Visiting Liechtensteinklamm Gorge near Salzburg, Austria
Liechtensteinklamm is a stunning and unique gorge in Austria that makes for a great day trip destination from Salzburg.
This gorge is fairly popular amongst locals but I feel that it is still unknown internationally, which is great! It has really impressive views with walls that reach up to 300 meters high and an impressive spiral staircase.
We have visited Liechtensteinklamm Gorge recently, so we put together this guide to help you plan your visit as well.
PS: The Liechtensteinklamm Gorge is currently closed for the season and it will open back up again in May 2025
Basic information about the Liechtensteinklamm Gorge
- Total distance: 3 km in total
- Duration: 30min each way, but you can count on spending up to 2h in total with the stops along the way
- Elevation gain: 100 meters
- Difficulty: Easy
- Suitable for kids? Yes
Important update: During the summer of 2024, the gorge was affected by heavy storms, and part of it was closed, so only the first portion is currently accessible. The gorge is currently under work and is expected to fully open again in the Spring of 2025.
The trail along the Liechtenstein Gorge is quite easy to follow. You will pass through caves, suspended bridges, and the stunning spiral staircase, reaching a massive waterfall at the end.
It’s a really fun trail and perfect for families because it’s easy but engaging from start to finish. It’s not suitable for prams or wheelchairs because there are a lot of steps along the way.
We highly recommend wearing proper walking/hiking shoes because the path is often wet with sprinkles from the river and the waterfalls, so it can get slippery.
How to get to Liechtensteinklamm Gorge
Liechtensteinklamm Gorge is located just outside the town of St Johann in Pongau. It’s a fairly remote location so I recommend going with a car if you can.
We drove there with our car and it was quite easy to reach it. Here is the gorge’s exact location, you will see the different parking lots as you approach it.
I recommend driving all the way to P1 (the closest parking) and circling back to P2 or P3 if there are no spaces left. Parking is free.
Do you need to rent a car for your trip?
We always use DiscoverCars to rent our car. So far it has proved to be not only the cheapest option but also the most reliable one. We used DiscoverCars to rent our car for our trips through Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, Italy, and so many other countries, and we never had any issues. We even convinced all of our friends and family to use it. So that’s why we are also recommending it to you!
If you won’t be renting a car for your trip, you can also get to Liechtensteinklamm Gorge using public transport from St Johann by taking a bus + walk.
From the town of St Johann, you can take the Citybus nr 52 to Plankenauwirt and stop in Plankenau, then walk to the start of the gorge (it’ll take you around 40min). Please check the Citybus working days and times because it may vary depending on the season.
Read also: Driving in Austria: a guide for tourists
Liechtensteinklamm Gorge: Opening hours
| Dates | Opening times |
| From May to September | From 9 am to 6 pm |
| October | From 9 am to 4 pm |
| From November to April | Closed |
Liechtensteinklamm Gorge is closed from November to April due to the weather conditions.
This means you cannot visit Liechtensteinklamm during the winter.
Tickets for visiting Liechtensteinklamm in Austria
For the 2025 season, tickets cost € 15,00 per person.
They also have a few discount options for children, teens, groups, and guest card holders. The visit to Liechtensteinklamm Gorge is free for a day if you have the SalzburgerLand Card.
Check their official page if you need additional information.
You can buy tickets online or on the spot.
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The visit to Liechtensteinklamm Gorge – Our experience
Visiting Liechtensteinklamm was one of the best things we did during our road trip to Austria last summer. We visited in July which is peak season, but we arrived early enough so we had a great time!
We got there around 9:30 and were able to secure a parking place in P1, right next to the entrance. We bought our tickets once we got there, which was super easy.
Start of the trail
The trail was stunning from the get-go! During the start of the trail, you will walk alongside the gorge and have beautiful views of the rock walls and the river below. For us, this was a very fun trail because it wasn’t physically demanding, but the landscape was constantly changing as we passed through suspended bridges, caves, and different parts of the path.
The spiral staircase
One of the highlights of the trail is the spiral staircase called the Helix which is located about halfway. Before you reach the staircase, you’ll have the most demanding section of the trail which is a staircase up. If you’re used to walking outdoors, it shouldn’t be an issue!
