Epic Hikes of the World ( PDFDrive )

© Justin Foulkes | 4Corners
an ibex finds its perch on the Europaweg near Zermatt
EAGLE WALK
One of the Alps’ longest hiking trails, the Eagle Walk is a compendium of Austrian
Alpine highlights. It begins along the Wilder Kaiser (Wild Emperor) mountains near
St Johann in Tirol, and then spools out for more than 250 miles (400km), ending
across the slopes of 12,461ft (3798m) Grossglockner, the highest mountain in
Austria. The trail is partitioned into 33 stages – 24 in North Tyrol, nine in East Tyrol
– and almost traverses Austria north-south. If the idea of hiking in the Austrian Alps
lulls you into a fantasy of Sound of Music-type strolls, think again – there’s more
than 10,000ft (30,000m) of ascent along the Eagle Walk, which is exhausting just
to write! If you just fancy a few days with the Eagle, it’s easy to tap into short
sections of the trail, with bus stops and train stations regularly intersecting with the
route.
Start // St Johann in Tirol
End // Lucknerhaus
Distance // 257 miles (413km)