Vorderkaser Gorge

The Vorderkaser Gorge is located between St. Martin and Weißbach (declared a natural monument in 1977) and was first opened to the public in 1882. Some 12,000 to 14,000 years ago, when the Ice Age glaciers had already melted away, the current of the Oedenbach began to steadily eat away at the hard rock (at a rate of about 6 mm annually). Today´s  gorge is already 400 m long, 80 m deep, as much as 6 m wide at the top and as narrow as 80 cm at the bottom. The utterly fascinating pathway through the gorge leads visitors via a series of 51 footbridges and 35 stairways with a total of 373 steps.

The entrance to the gorge is about 2.5 km from Highway 311. The trail leads through a natural recreation area with swimming ponds in the Schiedergraben.

Vorderkaser Natural Swimming Area

If you are someone in search of adventure, nature and recreation, then the Vorderkaser natural swimming area is perfect for you.

The three natural swimming ponds extend over a distance of some 2 km, inviting you to relax, unwind and enjoy a refreshing dip. A suspension bridge, the rafts and the natural course of the Schiederbach itself provide an ideal setting for fascinating journeys of discovery.

Location: next to the access road leading to Vorderkaser Gorge Open daily from mid-May until the end of September.

Tel. +43 6588 8510

Orchid Path

Blooming alongside the pathway to Vorderkaser Gorge in St. Martin is the breathtaking abundance of a wide variety of orchids.

Fascinating information stations provide insights into this world of very unique plants. Probably the best known is an orchid species with a very large blossom – known als Lady´s Slipper – though along this pathway, a wide variety of other native orchids are also waiting to be discovered.

The Orchid Path begins at the entrance to Vorderkaser Gorge. The orchid blossoms are at their height in June and July.