You’ll approach Liechtensteinklamm’s spiral staircase from the top, which is great because it gives a really impressive view! I loved this spot (it’s where I took the picture above).
There is a small viewpoint at the top and, with a little bit of patience, you can get an empty section if you want to take pictures of it.
The Liechtensteinklamm waterfall
After descending the famous staircase, you’ll pass through a series of caves until you reach the waterfall viewpoint. You’ll be able to hear it from a distance depending on how powerful the water is.
The view of the waterfall in the valley was beautiful! We were lucky because the waterfall was quite full of water even though we visited in July. The later in the summer you go, the less water it tends to have (except for periods after rainfall).
The waterfall viewpoint marks the end of the trail. We recommend taking some time at the end to catch your breath and appreciate the view. To go back, you just need to follow the same way back.
In the end, there is a restaurant and a souvenir shop if you want to take a break.
By the time we left, it was around 11am and we could already see the large groups of people coming in! We were very glad we arrived early.
Our tips for visiting Liechtensteinklamm Gorge
- Wear good walking shoes because it is usually slippery – Fe made the mistake of going on Converse All-Stars and she struggled a bit
- There are 440 steps in total along the way, so make sure your little one is comfortable walking through all of it if you want to visit the gorge with kids
- Arrive as early as possible because it gets really busy during the summer!
- Liechtensteinklamm Gorge is typically open regardless of the weather but the gorge looks better on a sunny day. If you can be picky, it looks even more stunning on the days after it rains so the water level is high.
- Buying tickets in advance is not necessary as you stand in the same line as people buying them on the spot.
- The parking lot is suitable for camper vans as well.
- Stop at the restaurant and the souvenir shops only on the way back so you don’t lose time at the start of the visit and try to catch the gorge as empty as possible on your way in.
Discover other things to do in the area:
Where to stay near Liechtensteinklamm Gorge
You can visit Liechtensteinklamm Gorge as a day trip from Salzburg or when staying nearby. The closest town is called St Johann im Pongau but there are a lot of villages nearby with cozy accommodation options.
Here are some good options for places to stay in the area:
- Alpina Alpendorf – One of the most modern hotels in St Johann, this place has a stunning infinity pool and comfortable rooms.
- Das Martell – This 3-star hotel is a great option for a place to stay in St Johann. Most rooms have a beautiful view of the mountains.
- Freiraum 9 Living Apartment – If you prefer to stay in a fully functional apartment, this is the place for you. They have several apartment options with incredible views.
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FAQ – Popular questions about visiting Liechtensteinklamm in Austria
After our visit, we posted a Reel about this place on our Instagram and it had over 3 million views, so we were flooded with questions about visiting Liechtensteinklamm. Here are the answers to the most popular questions:
Are dogs allowed in Liechtensteinklamm Gorge?
Yes, dogs are allowed, but it’s the owner’s responsibility to ensure the dog can easily walk the distance and the 440 steps.
Also, a lot of the trail is made of steel steps which can hurt the animal’s paws so we noticed a few people having socks or shoes for their dogs.
We are not dog owners but I wouldn’t recommend this attraction if you have a small dog because of all the steps along the way.
How long does the visit to Liechtensteinklamm take?
You should count on spending around 1.5 – 2h in total.
The path itself isn’t long and can be walked in around 30m. However, the trail is really beautiful and you will want to stop along the way for pictures and to admire the landscape. So, factor that time in.
We spent 1.5h there when we visited Liechtensteinklamm last summer.
Can you visit Liechtensteinklamm during the winter?
No, Liechtensteinklamm Gorge is closed during the winter season, from November to April.
What’s the best time of the year to visit Liechtensteinklamm?
The gorge is only open from May to October. I would say the best time to visit is the month of June or early July because the weather is typically hot and it is still early enough in the summer that the waterfall has a good volume of water.
We received a few comments from people who visited Liechtensteinklamm Gorge later in September and the waterfall was very weak, so it wasn’t as impressive.
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