Jagdhausalmen

Embedded in the awesome natural beauty of Hohe Tauern National Park, the Jagdhausalmen are a collection of stone huts at the end of the Defereggental Valley representing the oldest mountain settlement in Austria. Keep your camera charged, as this remote high-mountain settlement consisting of 15 homes and a chapel offers many photo opportunities. Man has inhabited the valleys of Hohe Tauern Mountains for 5,000 years. In the course of the centuries, East Tirol began to use the high mountain pastures above the treeline as open grazing pastures. From the 15th century onwards, settlers used the Jagdhausalmen as their summer retreat and took advantage of the grazing opportunities for their cattle. This continued until just a few decades ago. Today the buildings are generally used for storage.
From St. Jakob im Defereggental, drive to Erlsbach and take the toll road to Alpengasthof Oberhaus. From there follow the footpath that winds into the valley through old-growth stone for about 30 minutes. Continue walking along the dirt road, passing the Seebachalm on your way to the Jagdhausalmen at 2,009 metres above sea level. Return along the same route. Alternatively, it is also possible to along the other side of the Schwarzach river.