national park. Today
Hohe Tauern is widely regarded as one of Europe's biggest conservation success stories,
an example of an approach where the needs of the local population are addressed right
from the start.
Getting There & Around
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
To limit traffic through the park, many of the roads have toll sections and some are closed
in winter. The main north-south road routes are the year-round Felber-Tauern-Strasse
(B108) between Mittersill and Lienz, and the spectacular Grossglockner Road (open May
to October). The 5.5km-long Felbertauerntunnel is on the East Tyrol-Salzburgerland bor-
der; the toll is €10 for cars and €8 for motorcycles. Buses on the Lienz-Kitzbühel route
operate along this road.
TRAIN
