The best hiking routes in Naturschutzgebiet - Teil der steirischen Nockberge

Naturschutzgebiet - Teil der steirischen Nockberge covers a distinct, rounded alpine landscape characterized by gentle, grass-covered summits rather than the jagged limestone peaks found in neighboring Austrian ranges. Walking here means traversing high-altitude meadows, crystalline rock formations, and pockets of dwarf shrub heath. The terrain lacks dramatic vertical drops, offering instead wide, rolling ridges that allow for steady, continuous walking above the tree line.

Underfoot, the paths transition from soft, peaty soil in the depressions to gravelly, weathered schist on the higher ridges. You will notice a distinct lack of rugged scree fields; instead, the ground is stabilized by dense alpine turf and low-growing blueberry and cranberry bushes. Small, acidic tarns and boggy hollows interrupt the grassy slopes, requiring walkers to navigate around damp depressions on narrow, natural dirt tracks.

In July, the green slopes are colored by the pink blooms of the alpine rose, which thrives in the acidic soil of these rounded hills. This area is ideal if you prefer long, undulating ridge walks with gradual climbs, but it will disappoint those seeking sharp ridges, steel-rope scrambles, or deep limestone gorges.