Höllental

The Höllental is a narrow valley in Lower Austria, stretching 16.5 km between Schwarzau im Gebirge and Hirschwang. It lies between the steep limestone massifs of the Schneeberg and Rax, through which the River Schwarza flows. The valley belongs to the Natura 2000 region of Northeastern Border Alps. Its side valleys include the Weich valley, the Großes Höllental, the Kesselgraben, the Nasswald and Voisbach valleys. A well-developed road, the Höllental Straße, follows the river and is popular with motorcyclists. The valley supplies important drinking water sources for Vienna, such as the Fuchs Pass Spring, Kaiserbrunn and Wasseralm Spring. The First Vienna Mountain Spring Pipeline delivers this water to the city. To mark the 125th anniversary of the pipeline, the 1st Viennese Pipeline Way was built as a walking trail between Kaiserbrunn and Hirschwang. The Kaiserbrunn Water Pipeline Museum provides information on the history and construction of the pipeline and Vienna’s water supply. The Höllental offers several restaurants along the road, including the Gasthof zur Singerin and the Weichtalhaus in Naßwald. The valley is the starting point for Alpine tours to the Schneeberg and Rax mountains. The Schwarza is used for swimming, wild water kayaking and fly fishing. A public bus line runs through the valley several times daily, and the Höllental Railway operates on summer weekends from the Semmering Railway to the beginning of the Höllental.